Description
“W” is a orthochromatic film handcoated on Moriki Paper’s Tosa Washi (Kozo) offering a very unique fiber effect, inspired by pictorial, directly on the negative. The film has high sensitivity to blue, less to the green and no sensitivity to red light. Therefore it gives best results with urban, portrait and still life Photography.
120 roll films can be loaded like any normally. Paper film is more fragile than other. With 135 format it is important to use gently the advance lever and never try to exceed 16 exposures, otherwise there is serious risk to damage the film. Film “V” in 135 will not work with camera using automatic advance systems because it is loaded in recycled 135 cartridge with no DX code. Sheetfilms, more flexible than regular films must be load under safelight.
Exposure setting will change according to light condition and type of developer. Film “W” does not have large exposure latitude and is not very sensitive to artificial light.
As they are very thin and flexible, paper based films cannot be loaded on modern processing reels. However, it is still possible to use dedicated separating stripe system produced by Film Washi and also old tanks like “Correx” or “Souplinox”.
Film “W” must be processed with paper developer in open trays under safelight. Roll-film must be handle with flat clamps and immerse in trays with back and forth movement through the following steps :
- prewash in clear water
- immerse in developer (2 to 3 minutes)
- wash in clear water, no acid stop bath
- immerse in fixer until full dissolution of remaining white emulsion
- wash in cold clear water for 15 minutes minimum, no direct streal on the film
- suspend the film and leave it to dry
Film “W” is a high contrast film that need to be precisely exposed to get the best results. The Film will give those with on less contrasted subjects. For landscape photography the lowest sensitivity will be chosen (3/6 ISO) to get a wider range of green shades. In 135 you can reduce film curling during drying by passing toothpicks through perforations. In portrait photography it is better to make the light mesure directly on the subject: orthochromatism can trick the cell. As the emulsion used for this film is similar with black & white paper emulsion, there is no problem to use it for long exposure in pinhole camera. It can also be used as printing paper (grade 3).
