Agfa quits MF market

[Ian Grant]

Interesting article in today's BJP, with official Agfa quotes.

The decision was made "18 months" ago and stocks ran out far sooner than expected, (of all but Optima 100 & 200). 1 in 7 of Agfa's products will be discontinued (50 out of 350) so we must expect the worst.

So unless your solely a 35mm worker, who would want to commit to films not available across all the formats you use.

Ian

 

[edz]

Interesting article in today's BJP, with official Agfa quotes.

The decision was made "18 months" ago and stocks ran out far sooner than expected,

Something that even the people at Agfa did not (and still don't) know?

(of all but Optima 100 & 200). 1 in 7 of Agfa's products will be discontinued (50 out of 350) so we must expect the worst.

Does not make sense.. But I don't have the BJP story so I'm just guessing.. but you don't make film as 35-mm but make it as large rolls and cut them down. What is already clear is that Agfa will be using some of their "excess capacity" to produce papers for Felix Schoeller and films for Fuji.
Yes Agfa is dropping, resp. selling or outsourcing, a lot of products but these are mainly, I've gathered, minilab and commercial products (such as the D-Lab). Cut colour photographic papers, sheet films, fixed graded papers etc. have long been discontinued. The word on what they'll make is still out.. Its just a few weeks since they ejected half their workforce... I got a delivery of Rodinal which was sold-out so some products are in production and its not just "deliver what's on hand"....

 

[Nick Zentena]

While I won't be happy to lose APX I'll be even less happy losing the colour film. The Agfa 220 films are reasonably priced locally. Unlike all the competion.

 

[ootsy]

Yes, the loss of APX will really stink. It is my favorite 120 film; in fact I just received five rolls from B+H today. If you can't buy APX anymore, it's because I am hoarding it!
Also in BJP:

"Mamiya will introduce a new version of its 645 AF medium format camera next month.
The camera, which accepts 120/220 roll film and integrates with digital backs, incorporates an enhanced AF sensor, claimed to deliver improved focusing speed and accuracy."

Funny how some of the big names still like film, and some don't.

 

[Daniel Lawton]

Man this is a real bummer. APX 100 is one of my favorite films. It has a nice razor sharp look to it. Anyone else getting depressed? The recent months have been quite a blow to traditional photography and I'm hoping it won't get any worse but I'm sure it will. In 10 years I'd rather not be forced to shot some generic 100 and 400 asa film made in Pakistan. Oh well. What else can you do but keep buying the stuff and hope that a reputable company sees fit to keep making it.

 

[Magnus W]

Losing APX100 would make me very sad indeed. Is this confirmated by Agfa, or is this article the only source?

-- MW

 

[Paul Sorensen]

I have been unable to find a thing on the internet. Wouldn't this have been picked up by news organizations? I guess I am skeptical at this point. Judging from their decisions in the past, however, this wouldn't be the biggest surprise in the world.

 

[edz]

It looks true. I think AgfaPhoto is closing down as a producing company. The patents and trademarks are in a holding company that, according to their own press statements, is uneffected by the insolvency. In the wake of recent statements and the last state of their ordering list I now no longer believe that Agfa shall get production back rolling. It increasingly looks like they'll be making some inkjet papers for Felix Schroeder and cutting some Fuji films over the next few months.... and then? I think its time to get out the bagpipes..

 

[chiller]

Bummer

 

[athanasius80]

If its any indication, I got my new Freestyle catalog in the mail today. No Agfapan film is listed by itself, however starter kits are, and B&W paper is still there. I'll call them tomorrow and see what they say. Lets just hope its just a glitch before the rumored production run in October.

 

[Gim]

If its any indication, I got my new Freestyle catalog in the mail today. No Agfapan film is listed by itself, however starter kits are, and B&W paper is still there. I'll call them tomorrow and see what they say. Lets just hope its just a glitch before the rumored production run in October.

See page 19 for film.

 

[ajuk]

Seems strange I thought the decline of MF film is slower than it is on 35mm.

 

[Bob F.]

Seems strange I thought the decline of MF film is slower than it is on 35mm.

I think that the bulk of MF is mostly used by advertising/fashion/magazine/wedding/etc pros and most of them seem to have switched to digital. Fine art and amateur use is (or was) probably a small percentage. I could be wrong though - I though B&W would not be hit so hard by digital because I didn't think the pros used much of it... Ho hum...

Cheers, Bob.

 

[Ronald Moravec]

I gave up on Agfa when they stopped 4x5. I need the same film across all formats.

I sold the last box to a man in Florida who was happy to get it. I had it frozen since bringing it home and it was still in date by a year or two.

Rodinal can be replaced with R09 from J and C. It is the original formula. It will look like black ink, but works fine. Dilute 50% more than Rodinal for similar effects and retest time.

 

[edz]

Seems strange I thought the decline of MF film is slower than it is on 35mm.

Most rollfilms such as APX-100 sold out. Even I moved up to a years supply of APX-100 and APX-400-New into my fridge. They still have some stocks of 35mm as the demand did not go nuts.

 

[athanasius80]

My bad. Its on page 19. Shouldn't read the catalog when I'm tired. Sorry for any confusion/panic.

 

[PhiloK]

Anyone heard of AGFA SILVERTONE ?

www.henrys.com has this film and in the description it says it replaces APX films. Does anybody have any info on this stuff?

 

[Paul Sorensen]

www.henrys.com has this film and in the description it says it replaces APX films. Does anybody have any info on this stuff?

I have seen this stuff on eBay and a few other places for a few years now. According to the Massive Dev Chart it is the same stuff as APX. I believed that it was some sort of relabeled APX, not a replacement. I am not finding stuff on the web right now. Who knows, but it sounds to me like Henry's is getting goofy.

 

[Nick Zentena]

Who knows, but it sounds to me like Henry's is getting goofy.

Worse then normal?