New Agfa production?

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aldevo

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If there is still APX100 lying around it would make more sense to start with some APX25!

ADOX/Fotoimpex have already stated that this absolutely cannot be done. APX 25 was discontiniued by Agfa because a critically important chemical constituent became impossible to obtain. This has not changed.

But APX100 and APX400 are feasible.
 

Chazzy

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ADOX/Fotoimpex have already stated that this absolutely cannot be done. APX 25 was discontiniued by Agfa because a critically important chemical constituent became impossible to obtain. This has not changed.

But APX100 and APX400 are feasible.

They may be feasible, but they don't interest me in the slightest. It's the APX 25 that I wanted to try. For 100 and 400 speed black and white film, we have many choices.
 

AgX

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The majority of the Rollei branded films are current Agfa production or at least out of their current range.
 

Steve Smith

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Without APX 25, it hardly seems worth it.

Is that the same as the Agfa Pan 25 which I used to use in the 1980s?


Steve.
 

Ian Grant

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Only marginally different it's the improved version I used a lot of both.

But those hoping for a return need to realise tat when over all film sales where still very significantly higher sales were too low so it was discontinued. Now some of the chemicals needed for it's manufacture are no longer made so it's not an easy film to re-introduce.

Ian
 
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Give us APX 100 in 35mm, 120, and sheet film. That would be a viable alternative. To introduce it in only one single size (35mm) will not attract my attention, even though I love the format.

But, who's listening?
 

Chazzy

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Give us APX 100 in 35mm, 120, and sheet film. That would be a viable alternative. To introduce it in only one single size (35mm) will not attract my attention, even though I love the format.

But, who's listening?

That's the way I would like to see it offered too, but I see no incentive to switch from FP4+. The market has several outstanding 100 and 400 speed films, so I hope that reintroducing the Agfa emulsions won't be a commercial disaster for Mirko. I also hope that it won't result in decreased sales for Ilford, since I think we would be in a bad position without Ilford.
 

mikebarger

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I agree, I'd hate to be bringing in a new 400 to fight with TMax, Tri-X, and HP5. Whether you like these are not, they have the lions share of the market at this speed.

I almost didn't put HP5 in there as I can only get 200 out of it in 5x4. Don't use it in 120 so it may be quicker there. Maybe it's the best 200 asa film I've used in 5x4. :smile:

(Charles your package is in the mail)

Mike
 

aldevo

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While APX25 was a superb film it was only marginally better than APX100 which is an outstanding film, streets ahead of Tmax 100 which in practice runs a full stop slower to achieve the same tonality.

Some of the best/highest quality 35mm images I've ever seen where shot with APX100 or it's predecessor AP100, and processed in Rodinal.

It's afr morev important to have APX100 back in a full range of sizes from 35mm to sheet fil, APX25 had very poor sales in later years mainly because the 100 ISO film was so good, and far more practical

I found a roll each of AP25, APX25 and APX100 on my trip back to the UK 3 weeks ago so will be shooting them soon :D

Ian

At the risk of going off-topic...

Those are some interesting observations regarding APX 100 vs TMX.

I've heard people say similar things but it doesn't mesh with my own experience.

I certainly can't get TMX to look like APX 100 at any speed and I can't rate APX 100 at anything higher than EI 64 in bright light.

Agfa DID reformulate APX 100 slightly around the time they discontinued APX 25 because of a need to replace a no longer obtainable constituent. They also had to replace some of the infrastructure (the emulsion kettle, if I recall Mirko's post correctly) used to produce the film due to it simply having worn out.

The net result of these changes is that APX 100 and APX 400 both lost emulsion speed and became perceptably grainier in the bargain.

My experience with APX emulsions only dates from 2002, so all my experience may well fall after these changes were made.
 
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AgX

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The AgfaPhoto director just declared these days that the intention of the company is to mantain the illusion that all products bearing that brand come from one source.
This is enforced by a central control of the product appearance (ads, package design, manuals etc.) at the particular brand licencees.
 
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Charles, I understand. Many people lived by APX 100, though, and thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. We shall see what the viability of it as a film is, based on what the total market is demanding.

That's the way I would like to see it offered too, but I see no incentive to switch from FP4+. The market has several outstanding 100 and 400 speed films, so I hope that reintroducing the Agfa emulsions won't be a commercial disaster for Mirko. I also hope that it won't result in decreased sales for Ilford, since I think we would be in a bad position without Ilford.
 

stradibarrius

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If there is such a "glut" of APX 100 where is it??? I have tried to buy some but can not find it? Any suggestions as to where I can find it in the US?
I am shooting a lot of PX125 and Acros 100 and really like both of those films but I really likie the looks of the prints I have seen that were APX 100...
 

AgX

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I just saw it at Freestyle in the Rollei conversion, but only as 30m roll.
 

nickrapak

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My local photo store had two bricks of APX100 that they had to sell at 50% off, because it expired. They said that they were able to order as much as they wanted, but chose not to, because it never sells.
 

AgX

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Surley all the old stock must have been used/out of date, a long time ago?

Agfa themselves did a big order for aerial color emulsion or film at AgfaPhoto after the latter getting into insolvency to serve their stock "for years", to enable them to adapt their production on the new situation.

So storing (deepfrozen) as such is not that uncommon. However with consumer materials the economics of such may be different.
 
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naugastyle

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If there is such a "glut" of APX 100 where is it??? I have tried to buy some but can not find it? Any suggestions as to where I can find it in the US?
I am shooting a lot of PX125 and Acros 100 and really like both of those films but I really likie the looks of the prints I have seen that were APX 100...

If you're looking for 35mm, 100' rolls are available at both Freestyle and B&H. 24-exp rolls available at Ultrafine.
 

sandermarijn

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The fotoimpex website (in German) says Agfa APX films will be produced again as Adox AP 100 and 400. (as are some papers)

But the question is: When?

Fotoimpex.de only says:

"Erste Versuchsmuster sind gefertigt worden und der Produktionsstart ist aktuell für Dezember 2009 avisiert."

That doesn't seem up to date. Anybody know more?
 

AgX

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Production will take more than one company. And sure Fotoimpex want to do as much themselves as possible.
It seems best to offer a new film not before the whole range is ready for production.

At the same time they have another project in the pipeline, their own paper emulsion making enterprise.
 

Lukas Werth

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I should phone them or mail them. I would do it, but I don't have the time. But as I remember about some conversations with Mirko Böddecker from 2008, he seemed to have pretty much a long-term commitment, and judging from the website, he appears to have kept it.
 
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