Agfa APX 100 back?

[zsas]

John, I don't want to sound unsympathetic. But as a transparency film shooter, I've seen at least 8 different color slide films completely discontinued in the last 4 years, and I face the very real possibility of every single one being gone long before I'm done with photography. If that happens, I will adjust, and hope I have color negative film for a while longer.

Noooooo LX^ Dont give up hope, Ferrania is comin' back!
Dead Link Removed

 

[Roger Cole]

Could there be some kind of IP problem with major companies spooling 620 film? I would think if the eBay vendors and B&H and such could sell it then Kodak doesn't have it locked up in a patent or something. But I don't understand why 127 was available until their demise from Efke but no film company makes 620 directly - obviously some people respool it for resale.

 

[ozphoto]

John, just buy some spools man. The problem is easily solvable with 5 minutes in eBay.

Some of those prices though are outrageous, and you can never be sure if they are ok. I have a couple that are rather well worn, and they slip.

The idea of having a cheap plastic version available, would be great - that way 120 could continue and those of us who have our 620 cameras could happily continue to shoot and add to the 120 sales.

 

[MattKing]

WRT 620, it is probably a "minimum order" problem.

Something like the spool manufacturers would be happy to supply you upon receipt of your pre-paid order for 500,000 spools.

 

[Terry Christian]

Or why not just cut down plastic 120 spools to fit? That's even easier than respooling 120 to 620, in my opinion. Just a few seconds with some scissors and you're done.

 

[John Wiegerink]

Ilford just had 122 as an option in their ULF run this year, not enough people ordered it so it was the only one that didn't get ordered... I think the minimum for that was 10 rolls and only 4-6 got ordered in total, they were of course about $220-$260 per 50 foot roll, but still, if you want it bad enough, buy 10 to guarantee the order...

Also, you can buy 620 spools fresh in ... Provia 100f, Velvia 100f, E100G, Portra160, Tmax100, Tri-X Pan, and Tmax400 ... so stop your complaining... the work is already done for you.... sheesh! go buy some spools...

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=620+film&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=

StoneNYC my man, I already have 620 spools coming out my ears and I "roll my own" all the time. As for the work already done for me? I don't follow I guess. If it were already done it would be on a 620 spool when I bought it. I'm not saying ADOX or anybody else has to carry a full line of color and B&W films in 620, but it would be sweet to be able to place an order for my normal 120 quota and also slip a few 620 B&W rolls in. Heck, start with an ISO 100 and then maybe add ISO 400 and then................Sheesh! Also, the average Joe with an old 620 or other obsolete film size has NO idea of Ilfords special order quota films, but the do know how to go to a retail film site or store. I'll keep buying my 120 film and throwing some of that on my 620 spools, but I'll still keep questioning some of the decisions companies are now making.

 

[John Wiegerink]

Could there be some kind of IP problem with major companies spooling 620 film? I would think if the eBay vendors and B&H and such could sell it then Kodak doesn't have it locked up in a patent or something. But I don't understand why 127 was available until their demise from Efke but no film company makes 620 directly - obviously some people respool it for resale.

Roger, I think the 127 film hanging in there longer had more to do with cult cameras and "Super Slides" than anything else. First, you had the Baby Rollei's, Sawyer's, Yashica's and the like. Plus, there were a large number of folks that were really hung on the "Super Slide" thing(I wasn't one of them). The other formats like 616/116/620 had there camera bases production stopped well before Rollei, Yashica and others stopped making 127 format cameras. Kodak made the decision to stop 620 camera production and after that stop supplying 620 film. Now some folks here think Kodak did the smart thing, but I don't think that. How many of us have had a product(car, mower, power tool, etc.) that we really liked or even loved, breakdown on us only to find out we can't get it fixed or worse yet can't even get a part to fix it yourself? I don't know how anybody else felt, but I know when I had to replace said mower of whatever, I certainly didn't look in the direction of the company that made the one they obsoleted. That's just me and the way I am of course. Roger, I agree with you that there shouldn't be a legal problem running 620 film size, but who know??? Johnw

 

[John Wiegerink]

Or why not just cut down plastic 120 spools to fit? That's even easier than respooling 120 to 620, in my opinion. Just a few seconds with some scissors and you're done.

I have done exactly what you suggest and it is faster and easier, but also more trouble prone(at least that's what I have found). I've used X-acto knives, large and small nail clippers and scissors, but have had a problem with slight edge light leaks. My method for "rolling my own" I am pretty fast and have no light leak problem. So, I stick to "rolling my own". JohnW

 

[Terry Christian]

My method for "rolling my own" I am pretty fast and have no light leak problem. So, I stick to "rolling my own". JohnW

Whatever works for you! ...although having ready-made 620 film available for the same price as 120 would no doubt be easiest.

 

[John Wiegerink]

WRT 620, it is probably a "minimum order" problem.

Something like the spool manufacturers would be happy to supply you upon receipt of your pre-paid order for 500,000 spools.

Matt, you might be right, but I bet some of those Chinese/European/American plastic firms might just surprise you on the minimum order. If they sent them a few blank 620 spools for their mold making I'm sure they would let them know. If the company is big enough there might not be any minimum order. Especially if they were already dealing with them since somebody has to be making their 120 spools, because I'm sure they aren't. Just a thought!

 

[John Wiegerink]

Whatever works for you! ...although having ready-made 620 film available for the same price as 120 would no doubt be easiest.

Yup, but if it never happens (and it probably never will) I'll just keep doing what I'm doing. Oh, that is until 120 dies too.

 

[wblynch]

Respooling 620 is a minor annoyance compared to reloading 126 Instamatic carts and punching the locator perforations. (not to mention obtaining non perforated 35mm film to begin with).

Think Agfa could offer APX-100 in 126 ?

Haha, nor do I.

 

[lxdude]

If they sent them a few blank 620 spools for their mold making I'm sure they would let them know. If the company is big enough there might not be any minimum order.

As a former mold maker I can tell you that mold making ain't a breeze. And as someone who had to rework lousy screw machine tooling made in Taiwan, I can also tell you that getting things done right overseas can be a real pain in the ass.

 

[John Wiegerink]

I agree, but both things are getting better all the time and things like CNC machining tools help out for that.

 

[wblynch]

Somehow it was easy enough to make 620 spools in the ancient 1930s.

Oh, I forgot, there weren't any MBAs back then so nothing was impossible.

 

[StoneNYC]

StoneNYC my man, I already have 620 spools coming out my ears and I "roll my own" all the time. As for the work already done for me? I don't follow I guess. If it were already done it would be on a 620 spool when I bought it. I'm not saying ADOX or anybody else has to carry a full line of color and B&W films in 620, but it would be sweet to be able to place an order for my normal 120 quota and also slip a few 620 B&W rolls in. Heck, start with an ISO 100 and then maybe add ISO 400 and then................Sheesh! Also, the average Joe with an old 620 or other obsolete film size has NO idea of Ilfords special order quota films, but the do know how to go to a retail film site or store. I'll keep buying my 120 film and throwing some of that on my 620 spools, but I'll still keep questioning some of the decisions companies are now making.

You obviously didn't click my link...

You can buy all of those in 620 already spooled.... Go back and click my link....


Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[StoneNYC]

Also, at B&H the reason the price is more is they actually re-roll them by hand in the dark. The rumor is they hire blind people for this, not sure if its true but it would make sense since they are already in the dark haha. But seriously they hand re-roll the 620 spools, hence why they are all around $15 instead of $6-8

I've thought of ordering some of the 620 spools just to re-roll the E100G back onto 120 spools LOL


Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[ozphoto]

I'm happy to re-roll my 620, just need to be able to get my hands on some more, fairly priced, 620 spools. I tried trimming 120 spools - but didn't work for me at all. I have 6 620 spools - 1 for take up and 5 rolls only, just means I have to be *very* selective when I shoot.

 

[lxdude]

I agree, but both things are getting better all the time and things like CNC machining tools help out for that.

There still are very significant costs. Setup and run time on a molding machine isn't cheap either.

 

[lxdude]

it would be sweet to be able to place an order for my normal 120 quota and also slip a few 620 B&W rolls in.

That's the problem right there. A few.

 

[MattKing]

Or why not just cut down plastic 120 spools to fit? That's even easier than respooling 120 to 620, in my opinion. Just a few seconds with some scissors and you're done.

This would work fine if the holes at the ends of the spools were identical.

Unfortunately, they are not, so with some cameras you won't be able to wind the film/the film won't feed properly.

 

[John Wiegerink]

That's the problem right there. A few.

Well, if the price was really fair I'd buy more and stock up. Of course if I do that I won't be buying again for a long time. If there are enough of us little buyers we would make up some buying power. Maybe not a lot, but some. I'm sure there aren't millions of people buying ultra-large format film, but they still seem to be able to supply that. If we go by volume then 35mm should be the only thing worth making, but the problem is, at least for me anyway, digital has almost totally replaced 35mm film. It will be a while before I can afford digital to equal my medium format scanned on my Nikon LS8000 and 4x5 on the Microtek M1. I'll use film as long as I can, but won't pay anymore then I need to. If my last name were Rockefeller or Romney it might be different, but it's not. Darn!