Response to Kodalith Ortho

If you really want to use high contrast film and "beat" it soft then you should try Gigabit film. TechPan has a relatively low acutance -- definitly lower than e.g. APX 25 in Rodinal -- and a substandard tonal rendition despite the fine grain. Gigabit obviously is AGFA Copex microfilm spooled in cassettes (many people have commented on this and on the box it says "Made in Belgium" and Gevaert is the only film manufacturer there). The film comes packed with a small glass bottle of propietary chemistry, which smells awfully like C41 chemistry (by the way: C41 chemistry is a good way to "soften" B&W film. But: only use the developer and do not use the bleach-fix!). The speed claimed by the company is ISO 50. The negs visually look flat and soft after development, but they print nice, especially on a little harder paper. The film has a much better tonal rendition, overal contrast, acutance and grain structure than TechPan. It is off course impossible to test the claims of 700 lines of resolution that the company makes, but the resolution is impressive. I do not know if the film is available through dealers in the US, but it can be ordered through Fotoimpex in Berlin.

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