Efke film!?

[AndersPS]

I want tot try and shoot some rolls with efke 100-film and see if I like it. I read this on the digital truht site:

"Efke films are manufactured using classic emulsions with very high silver content, resulting in wide exposure latitude and superior grayscale reproduction. The Efke 25, 50 and 100 films are made using the ADOX formulas which were first introduced back in the 1950s. Efke products are true to their rated speed.
For best results, do not overexpose or pull-process this film. Treat the wet emulsion with extreme care. It is best to avoid the use of a stop bath or strong acid fixer with this emulsion. We recommend use of a plain water bath instead of a stop bath. Never use a stop-bath with a higher concentration than 2%.

Efke 35mm films are coated on a acetate base (130 microns plus coating).

Made in Croatia"


Then I read this: "We recommend use of a plain water bath instead of a stop bath. Never use a stop-bath with a higher concentration than 2%."

How long should I rinse the film? and can I use fix, if so what type of fix?

///AndersPS

 

[Neal]

Dear AndersPS,

I've used a 1 minute rinse with Efke films without issue. You must always use fixer. I use Kodafix (a hardening fixer) with all films including Efke without problem.

Enjoy,

Neal Wydra

 

[Whiteymorange]

AndersPS,
This is one film on which I would use a hardening fixer- I use Sprint with added Alum hardener. Do a pre-soak before developing or your developer will all turn green - important if you replenish, but not so much if you use developer just one time. Water as stop bath works fine. I rinse twice= fill, shake, dump, repeat.

In general, I really like EFKE film, but the 100 has the least "personality" of the three you mention. 25 and 50 are far sharper and closer to orthochromatic, though they do extend sensitivity into the red frequencies. I shoot a stop higher on each (50 and 100) if shooting in daylight and do not push process. They tend to build contrast quickly and the slight under-exposure curbs the contrast a bit. In artificial light, you should shoot box speed. Pulling the film (rating them slower than box speed) is not recommended by the manufacturer - and I have found it to be unproductive.

 

[Robert Hall]

I agree that you should use something to harden the emulsion as it is soft. I have pulled it off the reels while wet with strings of emulsion from the sprocket holes coming off and it needing a second rinse.

I am curious how underexposure can curb contrast as typically the longer one exposes the less contrast one sees in film. Is this a reference perhaps to over development?

 

[Venchka]

The secret for curing the curl in Efke R25? Making it lie flat?

 

[Ian Grant]

I am curious how underexposure can curb contrast as typically the longer one exposes the less contrast one sees in film. Is this a reference perhaps to over development?

These are single layer thin emulsions, they aren't what are normally called Classic emulsions at all - they were thick coatings, in fact quite the opposite, on their release in the early 1950's they were way ahead of their time.

Neither are they high contrast emulsions and they have less latitude to exposure than multilayer emulsions. They are extremely sharp films of high definition it's this that's lost with over exposure, along with tonality.

EFKE films are true to their tested speeds but that's not the speed on the box.

My old data sheet for EFKE films still with the DIN names is attached, but in practice KB/R/PL 25 have daylight EI of 40-50 EI, and a Tungsten speed of 20-25 EI.

I've used EFKE 25 since the 70's when it was called KB/R 14, my tests give me an effective EI of 50 for Normal use, and at one time a large UK chain of Photo-stores sold then as their house brand as 50 (KB25), 100 (KB50) & 200 (KB100) ISO films which makes sense.

Ian

 

[Whiteymorange]

I am curious how underexposure can curb contrast as typically the longer one exposes the less contrast one sees in film. Is this a reference perhaps to over development?

If I rate the film one stop higher than the box speed and don't add development time, I am, in effect, under-developing the film. If I over expose the film, I am forced to compensate by dropping development time, something I find more difficult to do consistently. The process is more straightforward for this "bear of little brain" - if I just use the advised timing for development I can develop rolls that are shot in incandescent light (rating Efke 50 at 50) and rolls shot outdoors (rated at 100) in the same container at the same time. What can I say... I'm lazy.

 

[Ian Grant]

I process EFKE 25 shot at EI 50 for the same time/sme developer as Tmax 100 shot at 50 EI and get comparable tonality (OK there's alight difference in Red sensitivity).

Ian

 

[Jedidiah Smith]

So how would the sharpest, the Efke (Adox) 25 compare with something like T-Max 100 in resolution capability? Would this be an alternative with better tonal range or something? I've never shot any "old school" film like this before. When I think of "classic" I think of Plus-X 125 and Tri-X 400, both of which I love. I guess that's just a sign of my age (just turned 29 today!). I realize there are much older type of emulsions. This thread is making me itch to try one.

Jed

 

[Bosaiya]

Some people love Efke, some people hate it. Like with food, black & white film is such a subjective medium that the only worthwhile advice is to simply try some yourself and see if you like it. You can get real fancy and shoot side-by-side comparisons with different films, do some double blind experiments, whatever floats your boat - but in the end you'll still best be served by trying the dish yourself.

 

[2F/2F]

First, of course you can use fixer...because if you want your image fixed, you must use fixer!

You can rinse the film in water instead of stop bath.

You can make up an alkaline fixer as well. If you don't want to do this, I would use an off-the-shelf hardening fixer, like Kodafix concentrate, or Ilford Hypam with added hardener. Plain Ilford Hypam and Ilford Rapid Fixer do not have a hardener, as this is actually beneficial with every film but Efke/Adox 25/50/100 now. (Their 400 is simply relabeled film from another maker, so hardener is not beneficial with it.)

I process most films at 22-24 C, but I always try to process Efke/Adox films at no more than 20 C. IME, it helps curb emulsion damage. Also, when doing sheets, I never do more than one stacked at a time in a tray. I use the divider ("slosher") method instead.

 

[archer]

Dear Jed;
I am using Efke 50 and I believe you will love it if you like PlusX and TriX. I find the film very reminiscent of the pre modern versions of those films with finer grain.
Denise Libby

 

[Ian Grant]

So how would the sharpest, the Efke (Adox) 25 compare with something like T-Max 100 in resolution capability? Would this be an alternative with better tonal range or something? I've never shot any "old school" film like this before. When I think of "classic" I think of Plus-X 125 and Tri-X 400, both of which I love. I guess that's just a sign of my age (just turned 29 today!). I realize there are much older type of emulsions. This thread is making me itch to try one.

Jed

When I used Agfa APX 25 and Tmax 100 alongside Adox/Efke 25 I'd have to say that Tmax just wasn't quite as sharp as the other two which where similar in terms of sharpness & fine grained.

Ian

 

[Snapper]

I love Efke/Adox films, but in small doses. You didn't mention if you were shooting 35mm or 120 - I've found the 120 films to be a bit on the short side and and seem to only get 9 6x7 negs to a roll. Also, you have to be very careful when loading as I have had light leaks around the backing paper, which seems a bit thinner than most. But the results are worth the hassle.

 

[Jedidiah Smith]

Thanks for the suggestion, I will try some when I get around to putting in a Freestyle order again. Which may be soon if I want to try some different developer.
Adox is the same as Efke, right? I see Freestyle has ADOX CHS 25 for sale. Also, they have an ADOX Pan 25. Not meaning to hi-jack this thread, but are those films quite a bit different? (i.e. which one is the one I want?)
Thanks,
Jed

 

[clayne]

BTW: With the standard Kodak stop-bath dilution (1+64), isn't that only a 1.5% strength working solution (even less if you calculate that the concentrate is not 100%)?

 

[2F/2F]

Thanks for the suggestion, I will try some when I get around to putting in a Freestyle order again. Which may be soon if I want to try some different developer.
Adox is the same as Efke, right? I see Freestyle has ADOX CHS 25 for sale. Also, they have an ADOX Pan 25. Not meaning to hi-jack this thread, but are those films quite a bit different? (i.e. which one is the one I want?)
Thanks,
Jed

They are the same. If you want to shoot it in medium format, it makes more sense to go for the Adox, as it comes with a spiffy reusable black plastic storage container for 120/220 film.

 

[AndersPS]

I love this site! Next month I´m gonna be a subscriber!!! You people here have so much knowledge about this, and for that I´m thankful course I am a newbie at this. I get many answers very fast. The reason why I asked this question is because I want to find a film that I like. So I buy all sorts that I can find! Is that a dumb thing to do?

 

[gurkenprinz]

I love this site! Next month I´m gonna be a subscriber!!! You people here have so much knowledge about this, and for that I´m thankful course I am a newbie at this. I get many answers very fast. The reason why I asked this question is because I want to find a film that I like. So I buy all sorts that I can find! Is that a dumb thing to do?

No. Thats a fun thing to do!

 

[Ian Grant]

Adox is the same as Efke, right?

Jed

Not really, Adox was the brand name for Dr C. Schleussner Fotowerke GmbH, and used for films, papers, chemistry & cameras, later the film & paper side was taken over by Dupont.

Dupont later sold the plant and licensed production of the Adox products to Efke - Fotokemia in Zagreb, Croatia, allowing the use of the Adox name for a short period. Later the plant was moved to Samobor.

The brand name lapsed and many years later registered by Fotoimpex in Berlin, Germany who now sell EFKE and film & paper from other manufactures under the ADox brand.

So while these 3 CHS films are Adox/EFKE film from Ilford (pre-Harman) was sold as Adox and the new APX100 (formerly Agfa) will be branded Adox as the MCC paper is already.

Ian

 

[Tom Kershaw]

They are the same. If you want to shoot it in medium format, it makes more sense to go for the Adox, as it comes with a spiffy reusable black plastic storage container for 120/220 film.

Adox Pan 25 and Adox CHS 25 are not the same film.

Tom

 

[Ian Grant]

Adox Pan 25 and Adox CHS 25 are not the same film.

Tom

Luckily Fotoimpex are very good at clearly describing their films, and it's worth those unfamiliar with the products visiting their website for details of specific films.

Ian

 

[clayne]

So while these 3 CHS films are Adox/EFKE film from Ilford (pre-Harman) was sold as Adox and the new APX100 (formerly Agfa) will be branded Adox as the MCC paper is already.

Ian

Can't wait to see how they do with the APX100. Even though I have 1000s of rolls of the original Agfa formula, if they pull it off as well as they did MCC, it'll be damn good news for everyone.

 

[2F/2F]

Yes. Adox CHS "Art" 25/50/100 are the ones that are the same as Efke, not Pan 25. I missed the OP's mention of Pan 25. For some reason, I misread the question as asking if Adox CHS and Efke were the same.

 

[Jedidiah Smith]

Thanks guys. So Adox CHS 2. Is the same as the Efke. Makes sense. If I may keep asking questions, what would be the difference with the Pan 25? I'm thinking of comparing some of these really slow old school emulsions to T-max 100 for ultimate resolution and sharpness for when I don't need speed.

Edit: Wait. Ian, do you mean Adox got the formula for APX 100? How'd they do that? That was one of my favorite films a few years ago - seemed to have just the right "bite" to the grain and beautiful tonal range! Any idea when they will come out with it?

Thanks,
Jed