ORWO Film availability in Europe

[Deleted member 88956]

Strange as it looks, ORWO being made in Germany does not appear easily available. While FilmoTec is not really into supplying film to still camera users, I thought there was enough sound bites on the net to support the idea of perhaps pushing their film in the still direction as well.

A few years back I know I could buy it direct from Filmotec, and have just written to them again, so that remains to be confirmed. But are there any European dealers stocking it, mainly UN54 and F75?

 

[Donald Qualls]

Tried Fotoimpex?

 

[Raphael]

@Donald Qualls : to my knowledge, Fotoimpex never stocked it, but I can be wrong.
@Witold : I bought once a bulk roll of 35mm at Wittner-Cinetec ( https://www.wittnercinetec.com) ) but since, they don't have it anymore, or sometime, in "cine" format, i.e 16 mm or super 8.

 

[Donald Qualls]

You might try contacting ORWO North America to ask where to obtain ORWO products in EU. I've found them very responsive and forthcoming with technical information, even specific to cine products they'd hand respooled into 30.5m bulk loader rolls (from cine production rolls that can't have been any shorter than four times that length).

 

[DeletedAcct1]

You might try contacting ORWO North America to ask where to obtain ORWO products in EU.

Have you tried directly from them?
http://www.filmotec.de/?lang=en

 

[Donald Qualls]

Have you tried directly from them?
http://www.filmotec.de/?lang=en

I don't see anywhere on their web site to actually buy anything. Do you?

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Have you tried directly from them?
http://www.filmotec.de/?lang=en

Yes I have, will see in a day ro two. As I said in my earlier, when I did this a few years back they would sell direct to private customers. SO if nothing changed, it will remain an option. I'll post here once I hear back from their sales manager.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

I don't see anywhere on their web site to actually buy anything. Do you?

No, no on-line shop. But I know direct contact had worked before. The man I wrote to today is still the same so we will see.

 

[Donald Qualls]

Okay, so same way orwona.com sells -- except the North America branch actually does have a web store.

 

[AgX]

I don't see anywhere on their web site to actually buy anything. Do you?

Filmotec never made a specific offer at their website for (in this context) short rolls or even type 135.
However they explicetely offer rolls (to cine standard) as off the shelf product at the data sheets of the very films. They do not make any offers with prices though, let alone having a webshop.

 

[Alan Johnson]

https://ntphotoworks.com/product-category/rare-black-white-films/
These guys in the UK have it in their online store. IDK if they ship overseas.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

Filmotec never made a specific offer at their website for (in this context) short rolls or even type 135.
However they explicetely offer rolls (to cine standard) as off the shelf product at the data sheets of the very films. They do not make any offers with prices though, let alone having a webshop.

I was just checking my records and I asked Filmotec at the break of 2013/2014. I had a pro-forma issued but could not follow through for unrelated reasons. I hope things remained the same on that option. For some reason UN54 technical sheet does not list it as available on 30.5 spools any more, but does show N75 at this length. I'll see what they tell me in reply. It will also be interesting to see price differential between 2014 and 2020.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

https://ntphotoworks.com/product-category/rare-black-white-films/
These guys in the UK have it in their online store. IDK if they ship overseas.

Spooled up is available in Poland, both UN54 and N75, about 5.80 EUR / 36 (actually a bit longer). Have found UN54 in 30.5m for about 65 EUR.

 

[AgX]

For some reason UN54 technical sheet does not list it as available on 30.5 spools any more, but does show N75 at this length.

I stand corrected... they added that length to one datasheet.

 

[Klaus_H]

in 2019 I purchased some 30.5m rolls of UN54 and n74 from filmotec.
The products UN54 and N75 are still available as far as I know.
Last contact july 2020

 

[Deleted member 88956]

in 2019 I purchased some 30.5m rolls of UN54 and n74 from filmotec.
The products UN54 and N75 are still available as far as I know.
Last contact july 2020

Good to know, I should be hearing something back from Filmotec soon, so will updated this thread when I do. Seems like some people could us that info no less than I.

 

[Pentode]

Okay, so same way orwona.com sells -- except the North America branch actually does have a web store.

Orwona.com’s web store is often out of stock on darned near everything. I like George very much and he’s extremely helpful but I have a love/hate relationship with doing business with him. In my experience he’s very scattered and disorganized. The first time I ordered from him he sent the wrong stuff (he made it right and even allowed me to keep the wrong film but it still meant a loss of time and aggravation). The second time I tried to order from him he didn’t have anything in stock and told me to order from Colorlab in Maryland instead. That meant paying a higher price and I still ended up having to wait months until Filmotec did another production run.

I really like Orwo film but it’s limited availability really is a hassle.

 

[Donald Qualls]

I really like Orwo film but it’s limited availability really is a hassle.

Yeah, sad to say, even with the "film resurgence" going on, there's probably going to be a lot of this in the future because so much of the cine industry has gone digital -- and that's been where the bread and butter for film manufacturing was for the entire 20th century. Sure, some directors insist on shooting film -- but that's a few well known names, and you have to be well known to get the producers to foot the bill for film and processing vs. digital. And every year, there are fewer and fewer people in "film" who even know how to handle film.

I hope companies like ORWO, (new) Ferrania, Adox, Foma, and Shanghai can keep at least B&W film running sustainably and profitably. Oil paints and canvas survived the invention of photography -- there's no good reason film can't survive the onslaught of digital. We just have to be something electrons aren't.

 

[cmacd123]

ORWO/filmotec is dedicated to selling film for Motion picture use. the "smallest"package you will find though them is30.5Meter/100ft rolls. I get the underlying impression that they may be contractually limited for overtly selling film for still camera use. The 100ft rolls I have purchased come on a 2 inch core so they don't fit all bulk loaders, and they have KeyKode edge markings rather than frame numbers.

they have a network of distributors. see http://www.filmotec.de/?page_id=353&lang=en
so your first contact is to the distributor who serves your Geographic area. Remember that a Motion Picture user is likely to buy by 400ft rolls, so a single roll of 100ft is more of a nuisance than a business deal. Mr. Cambell, who deals with North America posts pictures when the US archives buys a couple of Skids full of lab film.

I have talked to mr Hollcome in the UK on totally unrelated matters, and have the impression that he is knowledgeable in all aspects of Photography.

also: they are phasing in the new N75 film, with an AHU feature, and so some distributors may be low on stock, and perhaps reserving what they have for their Motion Picture customers who need a few extra rolls of the N74 so the film will cut together smoothly. I have shot but not yet developed some of the N75. Not sure of there is also an update coming for the UN54.

 

[AgX]

Okay, so same way orwona.com sells -- except the North America branch actually does have a web store.

Orwo North America (Orwona) is not a branch of Filmote (Orwo), but just a retailer.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

For all interested, I have just received response from FIlmotec. Getting film direct is apparently no problem and I have the current price list. N74+ is no longer available in 35mm.

UN54 30.5 m = 41,77 EUR / 122 m = 151.89 EUR (for price hike comparison, UN54 30.5 m roll sold at end of 2013 for 32,84 EUR, so since then a change of some 25%)

N75 30.5 m = 58.58 EUR / 122 m = 213.02 EUR.

Prices are NET, so that means German 19% VAT on top of above, not sure if applies to shipments out of EU. I can ask when I get to order some what the deal is. It appears they will ship to anywhere, as shipping is in addition to all above, and depends on destination.

The N75 is factory rated at ASA 320 (N74+ was rated ASA 400)

The UN54 is factory rated at ASA 100.

 

[AgX]

N74+ is no longer available in 35mm.

N74+ was succeeded by N75 in silence this year.

 

[Deleted member 88956]

N74+ was succeeded by N75 in silence this year.

Yes, it was, they still have it in 16mm until stock expires and N75 will remain as sole option in higher ASA.

Have ordered UN54 and N75 to get something at home. 122m rolls give about 10% discount and I think they will bring in at least a couple extra 36exp rolls on top of that. But I've only gone for 30.5 m for now.

 

[alter ego 6x9]

Yes I have, will see in a day ro two. As I said in my earlier, when I did this a few years back they would sell direct to private customers. SO if nothing changed, it will remain an option. I'll post here once I hear back from their sales manager.

I bought from Filmotec this year three times. They were very swift - always reponding the same or next day...

 

[Deleted member 88956]

I bought from Filmotec this year three times. They were very swift - always reponding the same or next day...

So far so good, invoice came in in a couple of hours, will see when I get it at home.