Its a Movie Duplication Emulsion, manufactured by somebody called Polystar*, somewhere in Europe. It was only available in bulk, and was eventually stopped being manufactured in 2019. It works better @ iso 20 with a compensating developer for pictorial purposes. It has absolutely nothing to do with Pan F Plus. It has no ' Antihalation Layer ' so highlights will have a halo/glow, and it is also quite prone to light piping due to the nature of its clear base ( movie films need to have a tough base as they go through the projector and sprockets ), so loading in very dim light is advisable. Very nice photography Roger, as usual.
This film was quite ubiquitous in european Onlinestores from about 2008-2015. It was sold in in 90m and 122m (or was it 152m?) cans for about 30-60€ if I remember correctly. Back then it was the cheapest film you can get. Nobody ever found out what this film really was and where it was made. There are assumptions that it was some kind of duplication film, made by some (now defunct) Eastern european coating plant. The rolls which are sold now are most probably leftovers from the coating run back then. There isnt any Information about a company called Polystar* on the Internet, at least no company producing light sensitive material.
@@lensman5762 There are plenty Discussions in german forums on this stock, dating back to at least 2008 when it probably first appeared out of nothing. Around 2015 it disappeared into nothing. Polystar is a brand name created just for this single Film, Made in EC could mean Made in European Community (which was 2003 finally surpassed by the European Union) or European Country and a recommendation for D76/ID11 has probably every BW film made since 1926. When it first appeared the film maufacturing business In Europe was completely chaotic. AGFA ceased Production and filed for Bankruptcy in 2005, Forte filed for Bankruptcy in 2004, got saved and finally gave up 2007, Fotokemika struggled since the breakup of Yugoslavia and closed 2012, Ilford restructured in 2004, Svema closed 2004 just to name a few examples. It isn't a new stock, back when it was new basically everyone hated it for everything, except the price and no one has official Information on it- like a Datasheet or a even who manufactured it, when it was manufactured and for what porpuse. Definitely it was'nt manufactured until 2019. It disappeared around 2015.
The clear polyester film base acts sometimes as a “light wire”. So the leader of the film should not be (strongly) exposed to light and the film should be loaded into the camera in subdued light. Othwerwise, lights is “transported” into the film canister. If not subdued, such kind of streaks might occur on the negatives.
Over the time, you have become my very favorite film photography channel and photographer :) I love that you show us the printing stage too and that you connect so good with your fans and followers. Cheers and keep it up, Roger! I'm always eager to see what you post next.
Pretty decent looking images, i would dig trying that film!!! Rodinal is the best because it may turn into tea, it still works great!!! I also draw a lot, especially from life and when I first started using a darkroom seeing the shadows grow changed the way I drew!!! I still find film/printing magical!!!
Very Good, honest and to the point, you also cover such a lot, so keep it going, you can tell you love the process, the enthusiasm is contagious, in a good way.
Interesting to watch your video. The Polypan seems to be converted in a backyard somewhere in Germany. It's a mystery. Most photographers rated the film a bad choice. However, the price is hot!
I’ve seen lines like that and it was coming from the little window on the back where you can see the film type. It was the foam seal that presses on the cassette had got too weak. On mine the shots that were in quick succession came out ok and when there was a bit of time between shots had the leak showing. Found it by leaving a strip of film in the camera and leaving it in sunlight for a few mins.
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss Ok cool, was worth a look. It only happened on one or two makes of film where the film canister was a slightly smaller diameter. Took ages to twig what was wrong.
One of my favorite film chanels! Shoot Film Like a Boss, Steve O'Nions and Grainy Days are a must watch. Not only are you all entertaining, but I've learned so much from all of you.... Ok, maybe not so much from Grainy Days (I'm kidding) Keep up the amazing work.
I find your presentations excellent. I like the pacing, a bit of humour and you showing the whole sequence including film developing and printing. It’s a ton more work for you to show us your work printed on paper and I am grateful for your efforts here.
Assuming the reloading from bulk has been done correctly, intermittent light leaks across the frame and sprocket holes in 35mm are usually due to failing foam seals on the camera door - especially at the latch. I would suggest checking them, and replacing (messy but straightforward). Also easy to test with fast film, blank shots and a record of light conditions as you "shoot" - note sometimes the way we grip the camera during a shot can flex the back to generate a leak, hence the intermittent occurrence.
Nice photos and camera. I saw some "Cheap" 8 exposure per roll online but it turned out that they are more expensive (per exposure) than the Kodak and Fuji that we buy from the local stores.
Cool Stuff! I love FPP and their films! Low speed films are what I live for! I really dig your channel for the development insight and experience sharing, great work! You're an effective communicator on technical stuff but I certainly do not feel overwhelmed, cause you break it down into easier pieces,bravo bravo! Cheers!
Love these videos testing out little known film. I recently did one testing some FPP Let It Snow and had to do some guess work over development but it's come out well. Did a video on it if you were interested. The contrast in Let It Snow is AMAZING!
I wish that I had more experience and confidence in using my Leica M and other brands of “Flash machines” that I have, and just using it in entirely complete “manual mode” RS. Canada
I love your channel. Taking a photo on a variety of cameras with a variety of films. All the way through the process of developing the films in a variety of developers. Then printing. You show the whole thing. Start to finish. Faults n all. Whether it's the camera. Metering. Human error. You even reply to comments. What more could you ask for? Please keep doing what you're doing. 🏴👍
Those lines look exactly like what happened with one of my computrol bulk loaders one time. It lacks the lock to prevent you from inserting the cassette in the loader with the bulk film being exposed to light. Did it once with a roll of neopan 1600 a long time ago and had lines weirdly spaced apart for a large part of the roll.
I think the light leak is from your camera because where ever it appears it always looks like the same exact place on each negative. Nothing else would do that
I fully second your conclusion: Poly is a very nice film indeed. I have been using it extensively (a couple of hundred rolls) for many years and still do. Rodinal 1+49 for 13m is correct for Poly@50, but I use the Beutler formula to get ISO 100 with full shadow details, excellent acutance, nice tonal scale, and much better grain. I especially like the film in summer when it produces subtle halo effects. A film with a distinctive vintage character and very good at that. The streaks are most likely due to less than ideal bulk loading. Take care when handling wet, since the emulsion is easily scratched. Dries dead flat and scans exceptionally well. I was glad that Poly was frequently bad-mouthed. That kept the price down 😀and allowed me to fill my freezer at ludicrous prices. Now it seems to have disappeared from the market. If can you find a tin, grab one (it keeps well).
Got a roll of Polypan F in a old Praktica BMS right now. Rate the Polypan at 100ASA. You can't go much higher. There's not a lot of silver there. The film has a Polyester base. The issue is light-piping and is is a common problem with that film base. Roll 23 to get 20 usable frames.
Hey Roger, not sure if anyone else has already mentioned this but the leak you're seeing is not caused by light piping through the film base from the canister opening as others are saying, but it is instead a film confirmation window leak. Were it the former, you would not see leaks in the exact same spot every time. Unfortunately, I'm speaking from experience. I was using coated labels for bulk rolled film, and this coating was acting as an optic fibre which would mean light would enter the coating through the film confirmation window, bounce through the costing, and hit the film between the end of the canister and the film gate in the camera. That explains why the leak is so evenly spaced and does not decrease over the length of the roll or shows any other pattern. It could of course be that your film confirmation window's seals are in a poor state, but I doubt that with such a new camera. Does it seem like those rolls have a coated label too? It's an easy fix of course, you can either cover up the window or shoot the film in a camera without a window.
Sounds like light piping. Had the same issue with a couple of different rolls. If you look at some of the stuff of theirs on Analogue wonderland they recommend loading in very reduced lighting due to this very issue. More of an issue with these Clear base films.
Morning Roger. I bought a 100' roll of Polypan F when it first appeared and I too experience the strange "light leak" effect on random frames. I've shot it in my Oly OM1, a Kodak Retina 1a folder, a Minolta XG-M and my old faithful Pentax Spotmatic 1000. All of them throw the same light leak effect on this film. I notice that a commenter has mentioned the "light pipe" effect from the polyester base, that could be possible, also the lack of an anti-halation backing could maybe give strange internal bounce reflections. One thought did occur to me, I wonder if a light source just outside the frame is reflecting off the camera pressure plate? Still, the film is cheap enough to play with and just blast away to familiarise yourself with a new camera. Great video yet again. Keep up the good work George (same as little George, your hairy companion)
I think also Tiny it's due to no anti hilation, few have mentioned piping where I've loaded the film in day light. I've checked the camera and its fine. Cheers Tiny.
Tried that film for the 90 meter bulk. It developed very well in Tetenal Centrabrom. Which is in fact an universal developer, but mostly used for paper. Rodinal was OK too. PS: You sing better than Roland from Fine Young Cannibals. Can't stand his singing actually.
Very prone to light piping I’ve found and I’ve shot about 100 rolls now. Love the stuff. Anyway, Roger. Speak to James lane I’ve got some film to send you and he. I’ll need your address but we ain’t connected on fb
If this is one of those films that's sensitive to "light piping", then you have to be VERY careful about the way it's handled. It looks to me that your negative issues could be that.
Another fun video, thank you! Maybe if I see this film for not much $ I'd like to try it but I have so much B&W just sitting there already haha I love the Olympus T20 it's my go to daily flash for film. You actually don't need to use it on manual. You see those two white marks denoting auto apertures? You can simply set the flash to one of those and shoot and it will magically expose for you assuming the subject isn't too far/off center etc (use the smaller aperture for close distances). Works a treat no matter what camera I use it with (usually I have a pc sync adapter for my old folders that I use)
The FPP guys are frugal and recycle everything they can. I buy film and supplies from them all the time. They have mentioned on their podcast that they source most of their FPP branded film from Svema and/or Kodak. They occasionally get thier hands on and repackage various expired technical film stocks, but they promenently say what it is and that it is that it is expired. They also hand roll and use recycled cannisters for all of their own branded films.
Its a Movie Duplication Emulsion, manufactured by somebody called Polystar*, somewhere in Europe. It was only available in bulk, and was eventually stopped being manufactured in 2019. It works better @ iso 20 with a compensating developer for pictorial purposes. It has absolutely nothing to do with Pan F Plus. It has no ' Antihalation Layer ' so highlights will have a halo/glow, and it is also quite prone to light piping due to the nature of its clear base ( movie films need to have a tough base as they go through the projector and sprockets ), so loading in very dim light is advisable. Very nice photography Roger, as usual.
That seems to be the leaks then Lensman! Cheers for the info.
This film was quite ubiquitous in european Onlinestores from about 2008-2015. It was sold in in 90m and 122m (or was it 152m?) cans for about 30-60€ if I remember correctly. Back then it was the cheapest film you can get. Nobody ever found out what this film really was and where it was made. There are assumptions that it was some kind of duplication film, made by some (now defunct) Eastern european coating plant. The rolls which are sold now are most probably leftovers from the coating run back then.
There isnt any Information about a company called Polystar* on the Internet, at least no company producing light sensitive material.
Polystar is printed on the film cans. The only other information is Made in EC, and a recommendation to develop it in Ilford ID11.!?
@@lensman5762 There are plenty Discussions in german forums on this stock, dating back to at least 2008 when it probably first appeared out of nothing. Around 2015 it disappeared into nothing. Polystar is a brand name created just for this single Film, Made in EC could mean Made in European Community (which was 2003 finally surpassed by the European Union) or European Country and a recommendation for D76/ID11 has probably every BW film made since 1926.
When it first appeared the film maufacturing business In Europe was completely chaotic. AGFA ceased Production and filed for Bankruptcy in 2005, Forte filed for Bankruptcy in 2004, got saved and finally gave up 2007, Fotokemika struggled since the breakup of Yugoslavia and closed 2012, Ilford restructured in 2004, Svema closed 2004 just to name a few examples. It isn't a new stock, back when it was new basically everyone hated it for everything, except the price and no one has official Information on it- like a Datasheet or a even who manufactured it, when it was manufactured and for what porpuse.
Definitely it was'nt manufactured until 2019. It disappeared around 2015.
I love the low contrast look of this film it gives the film an almost creamy like look to it
We mate, you're living proof that we should never just take anybody else's word for it - we should go out and test things for ourselves. Great video!
The clear polyester film base acts sometimes as a “light wire”. So the leader of the film should not be (strongly) exposed to light and the film should be loaded into the camera in subdued light. Othwerwise, lights is “transported” into the film canister.
If not subdued, such kind of streaks might occur on the negatives.
I think this is the issue! This Will make a good experiment
Over the time, you have become my very favorite film photography channel and photographer :)
I love that you show us the printing stage too and that you connect so good with your fans and followers. Cheers and keep it up, Roger! I'm always eager to see what you post next.
Wow, thank you!
Pretty decent looking images, i would dig trying that film!!! Rodinal is the best because it may turn into tea, it still works great!!! I also draw a lot, especially from life and when I first started using a darkroom seeing the shadows grow changed the way I drew!!! I still find film/printing magical!!!
Fantastic video! It's always interesting playing around with a new film to see what happens!!
Very Good, honest and to the point, you also cover such a lot, so keep it going, you can tell you love the process, the enthusiasm is contagious, in a good way.
Interesting to watch your video. The Polypan seems to be converted in a backyard somewhere in Germany. It's a mystery. Most photographers rated the film a bad choice. However, the price is hot!
I’ve seen lines like that and it was coming from the little window on the back where you can see the film type. It was the foam seal that presses on the cassette had got too weak. On mine the shots that were in quick succession came out ok and when there was a bit of time between shots had the leak showing. Found it by leaving a strip of film in the camera and leaving it in sunlight for a few mins.
Thanks Nick. I've checked mine and it's seals are near new with plenty of depth. Good shout.
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss Ok cool, was worth a look. It only happened on one or two makes of film where the film canister was a slightly smaller diameter. Took ages to twig what was wrong.
One of my favorite film chanels! Shoot Film Like a Boss, Steve O'Nions and Grainy Days are a must watch. Not only are you all entertaining, but I've learned so much from all of you.... Ok, maybe not so much from Grainy Days (I'm kidding) Keep up the amazing work.
Cheers Mike!
I find your presentations excellent. I like the pacing, a bit of humour and you showing the whole sequence including film developing and printing. It’s a ton more work for you to show us your work printed on paper and I am grateful for your efforts here.
Assuming the reloading from bulk has been done correctly, intermittent light leaks across the frame and sprocket holes in 35mm are usually due to failing foam seals on the camera door - especially at the latch. I would suggest checking them, and replacing (messy but straightforward). Also easy to test with fast film, blank shots and a record of light conditions as you "shoot" - note sometimes the way we grip the camera during a shot can flex the back to generate a leak, hence the intermittent occurrence.
Nice photos and camera. I saw some "Cheap" 8 exposure per roll online but it turned out that they are more expensive (per exposure) than the Kodak and Fuji that we buy from the local stores.
Cool Stuff! I love FPP and their films! Low speed films are what I live for! I really dig your channel for the development insight and experience sharing, great work! You're an effective communicator on technical stuff but I certainly do not feel overwhelmed, cause you break it down into easier pieces,bravo bravo! Cheers!
Heh, highly anticipating you capturing the Sandown Clown one of these days!
Love these videos testing out little known film. I recently did one testing some FPP Let It Snow and had to do some guess work over development but it's come out well. Did a video on it if you were interested. The contrast in Let It Snow is AMAZING!
I wish that I had more experience and confidence in using my Leica M and other brands of “Flash machines” that I have, and just using it in entirely complete “manual mode”
RS. Canada
I love your channel. Taking a photo on a variety of cameras with a variety of films. All the way through the process of developing the films in a variety of developers. Then printing. You show the whole thing. Start to finish. Faults n all. Whether it's the camera. Metering. Human error. You even reply to comments. What more could you ask for? Please keep doing what you're doing. 🏴👍
Awesome, thank you Andrew!
Those lines look exactly like what happened with one of my computrol bulk loaders one time. It lacks the lock to prevent you from inserting the cassette in the loader with the bulk film being exposed to light. Did it once with a roll of neopan 1600 a long time ago and had lines weirdly spaced apart for a large part of the roll.
Good work, Boss!
Looks good. Dont know why anyone would talk trash about it.
You are truly a professional photographer mate.
Thanks Rick!
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss YW
You will probably have to load the film in low light to get rid of the light piping
I think the light leak is from your camera because where ever it appears it always looks like the same exact place on each negative. Nothing else would do that
I fully second your conclusion: Poly is a very nice film indeed. I have been using it extensively (a couple of hundred rolls) for many years and still do. Rodinal 1+49 for 13m is correct for Poly@50, but I use the Beutler formula to get ISO 100 with full shadow details, excellent acutance, nice tonal scale, and much better grain. I especially like the film in summer when it produces subtle halo effects. A film with a distinctive vintage character and very good at that. The streaks are most likely due to less than ideal bulk loading. Take care when handling wet, since the emulsion is easily scratched. Dries dead flat and scans exceptionally well. I was glad that Poly was frequently bad-mouthed. That kept the price down 😀and allowed me to fill my freezer at ludicrous prices. Now it seems to have disappeared from the market. If can you find a tin, grab one (it keeps well).
Thankyou
Got a roll of Polypan F in a old Praktica BMS right now. Rate the Polypan at 100ASA. You can't go much higher. There's not a lot of silver there.
The film has a Polyester base. The issue is light-piping and is is a common problem with that film base. Roll 23 to get 20 usable frames.
Poly Pan is Jolly good 🇬🇧
Reminded me a lot of Tmax 100! Well done as always Roger 👏🏻
Thanks! 👍
Hey Roger, not sure if anyone else has already mentioned this but the leak you're seeing is not caused by light piping through the film base from the canister opening as others are saying, but it is instead a film confirmation window leak. Were it the former, you would not see leaks in the exact same spot every time.
Unfortunately, I'm speaking from experience. I was using coated labels for bulk rolled film, and this coating was acting as an optic fibre which would mean light would enter the coating through the film confirmation window, bounce through the costing, and hit the film between the end of the canister and the film gate in the camera. That explains why the leak is so evenly spaced and does not decrease over the length of the roll or shows any other pattern.
It could of course be that your film confirmation window's seals are in a poor state, but I doubt that with such a new camera. Does it seem like those rolls have a coated label too? It's an easy fix of course, you can either cover up the window or shoot the film in a camera without a window.
another thing to go off and check Tim! Thanks.
Agree with the others, the light leak is from the camera, but a nice review
Cameras fine Steve. No issues since this film
Love your vids Johnny 😄😎📷👍📷👋
Cheers Steve.
really like your videos fun but with good info on them.
I appreciate that!
OOh nice to learn about light piping from the comments!
Definitely!!
Thanks a lot for all the effort you put into this video! Also good to know what not to use...
Don't give up the day job for singing, buh! 😂 Good to see someone doing enlargements from Poly Pan F. Think I've only ever seen scans before.
on the left side there's halo.
The Massive Dev Chart app has a timer function, plus it does the math of figuring out the mix for the developer. Best 8 dollars I ever spent.
Your Dev app is different than mine. I like the tone of the pictures.
I may have to try this film sometime but I've never developed my own shots.
👍Awesome content, cheers.
Sounds like light piping. Had the same issue with a couple of different rolls. If you look at some of the stuff of theirs on Analogue wonderland they recommend loading in very reduced lighting due to this very issue. More of an issue with these Clear base films.
Morning Roger.
I bought a 100' roll of Polypan F when it first appeared and I too experience the strange "light leak" effect on random frames. I've shot it in my Oly OM1, a Kodak Retina 1a folder, a Minolta XG-M and my old faithful Pentax Spotmatic 1000. All of them throw the same light leak effect on this film. I notice that a commenter has mentioned the "light pipe" effect from the polyester base, that could be possible, also the lack of an anti-halation backing could maybe give strange internal bounce reflections.
One thought did occur to me, I wonder if a light source just outside the frame is reflecting off the camera pressure plate?
Still, the film is cheap enough to play with and just blast away to familiarise yourself with a new camera.
Great video yet again. Keep up the good work
George (same as little George, your hairy companion)
I think also Tiny it's due to no anti hilation, few have mentioned piping where I've loaded the film in day light. I've checked the camera and its fine. Cheers Tiny.
It’s a nice looking film that I’d love to shoot sometime. I’d develop it in D96 to see what I could get
I have once seen somebody crack a tank by banging it on the counter. So I now just tap it hard in the palm of my hand instead.
Ferrania p30 behaves rather in the same way... likely an ortho copy film that needs a low contrast or compensating developer.
Once upon a time, we would only load and unload our equipment in subdued light. Just sayin'
Its a "copy" film
Amazing film
Beware of strong direct light in your subjets, may cause some halation
So how much trouble did you get in for showing the wife with the foil on her head...lol
..nice work Roger
ha ha.... she just laughed luckily!
Tried that film for the 90 meter bulk. It developed very well in Tetenal Centrabrom. Which is in fact an universal developer, but mostly used for paper. Rodinal was OK too.
PS: You sing better than Roland from Fine Young Cannibals. Can't stand his singing actually.
Very prone to light piping I’ve found and I’ve shot about 100 rolls now. Love the stuff. Anyway, Roger. Speak to James lane I’ve got some film to send you and he. I’ll need your address but we ain’t connected on fb
Okay Mark. Cheers!
If this is one of those films that's sensitive to "light piping", then you have to be VERY careful about the way it's handled. It looks to me that your negative issues could be that.
at 5:33 and more
I am still watching, you just left Euromaster, but on the first shots it looks like a light leak/pre-exposed film?
Piping as some call it. Looks like I should load that film in subdued light
Another fun video, thank you! Maybe if I see this film for not much $ I'd like to try it but I have so much B&W just sitting there already haha
I love the Olympus T20 it's my go to daily flash for film. You actually don't need to use it on manual. You see those two white marks denoting auto apertures? You can simply set the flash to one of those and shoot and it will magically expose for you assuming the subject isn't too far/off center etc (use the smaller aperture for close distances). Works a treat no matter what camera I use it with (usually I have a pc sync adapter for my old folders that I use)
okay i heard explanation, sorry
;)
So not just for photographing parrots then?
X-ray fog. Eastern European film import
The FPP guys are frugal and recycle everything they can. I buy film and supplies from them all the time. They have mentioned on their podcast that they source most of their FPP branded film from Svema and/or Kodak. They occasionally get thier hands on and repackage various expired technical film stocks, but they promenently say what it is and that it is that it is expired. They also hand roll and use recycled cannisters for all of their own branded films.
I have 120 meters