B+H stocking Efke films!

bob100684 · Sep 13, 2006

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...s=&ci=330&ac=&Submit.x=6&Submit.y=6&Submit=Go

Look! They're there for black and white print films!

Pavel+ · Sep 14, 2006

How are the Efke films? I just bought 25 packs of various print films and happen to see The Efke brand listed there, so I took a chance and got just one Roll of KB100/24. I've not heard of them before and have no idea what to expect.
I've been lost in digiland for six years and just found my way back to film with the impulse buy of a F100. Man, I didn't realize how much it's different and in some ways I didn't know how I missed it (film) until now.
Lots of re-learning to do. I'm completely lost as far as films and how to shoot what to which effect.
Oh well, better late than never back to this journey.
Any tips about the Efke films and any recommendations will be appreciated.
Thanks.

roteague · Sep 14, 2006

That is nice that they are stocking it, but let's not forget those suppliers, like J&C and Freestyle that contribute to the financial success of APUG.

Pavel, I don't shoot B&W, but there are many people here who use Efke and love it. Hang around, and you will get your answer. FWIW, everything I have heard tells me it is a fantastic film.

JBrunner · Sep 14, 2006

Pavel+ said:
How are the Efke films? I just bought 25 packs of various print films and happen to see The Efke brand listed there, so I took a chance and got just one Roll of KB100/24. I've not heard of them before and have no idea what to expect.
I've been lost in digiland for six years and just found my way back to film with the impulse buy of a F100. Man, I didn't realize how much it's different and in some ways I didn't know how I missed it (film) until now.
Lots of re-learning to do. I'm completely lost as far as films and how to shoot what to which effect.
Oh well, better late than never back to this journey.
Any tips about the Efke films and any recommendations will be appreciated.
Thanks.

You will find it to have a forgiving latitude, very smooth tonality, and fine grain, with a very classic texture and feel. It is superb in Pyrocat or PMK Pyro, with tremendous latitude, if you are into that, but perhaps those aren't the best developers for 35. For LF at least, it likes a little over exposure.

highpeak · Sep 14, 2006

Thanks for the info, I go to B&H offten, might give the film a try after my APX runs out.

galyons · Sep 14, 2006

Please read the B&H Efke listings carefully. Most sizes are not in stock. Some sizes "taking orders". All require that you pay upfront. This looks more like a market pilot test than a commitment to stock. I buy regularly from B&H. I think that they are fine merchants. So I've no axe to grind.

But, our support is critical to the suppliers that support us by actually making the substantial investment to stock the film, etc. that we need. This fact is even more critical for sheet films!!

Competition is good. But we are such a micro market that, as the old African saying goes, "When elephants fight, the grass gets trampled!"

Gheers,
Geary

bob100684 said:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...s=&ci=330&ac=&Submit.x=6&Submit.y=6&Submit=Go

Look! They're there for black and white print films!

JBrunner · Sep 14, 2006

FWIW I buy my Efke from J&C, who are commited to traditional photography, rather than a box house.

copake_ham · Sep 14, 2006

I don't think this thread should turn into a "rag" on B&H - they are a well-respected firm. I'd agree that for mail order, folks here might want to favor our sponsors but those of us who live in the NYC-area have an opportunity to try out these films via a walk-in method - that's nice. Also, with more and more concern about carrying film on airlines - folks coming to NYC who prefer Efke will now have a local source to buy upon arrival.

JBrunner · Sep 14, 2006

copake_ham said:
I don't think this thread should turn into a "rag" on B&H - they are a well-respected firm. I'd agree that for mail order, folks here might want to favor our sponsors but those of us who live in the NYC-area have an opportunity to try out these films via a walk-in method - that's nice. Also, with more and more concern about carrying film on airlines - folks coming to NYC who prefer Efke will now have a local source to buy upon arrival.

I agree, and I have and do purchase from B&H on regular occasion, with good results. However, I give my support to APUG sponsors, and those committed to traditional photographic processes when I can.

B&H adding any traditional product to the lineup is a good thing, and an indicator in the saturation in the digi market, and a slight resurgence of film, as things start to settle down.

Paul Sorensen · Sep 14, 2006

They are probably just ordering it in from Freestyle when an order comes in. I believe that Freestyle is importing it direct. With what B&H is charging, any of us could do the same thing. I would much prefer to buy from J&C and Freestyle and save some money while supporting APUG and traditional photography in general.

srs5694 · Sep 14, 2006

Pavel+ said:
Any tips about the Efke films and any recommendations will be appreciated.

Personally, I like KB25 a lot and KB50 is OK if I'm looking for its unique "look" in an ISO 50 film (it and KB25 are less sensitive to red light than most films, and KB50 is grainier than Ilford Pan F+ 50 or even many ISO 100 films). Contrary to an earlier post, I found the one roll of KB100 I shot to be very grainy by ISO 100 B&W film standards. (I developed it in D-76, FWIW.) IIRC, the film wasn't as grainy as most ISO 400 films, but it was grainier than any other ISO 100 film I've used. The grain wasn't ugly (I consider T-Max 400 grain to be ugly, as a point of comparison), but for 35mm ISO 100 I generally prefer something a bit less grainy. In larger formats or if I wanted a grainy ISO 100 film it might be OK.

Another issue is that Efke films have relatively soft emulsions. If you process the film yourself, you might want to consider using a hardening fixer, at least if you start using Efke films regularly. Whatever you do, exercise a little extra caution when handling the film to avoid scratching it.

copake_ham · Sep 14, 2006

Paul Sorensen said:
They are probably just ordering it in from Freestyle when an order comes in. I believe that Freestyle is importing it direct. With what B&H is charging, any of us could do the same thing. I would much prefer to buy from J&C and Freestyle and save some money while supporting APUG and traditional photography in general.

I just checked both J and C and Freestyle sites via the Sponsor links and did not see any Efke 35mm film listed.

I always been a bit confused by who Efke is, how does it relate to Foma or Arista etc.?

JBrunner · Sep 14, 2006

srs5694 said:
Contrary to an earlier post, I found the one roll of KB100 I shot to be very grainy by ISO 100 B&W film standards. (I developed it in D-76, FWIW.) IIRC, the film wasn't as grainy as most ISO 400 films, but it was grainier than any other ISO 100 film I've used.

Interesting, 4x5 is the smallest I have shot with it, and in that format I have found it to be pretty tight. I would of course, expect an enlargment from 35 to show more grain, so I have considered that. I wonder if the emusions are the same. I rate it at 50 for pyro, the combination of which may be responsible for our different experiences, if it is the same emusion.

I concurr that Efke films are soft, and this trait with minor mishandling has caused me some grief with a few otherwise superb negatives. It won't tolerate any clumsiness.

Paul Sorensen · Sep 14, 2006

copake_ham said:
I just checked both J and C and Freestyle sites via the Sponsor links and did not see any Efke 35mm film listed.

I always been a bit confused by who Efke is, how does it relate to Foma or Arista etc.?

J and C call it ADOX so that is the problem there, but it is definately the same thing. Freestyle has the stuff, I just ordered it the other day, here is a link to one of the items: Efke 25, 35mm

If you are looking for it, it us under Fotokemika on their brand list.

Foma is a manufacturer in the Czech Republic, Efke is in Croatia. Arista is the name that Freestyle gives their house brand and they have many different sub lines of products made by Foma, Forte, Agfa, Kentmere, etc. They also brand everything else Arista, such as chemicals, squeeges, etc.

rusty71 · Sep 14, 2006

FWIW I just got some ADOX R100 roll film from JandC yesterday. They are now offering a one year limited replacement warranty on the film. Pretty good in my opinion.
I have not found R100 to be grainier than equivalent films such as Ilford FP-4 or Fomapan 100. It certainly has fantastic exposure latitude and lovely tonality. If overexposed it does tend to "grain-up" a bit. If shooting in 120 format, try rating it at ISO 160 and developing in Rodinal 1:25. A Fantastic tonal scale.

Ole · Sep 14, 2006

Some of the best negatives I have ever shot were on R50 (it was called R17 at that time), developed in Neofin Blau. Grain was not a problem - when I used my grain focuser (Paterson Major) to focus a full-figure nude shot on 645, I couldn't find any grain. Luckily the model had lots of tiny little near-invisible blonde hairs on her lower back...

I like the EFKE films - not a replacements for anything, but as an important part of the film-user's pallette.

srs5694 · Sep 14, 2006

I certainly can't rule out the possibility that the 35mm, MF, and larger formats use different emulsions. Another possibility is that grain size is interacting in odd or exaggerated ways to developers and/or degree of development. The most extreme example I've seen of this was some 35mm Svema FN64; developed in Rodinal, DS-12, or PC-Glycol, grain is similar to that of Efke KB50, but in XTOL, the Svema's grain is horrific. That's a very odd thing, really, since XTOL has a reputation as a grain-reducing developer, but it has the opposite effect with Svema FN64, at least in my experience.

That said, the D-76 I used for my one roll of Efke KB100 is common enough that I wouldn't expect it to cause problems with any film. XTOL is probably newer than the Svema FN64 emulsion design, and I doubt if Kodak made testing XTOL with Svema films a high priority when it created XTOL, so a bad reaction with that combination is more understandable.

braxus · Sep 14, 2006

I wondered about B&H selling this film. I thought Freestyle had exclusive rights to selling Efke in the US.

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/news.php

removed account4 · Sep 14, 2006

j&c sells it under the name adox, it is the same as ekfe as
far as i have been told ...

epatsellis · Sep 14, 2006

I just shot 2 rolls of Efke R25 in my RB and souped them today. I was quite surprised, to say the least. Brings back memories of souping PanX, it's quite smooth, and scanned at 2400 dpi, is pixelated, not grainy. I have a few scans in the Elkhart and Misc. photos in the photo gallery on my website, down sized to ~1600-2400 pixels wide. Guess I won't regret buying the 100 or so rolls that I did from the person I bought a couple of RB lenses from (esp. since it was $100 with shipping!)

erie

glennfromwy · Sep 14, 2006

I used to buy Efke and Maco from B&H in the '90s.
I didn't even realize they had stopped carrying it. I've been buying short dated and expired film from wherever I can get it cheap for years, though, so I am likely behind the times. Just wanted to say it's nothing new.

B+H stocking Efke films!

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B+H stocking Efke films!

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