Back into Shanghai GP3 again

Athiril · Mar 14, 2014

wilper said:
The prices on that Taobao site seem very nice. Is there any good way to order even if I don't speak Chinese? Do they take PayPal?

You have to use a Tao Bao agent, which speaks English. Which is what I did. I used Tao Bao Now, you can google other agents.

They usually take 10% commission, and pack all your items into a package and can send by EMS, they take paypal, and also check your items before they're sent. Very convenient.

There'll be some extra 'costs' in there due to currency exchange rate, though most agents can bill in USD directly, so US buyers wont have that issue of paypal slugging them with poorer exchange rates than what the market is holding. Plus there's also the agent's exchange rate of Yuan to the chosen currency, as they do need to change it over locally to get their $.

cmacd123 · Mar 14, 2014

Lucky is a different product. I did have a problem with Lucky in 120 where the tape holding the film came loose, fortunately it made such a noise that I was able to open teh camera in the dark, retape the film and start over.

Lucky at one time made both a 100 ASA and 400 ASA film, but I have only seem the "SHD100" in the last few years.

one think to be careful of is that the end label on the GP3 film often has poor adhesive , so be prepared to tape or use an elastic band on the roll when you remove it from the camera.

analoguey · Mar 15, 2014

ambaker said:
Lucky is not the same, as far as I can tell.

I've dealt with Isaac as well. Fast and responsive.

My GP3 with the number and dots issue is dated 11/2014.

Anyone know when the issue ceased, or what dates to look for?

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Recently bought another batch. From a different vendor -same shipping speed as Isaac chen but cheaper as I recall.

Checked the batch now it's 10-15 expiry. Have to go through a couple of rolls and see how they come out.

Anyone else who's had issues with the 2014 expiry rolls?

Sent from Tap-a-talk

analoguey · Mar 15, 2014

Athiril said:
You have to use a Tao Bao agent, which speaks English. Which is what I did. I used Tao Bao Now, you can google other agents.

They usually take 10% commission, and pack all your items into a package and can send by EMS, they take paypal, and also check your items before they're sent. Very convenient.

There'll be some extra 'costs' in there due to currency exchange rate, though most agents can bill in USD directly, so US buyers wont have that issue of paypal slugging them with poorer exchange rates than what the market is holding. Plus there's also the agent's exchange rate of Yuan to the chosen currency, as they do need to change it over locally to get their $.

Lot of effort to take,that. One might not even get the right agent after that? Risky and too much effort unless assured delivery!
Do you have a single agent? Or do you keep switching?

Sent from Tap-a-talk

Athiril · Mar 15, 2014

Tao Bao is used a lot in one of my circles (not film related). There are a lot of good agents. They check items for you before packing. Delivery is assured, they offer EMS and FedEx and HK Post by default, with international tracking rather than cheap services.

analoguey · Mar 16, 2014

I see. I'll try that and see how it goes. Is there a starter or minimum amount?

Sent from Tap-a-talk

Ricardo Miranda · Mar 17, 2014

You'll be better off with Ebay as I do. It is only about £18 a pack of 10 rolls including delivery.

analoguey · Mar 17, 2014

Thanks, Ricardo. Thats how I have usually ordered - but last batch wasnt any great with the back numbers embedding into the negative, hence trying this method. I'm anyways only starting with the second set I ordered off ebay - as a cheap testing film. If the results can be anything like those shown above, I'd be pretty happy having a repeatable result from the film.

Sent from Tap-a-talk

wilper · Mar 17, 2014

I made a round at TaoBao, it seems Fuji Acros can be had for half the price of what I'm used to in Germany. Even if I include shipping and a cut to an agent and so on it should make 25% off.

Do they make pirated film over there as well?

TheToadMen · Mar 17, 2014

analoguey said:
Thanks, Ricardo. Thats how I have usually ordered - but last batch wasnt any great with the back numbers embedding into the negative, hence trying this method. I'm anyways only starting with the second set I ordered off ebay - as a cheap testing film. If the results can be anything like those shown above, I'd be pretty happy having a repeatable result from the film.

Can someone please tell me what/who a taobao agent is? And how this works?
And how can such an agent guarantee the above stated problem won' t occur?
My apology in advance for my stupid question...

Bert from Holland
http://thetoadmen.blogspot.nl

analoguey · Apr 13, 2014

Athiril said:
Don't know. Mine barely curls at all in 120. Has a very slight curl to it for me. But I hung mine in a heater film dried, and then allowed it to cool down while hanging as well.

I will try that method.
Happy to report that my 2015 expiry dated Shanghai had so far (2 rolls) no issues of number fogging off the back.

WayneStevenson said:
I shoot in 4x5. Get mine through Isaac Chen as well. Though a couple 25 packs had emulsion issues from last year. Haven't purchased more since but newer dated packs in that shipment didn't appear to suffer that problem.

Wayne, I am currently shooting foma in 4x5, might try Shanghai as well, via Isaac. What emulsion issues did you experience?

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Apr 13, 2014

taobao agent is a new version of tasma or zenit agent

JW PHOTO · Apr 13, 2014

I bought 20 rolls of exp 2016 off the big auction site and I've only processed one roll so far. That roll has no issues that I can see, but I have two rolls in two separate Rollei TLR's and that will be my test. My final cost was just under $3.00, a 120 roll, off auction. Not a super bargain, but not bad either. I'll still use Acros and HP5+ as a main film and GP3 in some of my older cameras. I have a folding Ikonta with uncoated Tessar that I want to try it in. I'm going to use Pyrocat-MC and WD2D+ for the first few rolls and rate the film at ISO 64. I might try going through a "taobao" agent if this stuff works out OK. So far, so good! JW

WayneStevenson · Apr 13, 2014

"What emulsion issues did you experience?"

Problems coating. There were repetitive areas on each sheet that was missing the emulsion. I tore through an entire pack after shooting the first pack, and it had the same issues.

Luckily, I had purchased these back when Chinese film was still cheap. It's gone through the roof. Isaac still owes me a pack on my next order. Love dealing with him. Great guy.

analoguey · Apr 15, 2014

Ah I see. That would be quite irritating. Did you shoot multiples of the same scene, as backup?
Gone up? What price did you get them at?

I went through another roll today, and I seem to have seen a new issue with these - the first three images seem to be just blank, and the last ones are well, truncated - 7th a bit, and the rest dont seem to exist. Anyone else faced this issue?
I havent faced this issue before on any film!

WayneStevenson · Apr 15, 2014

I can't recall exactly what I was shooting when I found the problem. But it may have been the odd sheet left out where I came across the problem.

Load twelve holders, one sheet half-way in gets set aside for quality control purposes. I remember I started ripping the sheets out of all of my holders. And they all had the problem. I might still have another box of that batch in my film fridge. Hopefully it's good.

Oh. Checked my purchase records. Guess it wasn't too cheap when I bought it last. Around $20 / box.

In 2009, I was paying $12 a box of 4x5. 25 sheets.

Snapshot · Apr 30, 2014

Success with Shanghai GP3

To add to the thread, I shot a roll of Shanghai GP3 and developed it in Adox MQ Borax (a variant of D76) with surprisingly good results. The film grain was very fine and sharp. In addition, the base of clear and dried relatively flat, without the curling attributed to this film. No indication of numbers/characters imprinting on the emulsion, reticulation/mottling or any other issues.

My approach was as follows:

No pre-soak
Adox MQ Borax at full strength for 9:00 minutes (I would recommend D76 at full strength for 8:00 minutes)
Kodak stop bath for 00:30 minutes
Kodak Rapidfix for 4:00 minutes
Wash aid (2% solution of sodium bicarbonate) for 00:30 minutes
Ilford film washing technique
Photoflow rinse

I use two clothes pegs at the top and bottom of the film strip corners and allow it to dry. As for the Shanghai film, my stock comes in a silver wrapper, is dated 10/2015 for expiry and the batch number is 5101. All I know if this the result I can get reliably, I will purchase more.

JW PHOTO · Apr 30, 2014

Snapshot,
My findings mirror yours completely. I bought 10 roles date 2016 and it was so good I just bought 10 more rolls. This is definitely not the same Shanghai GP3 film I used in the past. I've dunked it in Perceptol, Pyrocat-MC, Rodinal 1+50 and WD2D+ pyro and the negs are all very good, but Rodinal 1+50 seems to stand out, Of course scanning does not tell what printing will, but from what I see all should print just fine. I'm not big on Chinese stuff, but this is good film. JW

Snapshot · Apr 30, 2014

JW PHOTO said:
Snapshot,
My findings mirror yours completely. I bought 10 roles date 2016 and it was so good I just bought 10 more rolls. This is definitely not the same Shanghai GP3 film I used in the past. I've dunked it in Perceptol, Pyrocat-MC, Rodinal 1+50 and WD2D+ pyro and the negs are all very good, but Rodinal 1+50 seems to stand out, Of course scanning does not tell what printing will, but from what I see all should print just fine. I'm not big on Chinese stuff, but this is good film. JW

JW,
If you do not mind me asking, which vendor supplied you with your GP3?

analoguey · Apr 30, 2014

Given the number of shanghai users, wonder if it makes sense to cut a group deal - I'm planning to order 50 more rolls from Isaac - if a few more similar or larger orders can be put together - might as well get a better checked batch as well.

Sent from Tap-a-talk

Snapshot · May 1, 2014

analoguey said:
Given the number of shanghai users, wonder if it makes sense to cut a group deal - I'm planning to order 50 more rolls from Isaac - if a few more similar or larger orders can be put together - might as well get a better checked batch as well.

Sent from Tap-a-talk

I would participate in a group buy.

JW PHOTO · May 1, 2014

Snapshot,
I got my last 10 roll batch from Xinhaicc of the big auction site. It figured out to just under $3.00 a roll. I would also go for a group buy if I can get the price down even more, but on a group buy there will more than likely be a shipping charge. My last order had free shipping and was still under $3.00 a roll. JW

Richard S. (rich815) · May 1, 2014

Wow, no offense guys but I would never pay anything close to three dollars a roll for this film. I used to be a big user and was a big proponent of it but that was when I pick it up for about $.75 a roll when I used to travel to Beijing quite frequently to visit my wife's family. At almost $3a roll I'd rather get FP4 or HP5 which are just over four dollars a roll from B&H. I still have about 30 or 40 rolls I think expired 2009 2010 and the backing problem of the number showing through in the film is starting to become more and more prevalent and yes I stored it frozen so this stuff will not last long unless you can prove that they change the backing. Great film, beautiful film but I wouldn't pay three bucks for it. Between the two I go for Ilford stuff even for a dollar+ more every time.

Snapshot · May 1, 2014

JW PHOTO said:
Snapshot,
I got my last 10 roll batch from Xinhaicc of the big auction site. It figured out to just under $3.00 a roll. I would also go for a group buy if I can get the price down even more, but on a group buy there will more than likely be a shipping charge. My last order had free shipping and was still under $3.00 a roll. JW

Thank you for the information JW!

JW PHOTO · May 1, 2014

Richard Sintchak (rich815) said:
Wo, no offense guys but I would never pay anything close to three dollars a roll for this film. I used to be a big user and was a big proponent of it but that was when I pick it up for about $.75 a roll when I used to travel to Beijing quite frequently to visit my wife's family. At almost $3a roll I'd rather get FP4 or HP5 which are just over four dollars a roll from B&H. I still have about 30 or 40 rolls I think expired 2009 2010 and the backing problem of the number showing through in the film is starting to become more and more prevalent and yes I stored it frozen so this stuff will not last long unless you can prove that they change the backing. Great film, beautiful film but I wouldn't pay three bucks for it. Between the two I go for Ilford stuff even for a dollar+ more every time.

Rick,
I wish I had in laws in China, but I don't. I also know I probably wouldn't buy the "old" GP3 for more than a dollar a roll, but this is not the "old" GP3 as far as I can tell. The grain in this film is super-tight and the base is different also. The only thing I don't like about it and this has nothing to do with image quality, is the stupid tape on the backing paper. Do I like Ilford films better? Certainly/maybe! I bought my 10 rolls for $29.99 and ten rolls of FP4 from B&H is $46.89. Not half price, but still a good savings. So, for some of my older cameras it's the cats meow and it looks nice in Pyro and very nice in Rodinal as well. Just my experience of course. Would I like to get it even cheaper? Heck yes! Maybe I should divorce my wife and hook-up with a young Chinese gal with parents still in China? I'm 64, but as long as I'm going through the trouble of a divorce I might just as well go for a young gal. That way she can push my wheel chair around when I get to old to walk. Oh, I also absolutely love Chinese food so she better have learned how to cook from her mom. Does your wife have any unmarried sisters that can cook and push a wheelchair? JW

Back into Shanghai GP3 again

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency