Power Geek 200 C41 film from Poundland

Agulliver · Dec 27, 2018

One unexpected Christmas present I received this year was a roll of "Power Geek" film. It's a 10 exposure 200ISO C41 colour negative film from Poundland - one of the "special" products and costs £2 a roll. That would be great value if it were 24 exposures....

It's in a strange plastic cassette I've not seen before. As far as I know only Fuji and Kodak are making 200ISO C41 film these days so I am assuming it's one of those. With the white/clear canister and the mention of "CN16" I am leaning towards Fuji. I'll know when I shoot and have it developed. Does anyone know if the cassette is reusable?

I find it curious and interesting from a marketing point of view...the choice of the "Power Geek" brand which appears to be a Poundland brand. It is otherwise used for power banks and wireless phone chargers.

Has anyone else seen or tried this? My thought would be that with 10 exposures it's a gimmick unless you're developing your own C41 films. If they sold it as 24 or 36 exposures, it would be a real bargain.

Agulliver · Dec 27, 2018

I meant to include some photos. Here's the box, canister and cassette.

bsdunek · Dec 27, 2018

Interesting! Trying to find something on it, it looks like it's Agfa color negative film - maybe re-spooled. Like you say, the price isn't great.

AgX · Dec 27, 2018

Type 135-10 ... so far I thought only Agfa once made such. Interesting to learn some house branded (likely Fuji) film comes in this conversion too.

Agulliver · Dec 27, 2018

The plastic cassette isn't like anything I've seen come from an Agfa, Fuji or Kodak factory. So I am wondering if this has been spooled by a smaller company? The reason why I suspect Fuji is the mention of "CN16" on the box which is Fuji's chemistry for C41 unless I am mistaken it usually only appears on Fuji products?

With a use before of 08/20 it should be fresh which means Kodak or Fuji. Interesting product and I'm quite happy to see Poundland selling film again. I might write to them asking if a 24 or 36 exposure version is possible...after all decent C41 film at £2 or so a pop is great.

AgX · Dec 27, 2018

Do you know of more type 135-10 conversions ??

As said this is the second one I learn of. Though I still have to go through very old listings.

(But at 2Pounds a roll I rather buy the current drugstore 135-36 Kodak at 2.65€.)

Ste_S · Dec 27, 2018

Bound to be the dregs of Agfa Vista re-spooled ?

Truzi · Dec 27, 2018

The cartridge reminds me of something I saw on the web a few years back, I think it was some film from China.

Wallendo · Dec 27, 2018

I know 12 exposure rolls were common in the past - I once accidentally bought a roll of 12 exposure FujiColor. 10 exposures seems short. Although short rolls have their advantages, not many labs have special pricing for 12 exposure rolls anymore, so commercial development could be pricey on a cost per shot basis.

ludwighagelstein · Dec 27, 2018

I think this is a hipster trap and most likely contains respooled Kodak Gold 200 (GB-8) or Fujicolor 200. At an average pricepoint of 3 bucks per 36 exp. rolls for these films you would make a nice profit if you made 3 2 pound films out of 1 3€ film. Only the edge markings will tell if its a Fuji or Kodak film. Judging by the date it can´t be an AGFA film. CN16 suggests Fuji, but if its a chinese hipster trap cashgrab who knows if they know what CN16 stands for compared to C41.

Anon Ymous · Dec 27, 2018

Truzi said:
The cartridge reminds me of something I saw on the web a few years back, I think it was some film from China.

It looks exactly the same as these cassettes, but with a label applied.

Agulliver · Dec 28, 2018

@Anon Ymous yes the cassettes look exactly like those in your link.

foc · Dec 28, 2018

I have seen those cassettes used in reloaded single use cameras.The film usually had yellow tape splices on the roll, often in 2 or 3 places. (they caused awful problems in our Fuji film processor, so much so that we now always reload the film into a dark cassette for processing).
IIRC the negs had the Fuji green and red edge markings and the splice appears about every 10 to 12 frames.
I would guess it's the film (Fuji) from the same people that reloaded the single use cameras, just now they supply short ends in the cassette only, repackaged.

MattKing · Dec 28, 2018

It used to be possible to purchase in quantity short rolls of 35mm Kodacolor film - 8, 10 or 12 frames I think. They were marketed toward the realtor and property appraisal market.
This could have similar origins.

John51 · Dec 29, 2018

In the UK, 7dayshop currently have some good deals on film. Have just ordered, via ebay, 10 rolls of Kodak ColorPlus 36exp for £25 delivered.

Agulliver · Dec 29, 2018

That deal from 7dayshop sounds about the best around in the UK. I've paid £2.59 for Color Plus in the past. I know my local brick/mortar camera shop has it for £4 a pop which isn't too bad considering it's a physical shop. As for Gold 200 at $3 a go....maybe in the USA but here they're more like £7-8 per 36 exposure film.

AgX · Dec 29, 2018

Strange, see my post above about drugstore prices here.

Peltigera · Jan 8, 2019

10 frames is ideal. I use a lot of film to test my 'new' old cameras and I really do not want 36 exposures.

The CN16 means nothing other than they have put "CN16" on the packaging. The packaging is not printed by the makers of the bulk film, whoever that is.

foc · Jan 8, 2019

Peltigera said:
The CN16 means nothing other than they have put "CN16" on the packaging

The designation CN16 is Fujifilm's code for the film developing process called C41 by Kodak. Agfa used AP70 and Konica CNK4.
So I think it does have a meaning besides just being printed on the box by whoever. The fact that the chosen code displayed on the box or label was a Fuji one strongly suggests that the film's origins are from that manufacturer.

Agulliver · Jan 9, 2019

I feel the same, CN16 might well be an indicator that the film inside is of Fuji origin as it specifically is their "code" for the process otherwise known as C41.

I probably won't be shooting this film until mid/late February but will definitely update this thread when I have shot it and got my negatives back.

Peltigera · Jan 9, 2019

foc said:
The designation CN16 is Fujifilm's code for the film developing process called C41 by Kodak. Agfa used AP70 and Konica CNK4.
So I think it does have a meaning besides just being printed on the box by whoever. The fact that the chosen code displayed on the box or label was a Fuji one strongly suggests that the film's origins are from that manufacturer.

So, presumably, using Kodak's designation "C41" indicates that the film was made by Kodak? So this film was made by both Fuji and Kodak? Or did the packaging designer just use the two most common developer designations?

chuff · Jan 9, 2019

Agulliver said:
One unexpected Christmas present I received this year was a roll of "Power Geek" film. It's a 10 exposure 200ISO C41 colour negative film from Poundland - one of the "special" products and costs £2 a roll. That would be great value if it were 24 exposures....

It's in a strange plastic cassette I've not seen before. As far as I know only Fuji and Kodak are making 200ISO C41 film these days so I am assuming it's one of those. With the white/clear canister and the mention of "CN16" I am leaning towards Fuji. I'll know when I shoot and have it developed. Does anyone know if the cassette is reusable?

I find it curious and interesting from a marketing point of view...the choice of the "Power Geek" brand which appears to be a Poundland brand. It is otherwise used for power banks and wireless phone chargers.

Has anyone else seen or tried this? My thought would be that with 10 exposures it's a gimmick unless you're developing your own C41 films. If they sold it as 24 or 36 exposures, it would be a real bargain.

chuff · Jan 9, 2019

Yep. Ive tested it on both my M6 and a Trip - http://www.rickdavy.co.uk/blog/the-power-geek-35mm-film

tezzasmall · Jan 9, 2019

Agulliver said:
"Power Geek" film. It's a 10 exposure 200ISO C41 colour negative film from Poundland - one of the "special" products and costs £2 a roll.

I find it curious and interesting from a marketing point of view...the choice of the "Power Geek" brand which appears to be a Poundland brand. It is otherwise used for power banks and wireless phone chargers.

I spotted at the back of my local Poundstore this week, the said 10 exposure film = in between the wall of DVD's and computer and mobile phone bits and bobs. I had a look but it's not for me.

BUT, under the same branding, I did buy one of their own branded stand-alone 2200 mAh pocket-able 'power banks'. I've seen these advertised all over the place under various brand names, on the web and in magazines and I've considered them a good idea but thought them too expensive for what they are = with the price being around the twenty pound mark (+ postage); for remember they are just a set of batteries in a case basically. But at my Pound store they are available in various bright and day-glo colours and available for just THREE pounds = it's a bargain in my eyes! It will be much used by myself, as I always seem to end up with a phone battery in need of charging when I'm out and about! = I've just got to remember to take it with me all the time though.

So, does it work? Definitely! Connecting it up to my mobile, it charges much quicker than when plugged in, with the power-pack left with more charge in it, going by the red lights on it.

Be careful though... my partner bought one after seeing mine somewhere else for ONE POUND. I thought maybe it was a price reduction in the sales and felt a bit miffed = for just a couple of seconds, before we realised that it was only a 1100 mAh one and it struggled to charge an already half charged mobile. So, you get what you pay for it seems.

Terry S

chuff · Jan 9, 2019

Given the fact that the film is cased in a plastic sleeve/roll, my thoughts are that POUNDLAND bought the stock which was destined for the disposible camera market. Generally speaking the film for that market is housed in plastic. Poundland has clearly re badged and over priced it in my mind. No doubt the success of sales on the Agfa Vista 200 had a bearing on that

Power Geek 200 C41 film from Poundland

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