Agfa APX 100 back?

[Eric Rose]

If they make it in 4x5 I will cream my shorts!

 

[Roger Cole]

I wouldn't go that far. I'm reserving that for the return of Astia at black and white prices and Ilfochrome at RA4 prices.

But I will certainly buy and use it if they make it in 4x5 (or 120) and it's the same as before and the QC is up to par.

 

[Trevor Little]

I just bought about 40 rolls of Agfa APX 100 in Europe, they have tons of fresh stock in Berlin and Bucharest, and its the cheapest going BnW film by far.

 

[TriXfan]

Trevor,
Was that 35mm or 120 size ?

 

[Stuggi]

For being produced back in 2005, there's a hell of a lot of it available here in Finland, I've even seen it in normal supermarkets!

 

[Stuggi]

For being produced back in 2005, there's a hell of a lot of it available here in Finland, I've even seen it in normal supermarkets!

Only in 35mm though.

 

[ath]

For being produced back in 2005, there's a hell of a lot of it available here in Finland, I've even seen it in normal supermarkets!

Thats exactly the problem and why no one has produced (i.e. coated) a reincarnation of APX100 yet. Today it would be commercial suicide.

 

[michaelbsc]

Thats exactly the problem and why no one has produced (i.e. coated) a reincarnation of APX100 yet. Today it would be commercial suicide.

Then we should quit moaning about PlusX and shoot the hell out of the APX so Mirko can make more.

 

[37th Exposure]

So where is it coming from?

I finally just ordered some from Macodirect in Germany to see what I got. It's AgfaPhoto APX100 and it expires 9/2013. If the last of this film was produced in 2005, it should have expired at least 2 years ago. And why does Macodirect list the product as new for December 2011, or at least they did when I ordered it last December. Do the Germans have a secret stash somewhere, sort of like the Area 51 of the film business? Well, I can't wait to dig in to those rolls and relive the great days of Agfa, and then order more, if there's any left.

 

[37th Exposure]

Here?

Dead Link Removed
Cheap too:
http://www.lupus-shop.de/index.php?language=en&gm_boosted_category=S-W-Negativ-Filme&cat=c33&
Unfortunately not in 120 size.

I looked further, and it says they have the rights to manufacture and sell AgfaPhoto products, including film.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

I just bought about 40 rolls of Agfa APX 100 in Europe, they have tons of fresh stock in Berlin and Bucharest, and its the cheapest going BnW film by far.

What did you pay?

 

[piu58]

I finally just ordered some from Macodirect in Germany to see what I got. It's AgfaPhoto APX100 and it expires 9/2013. If the last of this film was produced in 2005, it should have expired at least 2 years ago. And why does Macodirect list the product as new for December 2011, or at least they did when I ordered it last December. Do the Germans have a secret stash somewhere, sort of like the Area 51 of the film business? Well, I can't wait to dig in to those rolls and relive the great days of Agfa, and then order more, if there's any left.

The master rolls produced in 2005 were freezed which extends life period.

 

[cmo]

I looked further, and it says they have the rights to manufacture and sell AgfaPhoto products, including film.

Similar questions about APX are often asked in this forum, the answers are always the same:

1. "Lupus Imaging & Media was founded in 2005 as a wholesale company for photographic products." They have no manufacturing facilities for film - like Maco, Freestyle and others. Lupus' b/w films are made from big frozen Agfa rolls, and their color films are fresh products made by Fuji. All those are good films, but they were produced by other companies.
   
2. There is nobody who produces APX films today. All 120 APX films were sold out a long time ago, 35mm ist still available, made from big old frozen rolls.
   
3. Adox/Fotoimpex announced to produce an Adox APX 100 and 400, but they are not available yet.
   
4. All films that are claimed to be "successors" or "almost identical" have almost or absolutely nothing in common with these films, but some companies love to pull a fast one on their customers.

And that's the whole story.

 

[MDR]

Thank you CMO for stating the facts so clearly.

Dominik

 

[naeroscatu]

I'm looking at the Macodirect website and there is no indication of exiration date for the APX100. Price is very attractive at EUR 22.50/ 10 rolls of 36 plus shipping. They seam to have a return policy but I would rather not go into complications. Any one who bought APX100 from this company, what is the expiration date on the box? Thank you

 

[benjiboy]

This company in the UK are selling APX 100 http://www.discountfilmsdirect.co.uk/acatalog/Agfa_Photo_APX_100_Black_and_White_Film.html

 

[naeroscatu]

Thanks for the link, Ben. I've sent an email to Macodirect asking about the expiration date and will post here when I hear from them.

 

[julhu]

I've sent an email to Macodirect asking about the expiration date and will post here when I hear from them.

I've recently bought 10 rolls of APX (not from Macodirect though) and the expiration date is January 2013.

 

[cmo]

All the big mailorder houses have those old APX 100 35mm films on stock, prices and expiration dates are all in the same range.

I believe that companies like Fotoimpex/Adox are waiting for the end of old, super-cheap APX sales before they start producing something new.

 

[michaelbsc]

I believe that companies like Fotoimpex/Adox are waiting for the end of old, super-cheap APX sales before they start producing something new.

Mirko has said this directly. They cannot manufacture new product at a profit while they have to compete with old product still in the pipeline.

So do like I did. Buy your share of the thwarting old film, remember it fondly as you use it, and help move it out of Mirko's way so the new can come.

 

[naeroscatu]

I got an answer from Macodirect: expiration date is 9/ 2013 so I think I will buy few briks and keep them frozen. Can't go wrong at this price.

 

[MDR]

The market is unfortunately flooded with 35mm APX but it would be nice if Mirko could make a small production run of MF and LF film. Not likely though since the money is in 35mm

Dominik

 

[mablo]

The first few bricks of Agfa's leftover APX100 (rebadged as Rollei Retro 100) I bought from Maco in -08 were marked to expire in 2010. Sometimes later the expiration date moved to 2011 and now I hear it's 2013...

I get the feeling that someone is just printing a new expiry date on the rolls when it's needed.

Well, it doesn't really matter. The film is still perfectly good and I'd expect it to be good for at least the next five years or so. I still have 100+ rolls that I don't even bother to freeze because I expect to use the whole stash later this year.

 

[michaelbsc]

I get the feeling that someone is just printing a new expiry date on the rolls when it's needed.

I think they at least give it a test development and make a best estimate. I don't think they're crooks.

The Rollei Retro in 120 was apparently 135 stock that they slit into 120 width. That's what I was told, and the rolls I bought from Freestyle seemed to be that way.

But that master roll is gone now, and all remaining stock has already been slit into 135 pancakes. Or at least that's the story I heard some time back. Who knows? Maybe someone can pull a rabbit and an unslit master roll out of a hat.

 

[prumpkah]

I can't tell any difference between Rollei Retro 100 and the Agfa APX100 of yore in 35mm. Tried them both.

I note, however, that there is also something labelled *Agfaphoto* APX100 and I don't know if it's the same stuff. I also missed the opportunity to try Rollei Retro 100 in 120, but I gather from 'net buzz that it was made on a different base than the 35mm RR100, which suggests that they were not cut from the same master rolls. Dazed and confused yet? I am.