Power Geek 200 C41 film from Poundland

tezzasmall · Jan 9, 2019

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

And looking at your pictures Rick, presuming they are as close on screen as to in the hand, the film gives a well saturated and sharp set of colourful prints.

Shame it's not a 24 or 36 exposure film, as some of us might then have been tempted to buy a roll or two. I think it goes to show that those at the top that make these decisions, didn't think to speak to a photographer or two first. :/

Terry S

chuff · Jan 9, 2019

Its a money thing Terry - profits in some respect before quality or support. Looking at the film in more detail, Im not of the opinion that its a Agfa stock film. It lends itself more to a Kodak based stock. Still, colours work well and the grain is quite nice too

MattKing · Jan 9, 2019

Peltigera said:
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?

The process designations are there as much for the labs as they are for the photographer. It makes sense to have both Fuji and Kodak (and Agfa?) designations on any private label film.

Peltigera · Jan 9, 2019

MattKing said:
The process designations are there as much for the labs as they are for the photographer. It makes sense to have both Fuji and Kodak (and Agfa?) designations on any private label film.

Exactly.

foc · Jan 9, 2019

MattKing said:
The process designations are there as much for the labs as they are for the photographer. It makes sense to have both Fuji and Kodak (and Agfa?) designations on any private label film.

Yes, a lab has to know what process each film is so mistakes don't happen. Now a day we don't have as many commercial processes, the most common being C41,ECN2, E6 and B&W .

IIRC when I worked in a wholesale lab in the late 1970's and early 1980's there were a lot more. For example in colour negative film, there was C41, CNS, C22, in colour transparency film there was E4, E6, AP41,K14, and in B&W transparency AP41.

So you can see how important it was to have the process designation on the pack and the label. The simple rule of thumb was XXX Color was colour negative, XXX Chrome was transparency and XXX pan was B&W ( Kodak Veriochrome pan was just B&W ).

Since Kodak introduced the C41, E6 and many other processes , the branded name is often synonymous with the process designation.

Agulliver · Jan 16, 2019

Since we don't know who's supplying this to Poundland, we don't know if Poundland had any say in the number of exposures. After all, on the face of it...the costs of spooling 24 exposures into one of those plastic canisters isn't appreciably more than spooling 10.

railwayman3 · Jan 16, 2019

10 exposures seems a very odd choice. I doubt whether many "non-enthusiasts" will buy this film casually, whereas "serious" users would be much more likely to buy 24 or 36 films......they certainly seemed to have a ready market among enthusiasts for their Agfa Vista and Kodak 200 films.

Agulliver · Feb 28, 2019

Shot my roll partly at home during the snow last month and partly last week on the island of Malta. Got the scans back yesterday from Photo Hippo and the negs today. It's Fuji, without any doubt as "FUJI" appears on the edge markings.
Nothing wrong with the performance of the film at all. Camera used is an Agfa Super Silette (early version circa 1955)

BMbikerider · Feb 28, 2019

We too have a 'Poundland' chain in UK and they were selling Agfa 200 C41 in 24 Exp cassettes at £1 per roll but it has not been available for at least a year. One day it was on sale, the next it had all been withdrawn and has not been replaced. Yes it was respooled Fuji film indicated by the serial numbers on the cassette lips which are the same as the Fuji parent 200 ISO film. All 35mm film cassettes have these numbers printed in the same place which differ from film to film. If say a film which has similar characteristics as say FP4+ and the different cassette code numbers will determine if the films are identical or otherwise. To further emphasise this the FUJI Superia 200iso number was different from the current FUJI 200iso, the cheaper version

Agulliver · Feb 28, 2019

It's well known that Poundland had "AgfaPhoto Vista Plus 200" until late 2016, possibly into 2017. Fuji then ceased off-label sales of it's films so that and the "CT Precisa" slide film disappeared. Poundland, understandably, were unable to source anything near that price.
Not all 35mm cassettes have those numbers. The "Power Geek" film has no serial numbers at all. But The appearance of "CN-16" on the box and cassette suggested Fuji to me. I was prepared to call it yesterday when I got my download link to the scans but today the negs proved it. Power Geek film is Fuji 200.

AgX · Feb 28, 2019

Agulliver said:
It's well known that Poundland had "AgfaPhoto Vista Plus 200" until late 2016, possibly into 2017. Fuji then ceased off-label sales of it's films, so that and the "CT Precisa" slide film disappeared.

Here at the major drugstore chains supply for both types ended only last fall. Still stock on the shelves.

Agulliver · Mar 1, 2019

AgX said:
Here at the major drugstore chains supply for both types ended only last fall. Still stock on the shelves.

I would imagine sales were slower. Poundland used to sell serious amounts of APV+200. The larger stores would stock about 50 at a time and they'd go over the course of a few days, to be replaced. At least that was my experience. The product actually ceased to be available in 2017 I think. The last batches had late 2019 expiry dates. I used my last just over a year ago. There is still some on Amazon at crazy prices, the actual Fuji stock is cheaper.

AgX · Mar 1, 2019

There was even restocking of AgfaPhoto Precisa in summer/fall of last year.

Power Geek 200 C41 film from Poundland

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