Bergger Pancro 400 dev suggestions?

[etn]

What developer would you guys recommend for Bergger Pancro 400?
I shot a couple rolls in the past, developed in Microphen, but was not too impressed by the results. (found the images a bit "flat", which is kinda strange as this film usually gets good reviews). I would like to try something else on the couple rolls I still have in my fridge.

Thanks!

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Xtol 1+1, D-76 1+1...

 

[etn]

What about Berspeed or Ber49? does anyone have experience with that?

 

[Tom Kershaw]

The Berspeed developer is mostly likely very similar to Microphen - I've processed the film in this (actually ID-68) and the results were fine, however I'd suggest '400' is really a push with Bergger Pancro 400 and exposure at 200 is likely to give good results.

 

[removedacct1]

I've used BER49 (aka Atomal 49) and found it delivers superior results for my tastes. It seems to do a better job of preserving important high values that add to the illusion of texture and tactility. Xtol 1:1 comes in a close second. Rodinal was horrible with this film. As Tom suggests, always expose at 200ASA or lower for best results (In sheet format I expose at 160 ASA). Its not a true 400 speed film, IMO.

 

[thefizz]

I’ve been using R09 Special (Studio) and like the combination so far.

 

[etn]

As Tom suggests, always expose at 200ASA or lower for best results (In sheet format I expose at 160 ASA). Its not a true 400 speed film, IMO.

Thanks to you and Tom for this advice, will try. Do you keep the 400 ASA dev time from the datasheet or do you adjust it?

 

[removedacct1]

Thanks to you and Tom for this advice, will try. Do you keep the 400 ASA dev time from the datasheet or do you adjust it?

That really depends on the contrast of the scene photographed. Sometimes I use the recommended time, and sometimes I reduce it by a minute or so, if it needs a bit of compression of the range of tones.

 

[Mick Fagan]

I've used Bergger Pancro 400 in sheet form and found it to be extremely good if developed fully.

I've ended up using D76 1:1 and my stock time for good light is 17 minutes at 20ºC, which strangely enough is what Bergger suggest. However I expose it at 320 ASA or 250 ASA dependent upon what the situation is. I extend or contract the developer according to the contrast of the scene.

Some images I take are needing a bit of a lift, If this is the case I turn to Bergger Pancro 400 for when this arises, I've been successful more often than not as a result.

The attached image was taken on a cloudy bright day, fairly flat lighting but with a half a stop extra in developing, it worked very well; at least I think it has.

The trick of this film is that the highlights have been rendered well at the same time the shadow detail has really held up.

Shen Hao HZX45-IIA, Fujinon 250 1/30 at f/22, Bergger 400, orange filter, 6mm front rise.

House in Dergholm, western Victoria. Sun came out enough to give things a lift and I was fast enough to capture that brighter bit of light while it lasted.

This is a low res version of the original negative scan, clicking on the image to view in another window at it's natural reduced size, allows you to see the shadow detail and inspect the highlights. Impressive film.

Orange filter was used to show up the smoke from the chimney, otherwise it didn't show.

This is another one where the Bergger film excels. A tricky scene and one where I tried it with Ilford FP4+ as well as the Bergger, the Bergger killed the FP4+.

Once again, clicking on the image to view in another window will allow you to see shadow detail in a backlit scenario, which FP4+ couldn't go anywhere near what the Bergger Pancro 400 did.

Bergger Pancro 400
Shen Hao 4x5" camera
Fujinon 65mm with centre filter
1/30 @ f/16½

Stock Race and Dead Tree in Welford National Park Queensland.

Taken after lunch in September on a very warm to hot day with flatish lighting due to a constant cloud cover. I know I extended the development of this one as it was in my half a stop extra development box after the trip. I took my base exposure halfway from the lighter coloured vertical pole in the middle of the race and the timber railings. I then let everything else fall wherever it was going to fall.

This is a quite cropped image as my fingers were showing as I was shading the extreme wide angle lens from the sun.

 

[Tom Kershaw]

MIck,

Very helpful post thanks. The 17 minute D-76 time being recommended is interesting as it took a while for me to believe the long development times being recommended for the film compared to other options.

Tom

 

[Tim V]

I really like Pancro 400, especially developed in PMK and Pyrocat, but I have had many issues with coating / emulation defects. It’s my favourite film for its look and I want to use it, but unfortunately I don’t trust it with regards to quality control.

Anyway, FWIW I only shoot 8x10” sheet film. PMK is great and Bergger recommended times seem spot on.

 

[pwitkop]

I've had good results with x-tol 1:1, and pmk. I found it took some testing to get a good time, it really has to be fully developed to get much for mid tone separation. The published x-tol time was close for me, my pmk time was very long but this has been true for other films for me too. I think it's my particular well water.

 

[Tim V]

Out of interest, pwitkop, what’s your PMK time and temp?

 

[pwitkop]

Out of interest, pwitkop, what’s your PMK time and temp?

If I remember correctly, I'm not near my notes, but it was 18min at 25 degrees, 1:2:100. I'm finding my pmk times are pretty close to published times for 1:2:100 when I use 1:2:50. I haven't compared my times using well water and distilled, but I'm fairly sure they'll be fairly different. I have a shallow well and I expect I have lots of dissolved minerals

 

[fs999]

Caffenol CL 70 min. stand or CLCS (Cold Start @15°C/58°F) for 80 min.