For Sale Astrum/Svena group buy (35mm and 120/220)

MCB18 · Mar 27, 2024

Trying to organize an astrum/svema group buy for the end of April/beginning of May. Films I plan to purchase:
FN-64
Foto 100
Foto 200 (possibly FPP IR)
Foto 400
Mikrat Ortho (FPP Super positive)
Info about these films can be found attached.

Film rolls to be loaded into reused casettes, 36 exposures.
Bulk film to be double bagged in black plastic and sent in 4”x4”x2” boxes.

120/220 film is available for FN-64, and Foto
100/200/400, with a minimum order of 4 120 rolls or 220 per stock. Film will be spooled onto reused spools and paper by hand.

ESTIMATED PRICING:

35mm:
FN-64: $8
Foto 100: $8
Foto 200: $9
Foto 400: $10
Mikrat Ortho: $10

120/220 (all films):
120: $10
220: $18

Bulk rolls (30.5m/100 ft):
FN 64: $65
Foto 100: $65
Foto 200: $75
Foto 400: $80
Mikrat Ortho: $85

These prices will most likely decrease as more people join. They will NOT increase.

Expect to pay around $20 in shipping costs (splitting up the costs to ship from Ukrane will probably be $10, and shipping from me to you guys will be $10 flat rate) on top of the film order.

Please, US and Canadian buyers only.

Payment via PayPal Friends and family.

Timeline will probably be organizing in April, making sure everything will work out, and ordering end of April/beginning of May. This will also let me finish my semester before I get all the film.

I am trying to keep everything in one place, as last time I did that I had to juggle Discord, Reddit, and Photrio, and that was a disaster. So, I am going to make a discord server just for this run. Even if only like 3 people join that will still probably be easier. Join at:

Join the Astrum/Svema group buy Discord Server!

Check out the Astrum/Svema group buy community on Discord - hang out with 17 other members and enjoy free voice and text chat.

discord.gg

Trask · Mar 28, 2024

I'd be interested but I resist giving websites my birthday and various contact info, like phone numbers etc. If there's another way to participate, pls post how that might be.

popdoc · Mar 28, 2024

I’m in

MCB18 · Apr 2, 2024

Edited to add: Canadians now welcome! Shipping will be higher for Canada though. Because of course it is.

MCB18 · Apr 27, 2024

ONE WEEK LEFT! Orders close on May 4!

armadsen · Apr 27, 2024

I’m interested but Discord is claiming the link is invalid or expired when I follow it.

MCB18 · Apr 27, 2024

armadsen said:
I’m interested but Discord is claiming the link is invalid or expired when I follow it.

That’s weird, I made a new link and it should work now.

MCB18 · May 3, 2024

Orders close tomorrow!

Trask · May 3, 2024

Got my order in!

Romanko · May 3, 2024

Just wondering why do you prefer this film over Ilford/Kentmere/Foma/Arista which is cheaper, fresh and better quality? What am I missing here?

Rrrgcy · May 3, 2024

Hi first time using Discord, seemed to have downloaded and joined the app properly w verification and on the group buy page for Svema, my settings seem correct to receive/ send DMs but all my messages are rejected. Do I need to be added as a Friend by that host first? Sorry for the ignorance, I’m seeking two rolls of bulk FN-64 35mm to Florida.

Rrrgcy · May 4, 2024

Never heard back. Also saw on the D-site these won’t be shipping in cans?

armadsen · May 5, 2024

Romanko said:
Just wondering why do you prefer this film over Ilford/Kentmere/Foma/Arista which is cheaper, fresh and better quality? What am I missing here?

I ordered some for fun, because I like trying different films. Also the Mikrat Ortho is unusual in that it develops as a positive in a normal B&W development process.

I mostly shoot Ilford, with the occasional roll of Tri-X.

Romanko · May 5, 2024

armadsen said:
I ordered some for fun, because I like trying different films. Also the Mikrat Ortho is unusual in that it develops as a positive in a normal B&W development process.

I have a small collection of negatives shot on Svema/Tasma FN-64/65 in the 80s by an unknown photographer. It was probably good for its time but I also prefer Ilford. Thank you for the tip about Mikrat Ortho I did not know that it could be used as a "slide" film.

loccdor · May 5, 2024

Romanko said:
Just wondering why do you prefer this film over Ilford/Kentmere/Foma/Arista which is cheaper, fresh and better quality? What am I missing here?

I like this result I shot on Svema Foto 32 expired in 1993 and rated @12, developed in HC-110 1+63 15 minutes at 20C. I also liked the idea of shooting Russian/Ukranian film in a Russian/Ukranian camera (Kiev-4). I think that pretty much all films have their place. The only films I don't really like the look of are C-41 monochrome films and Kodak Ultramax, but that's just my personal preference.

Romanko · May 5, 2024

loccdor said:
I like this result I shot on Svema Foto 32 expired in 1993

Nice image! Was there a lot of fog?

I don't have much experience with expired film. I once shot Ilford Selochrome expired in the 50s or 60s that was left in a camera for several decades. I got an image.

loccdor · May 5, 2024

Romanko said:
Nice image! Was there a lot of fog?

I don't have much experience with expired film. I once shot Ilford Selochrome expired in the 50s or 60s that was left in a camera for several decades. I got an image.

There wasn't much fog at all on the 32 speed. On the other hand, I had some 125 speed Svema that needed to be rated at 2 ISO to get a good picture. I assume it was left in a hot vehicle.

Expired film can be frustrating, I try to buy it in packs of 5-10 because I need to sacrifice one roll for the initial testing. I never buy singles. But you can occasionally get unique results with it. I enjoyed expired film more when it was going for $1-2 per roll. But there are still occasional deals out there.

Silverinsunlight · May 6, 2024

Damn, I missed out on this. Please, let us know if you are going to do this again or open up the Discord server. I really like the FN64 and the 200 speed in 35mm, and imagine they'd be great in 120 or 4x5.

MCB18 · May 12, 2024

Romanko said:
Just wondering why do you prefer this film over Ilford/Kentmere/Foma/Arista which is cheaper, fresh and better quality? What am I missing here?

This is fresh film, not NOS from eBay. And they are great because you can order basically any film size you want, sometimes with a minimum order but not an insane one.

Rrrgcy said:
Hi first time using Discord, seemed to have downloaded and joined the app properly w verification and on the group buy page for Svema, my settings seem correct to receive/ send DMs but all my messages are rejected. Do I need to be added as a Friend by that host first? Sorry for the ignorance, I’m seeking two rolls of bulk FN-64 35mm to Florida.

Sorry, didn’t see this message. Idk why because I subscribed to the thread… weird. I’ll pm you a link to the server directly because the invite link seems to have broken and I don’t know how to fix it.

Silverinsunlight said:
Damn, I missed out on this. Please, let us know if you are going to do this again or open up the Discord server. I really like the FN64 and the 200 speed in 35mm, and imagine they'd be great in 120 or 4x5.

Thinking about making this a semi-regular thing. Again, expect a PM with the discord server because the one in OP seems to have broken.

Orders for this round have concluded, but I do plan to make this a semi-regular thing.

Silverinsunlight · May 12, 2024

MCB18 said:
This is fresh film, not NOS from eBay. And they are great because you can order basically any film size you want, sometimes with a minimum order but not an insane one.

Sorry, didn’t see this message. Idk why because I subscribed to the thread… weird. I’ll pm you a link to the server directly because the invite link seems to have broken and I don’t know how to fix it.

Thinking about making this a semi-regular thing. Again, expect a PM with the discord server because the one in OP seems to have broken.

Thank you very much! Looking forward to this.

Romanko · May 13, 2024

MCB18 said:
This is fresh film, not NOS from eBay.

If it really is fresh film this is great news!

From what I know FN-65/FN-64 was only produced by Svema in Shostka (Ukraine) and Tasma in Kazan (Tatarstan, Russia). Svema factory closed in the 2010s and Tasma no longer makes FN-65 though they still seem to produce aerial film in 35 mm and larger formats.

I contacted Reflx Labs last year to check if they could source some Tasma film. Apparently, they investigated this option but had to give up because of high prices and overly complicated logistics.

If you have any information on who produces FN-64 film could you please share it?

MCB18 · May 13, 2024

Romanko said:
If it really is fresh film this is great news!

From what I know FN-65/FN-64 was only produced by Svema in Shostka (Ukraine) and Tasma in Kazan (Tatarstan, Russia). Svema factory closed in the 2010s and Tasma no longer makes FN-65 though they still seem to produce aerial film in 35 mm and larger formats.

I contacted Reflx Labs last year to check if they could source some Tasma film. Apparently, they investigated this option but had to give up because of high prices and overly complicated logistics.

If you have any information on who produces FN-64 film could you please share it?

I have my suspicions about who makes the film, but I can’t say for certain. I know that they have used Agfa and Kodak products before, and that some films (like Mikrat Ortho and 42L) are, in fact, still Tasma, probably bought in large quantities at some point before the war and frozen.

My best guess is that FN-64 is Aviphot 80, Foto 100/200 is Aviphot 200, Mikrat and the areal film they offer are Tasma, and the rest I have no idea. However, I cannot confirm this at all.

I have asked where they get the film, and the person I have been in contact with has not provided any information besides some simple PDF datasheets.

I personally am not too concerned about where exactly it comes from, I’m just happy to get good film, in basically any size sheets and roll widths/lengths I can ask for, cheap. And it helps support these guys, which they definitely need.

Romanko · May 13, 2024

MCB18 said:
I personally am not too concerned about where exactly it comes from, I’m just happy to get good film

Same here. Let's just hope they have enough stock to last for a while.

Sonynolta User · May 15, 2024

Do you know if they can do anything like unperforated 35mm, unperfed 46mm or 70mm perfed film?
All to add to my 'stupid projects for oddball cameras'

MCB18 · May 15, 2024

Sonynolta User said:
Do you know if they can do anything like unperforated 35mm, unperfed 46mm or 70mm perfed film?
All to add to my 'stupid projects for oddball cameras'

Yes, 35mm unperf, 46mm, and 70mm unperf can be ordered, however you may need to meet a $200 minimum.

I wasn’t actually planning to order any this round, but someone asked about 46mm, and someone else asked about unpef 35, so they did slip in on this one.

For Sale Astrum/Svena group buy (35mm and 120/220)

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