Scored 10 Rolls of APX 25...What to use it on?

[Michael Howard]

I recently acquired 10 rolls of Agfa APX 25 35mm. I used 1/2 of one to test, it developed perfectly in Rodinal with no visible speed change or fogging. Just as beautiful as I remembered it. It is expiry date 2005, so definitely towards the end of production.

My problem now is...what do I use the remaining 9 rolls on? Some of you know I shoot mainly outdoors/architectural/ruins, almost never people. I travel western US quite frequently, I've photographed all the usual places pretty exhaustively, but there are always more. I guess I'm just stuck on what I want to use this nearly impossible to find film on. Any suggestions? I think I will probably divide it into two lots and shoot two different places "to completion". My last project with APX 25 was in 2007 at Karlstein Castle in Czechia, I only had 2 rolls that time, but I have well over 50 beautiful negatives from that trip. These I will likely need to use in the US. I will likely use a lot of these shots on future postcard exchanges, as well as my 8x10 wall at home.

What would you do if 10 rolls of gold landed in your lap?

 

[Paul Howell]

Landscapes, K2 or dark yellow filter, sturdy tripod, cable release or remote shutter trigger. I would look for off beat locations, I know that off beat locations are harder to come by, you will need to spend time looking at social media to rule out what has already been visited to death.

 

[xkaes]

I hope you have more than one camera -- so you can dedicate the film. If not, you can always remove a partially used roll for later use, but that's a nuisance.

I'd only use it where you need/want super-fine detail -- you know, basically no grain -- and that's not every subject, especially portraits!

I shoot mine at ISO 12, but I "over-exposure" and "under-develop" to reduce the contrast somewhat for my situation/gear/preferences.

I stocked up about 25 years ago when I knew production would end, and I've only got about ten rolls left too -- but my rolls are in the freezer, and 50 feet long.

 

[ant!]

I found a few weeks ago 10 rolls in 120 of APX25. Never used it before, but still love the original APX100, have some in the freezer (35mm), bought them just before it ended.

For the APX25, I guess I'll wait until full summer. And maybe a roll for sunny snowy winter days... Looking forward to play with it!

 

[xkaes]

It helps if you want to make the most of the film, and stop down the lens -- despite the slow speed. That means, at times, you have to appreciate the stability of a tripod.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Someone who watches my YouTube channel, sent me several rolls of it in 120. I've never shot any Agfapan films, so I've been hanging on to them, until something comes along... I guess I should just shoot it, eh!

 

[Kodachromeguy]

Landscapes, K2 or dark yellow filter, sturdy tripod, cable release or remote shutter trigger. I would look for off beat locations, I know that off beat locations are harder to come by, you will need to spend time looking at social media to rule out what has already been visited to death.

I agree totally. Use good lenses and optimum technique. A tripod lets you not worry about camera motion. I suggest complicated topics where the high resolution will show details. Have fun!

 

[Oldwino]

So…what’s a film that’s more or less equivalent to APX25 (that’s still made today)? Pan-F? Aviphot?
I’ve been searching for interesting slow speed B&W films lately.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

So…what’s a film that’s more or less equivalent to APX25 (that’s still made today)? Pan-F? Aviphot?
I’ve been searching for interesting slow speed B&W films lately.

Would that be Ilford Pan-F?

 

[JensH]

So…what’s a film that’s more or less equivalent to APX25 (that’s still made today)? Pan-F? Aviphot?
I’ve been searching for interesting slow speed B&W films lately.

None exists. It was unique.
Next is imo TMX 100.

Sure PanF+ is a great film if the scene is not too contrasty...
Otherwise exposing it EI 25 and a bath in Pyrocat helps taming the contrast / highlights.

I still wonder, how I could get great results from 135 APX 25 @ EI 50 (!) developed in Ultrafin Plus in hard greek sunlight that days in the 1990s...

 

[Sanug]

Nothing really compares to the long gone slow speed films Agfa APX25, Orwo NP15 and, not to forget, Kodak Panatomic-X.

There are different, but interesting films still available. Ilford Pan F. Adox CMS-20. And Adox HR-50, which I like very much.

 

[braxus]

Someone who watches my YouTube channel, sent me several rolls of it in 120. I've never shot any Agfapan films, so I've been hanging on to them, until something comes along... I guess I should just shoot it, eh!

Yeah. Its a good landscape film, if contrasty with good blacks.

 

[Michael Howard]

Thanks for the replies. I also still have a few rolls of APX 100 left in the freezer, will use those similarly. Pan F is a good film, but nothing like APX 25, it's death left a big hole as far as I'm concerned, I haven't gotten too excited about any other films, though I do shoot a fair amount of P30, which I like a lot and don't seem to have the contrast issues some others do. The only B&W films I have and shoot now are P30, FP4+, and HP5+.

Having done a bit of research last night, I'm thinking I may take some APX25 to Valley of Fire and get some detail type shots, as well as more at Shoshone. I have good lenses and filters. My go-to tripod is also pretty good for travel/hiking, so I will definitely bring that along. Vegas is my base, so there are a lot of very interesting thing within a few hours drive. Nelson Ghost town is on the list too.

 

[xkaes]

Someone who watches my YouTube channel, sent me several rolls of it in 120. I've never shot any Agfapan films, so I've been hanging on to them, until something comes along... I guess I should just shoot it, eh!

Another great option is to sell it. You'll be surprised how much you can get.

But before you make any decision, you might want to read this -- from Peterson's by David Brooks:

https://www.subclub.org/apx25.pdf

 

[xkaes]

So…what’s a film that’s more or less equivalent to APX25 (that’s still made today)? Pan-F?

Pan-F is the closest you'll find, but as others have mentioned, it's pretty high contrast -- but so is Gigabit 25, ADOX CMS 20, etc.

As I mentioned, I shoot APX 25 at ISO 12 and "under-develop" to manage the contrast. You can do the same with Pan-F to control contrast, The ADOX recommendation for CMS 20 is to shoot it at ISO 12 -- they are suggesting the same thing.

I bet if you shot Pan-F at ISO 12-25 -- and developed accordingly -- you'd get great results. I've never tried it because I don't need to.

Sounds like a NEW thread.

 

[JensH]

Someone who watches my YouTube channel, sent me several rolls of it in 120. I've never shot any Agfapan films, so I've been hanging on to them, until something comes along... I guess I should just shoot it, eh!

It's spring, a Hasselblad and some APX25 in 120 at hands... perfect.
Yes, just do it.

 

[ant!]

Nothing really compares to the long gone slow speed films Agfa APX25, Orwo NP15 and, not to forget, Kodak Panatomic-X.

Of the Panatomic-X I also have still a bulk roll of 35mm frozen, expired in the 70s I think. Another one to try...

Not so much of a tripod shooter, but I guess for these ones I should use one. 35mm Pan F in summer was fine handheld though.
Might use for the APX25 my Mamiya 6. Or Pentax 645? Or, to go crazy, finally replace the lightseals of the Fuji GW690?

 

[GregY]

Agfa 25 was a beautiful film. I still have some some 35mm and a roll or two of 120 another photographer gave me. This is an iphone photo of a 20x24" print with my Fuji GW680....easily hangs beside LF prints. Much less contrasty and more usable IMO than Pan F.

 

[Kodachromeguy]

I often used Agfapan 25 in the 1980s and still have piles of negatives that I'd like to scan (in my non spare time):

https://worldofdecay.blogspot.com/2021/10/before-crisis-ciudad-acuna-mexico-in.html

My freezer has 4 rolls of 120 Panatomic-X left, and then I'll be looking for a substitute.

 

[aw614]

I've got 8 rolls in Minox format when I bought a Minox iii. Need to figure out what to shoot with it.

 

[xkaes]

APX 25 is perfect for submini cameras, and most Minox cameras make it very usable with the wide shutter speed range.