Resurrection of some former Agfa products

[acroell]

Fotoimpex in Berlin has announced that they plan to reintroduce AGFA MCC and MCP (under slightly different names, probably Adox), as well as APX 100 and 400 and maybe APX 25 in the next years under their name. Apparently they bought recipes and know-how and are working with former Agfa employees. For those who can read German, the announcement on their forum is here:
http://www.fotolaborforum.eu/index.php?showtopic=1772
Introduction for "Adox" MCC is now listed as April 2008, MCP August-November 2007.

An older thread on the topic on the Fotoimpex web site mentions that MCC will have - at least initially - a whiter base than the original Agfa MCC, as they do not have access to the original base, and custom manufacturing takes some time including ripening _before the emulsion is coated_. That thread is here:
http://www.fotolaborforum.eu/index.php?showtopic=1617

Since JandC will hopefully be operational again in September, one could hope that they would import all these products through their association with Fotoimpex.

And in one last thread on that site
http://www.fotolaborforum.eu/index.php?showtopic=1773
they are tentatively asking about interest in Portriga Rapid...

 

[aldevo]

Mirko Boddecker, one of FotoImpex's owners, posts under the name "FotoImpex" here. Rumors of this work began to surface a few months ago and Mirko confirmed that, yes, efforts were being made in these areas - but there was no guarantee of success.

I guess a more formal announcement on the FotoImpex site indicates they are getting closer. I'm now giving myself permission to "dare to hope" that the resurrected products will be made available. I used both the APX films and the MCC/MCP papers and would do so again.

Now if Robert Vonk of FotoHuis can get Foma to resurrect those wonderful Forte papers, I'm all set

 

[Nick Zentena]

What formats for the APX?

 

[acroell]

What formats for the APX?

Its not mentioned - its probably too early for that.

 

[ADOX Fotoimpex]

Agfa products

I started this thread in Germany because there were rumours circulating around and I wanted to clarify from my standpoint what was possible to clarify.

So I´m throwing in a short sum up in english here before people start using bablefish translations and the anti rumour thread goes the opposit way ;-)

People were speculating if new Agfa-like products will be made available by Agfa Gevaert through Maco or through ADOX made by former Agfa technicians in a partnership with ADOX in a micro factory.

I have no information about Maco´s plans so I can´t really comment on that.
All I do know is that Agfa Leverkusens way of emulsification was unique and APX recipes are made out for this unique way of making it. Thus it will be very, very hard to transfer them to another precipitation vessel using a different technology. As of my knowledge Gevaert cannot make APX films but they certainly can make other great films of all kinds if they decide to do so.

As far as our project is concerned we are in the posession of all necessary emulsion making equipment and have invested in a research project together with former Agfa engineers to recreate out of their knowledge the formulations and adapt them to our kettle size (40 Liters).

We already have newly coated lab samples of MCC which are excellent and are looking foreward to a small first test run of a few hundred sqm in July, making MCC and MCP.
These will then be given out to interested people out there to test (aplications welcome).

The film research project is sheduled to finish in November with completely re-made film samples from raw ingredients.
Depending on how this goes we would then shedule a first production for early to mid 2008 if Agfa´s leftover quantities are off the markets by then.

While most of this will be done either still in Agfas factory or in the facilities of the former Agfa engineers we will start building up our own facility as a parallel project.

We purchased a mid sized factory building near Berlin, located in a beautiful spa (pictures) but are still waiting for the building allowance to hopefully come in 2008 (don´t´even ask...) and until then nothing much can happen on this end.

Our main goal for this whole project is to save the products and to get the micro factory up to running stage. We are aware of the fact that actual products can only be made with the help of larger companies in an economical way for the mid term. But in case the worse happens and more big players close down we will be there ready to go from this day on.
This factory will be so small that it does not run the risk of high fixed costs running it into bankruptcy. We will start with research only and moove over to emulsification while buying contract coating capacities and confectioning from other sources (we also bought test coating equipment and confectioning equipment but it is not really intended for larger production runs and would need to be rebuild).

If we can´t make the products to meet consumers expectations in terms of price and quality we won´t put any out and use the building for trade only.

I can´t possibly answer questions about available formats, quantites and prices yet.

We are here to do business and to serve customers needs and thus we will do anything necessary to produce as many products as possible and to make as much turnover as possible.

If the market supports the making of APX-like sheetfilms in different speeds and sizes we´ll make it.

Best regards,

Mirko

 

[ooze]

Hi Mirko,

I would be more than happy to test the new MCC! It used to be my favorite paper.

I wish you great success.

Cheers,
omar

 

[Changeling1]

Good news but let's suggest they bring back APX 25 in both 35mm and 120. The result of APX 25 processed in HC110 (1 to 100) is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

 

[jstraw]

This is where I chime in to say that I don't care how much like a previous product a new product is, just that it's a good product. Anyone bringing new analog products to market has my best wishes.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

The return of something akin to APX 25 and 100 in any formats (of course I say the bigger the better) would be an outstanding development. Good luck, Mirko!

 

[Nick Zentena]

I'd love the 100 APX in 120. Any thing else is a bonus.

 

[Uncle Bill]

I am happy to see new film and paper product coming onto the market period. Out of curiousity what is MCC and MCP?

I am really curious to what the new film poducts are going to be like and hopefully they will be available in North America without too many hassles.

Bill

 

[Nick Zentena]

One is fibre the other is RC.

 

[gr82bart]

I too only wish Agfa the best bringing in new traditional film and paper products to the market.

Regards, Art (Someone please re-introduce Scala ...)

 

[acroell]

I am happy to see new film and paper product coming onto the market period. Out of curiousity what is MCC and MCP?

I am really curious to what the new film poducts are going to be like and hopefully they will be available in North America without too many hassles.

Bill

Acronyms for Agfa's multicontrast b/w papers:

MCC=Multicontrast Classic (fiber base paper)
MCP= Multicontrast Premium (RC paper)

 

[Jim Chinn]

...I guess a more formal announcement on the FotoImpex site indicates they are getting closer. I'm now giving myself permission to "dare to hope" that the resurrected products will be made available.

I'll second that with, I will dare to begin to dare to hope! I wish them good luck.

 

[Aurelien]

Mirko,

I would be glad to be one of those who will test new "agfa-adox" products.

Tell me if I can help

 

[loman]

Mirko
Where do we apply to test the paper?
Also I would love to see apx 100 and 400 in 18x24 sizes.
Best of luck to you
Mads

 

[mikeg]

I too would be very interested in testing the new paper.

Mike

 

[Jersey Vic]

This is wonderful unbelievable happy news.
I would love to test the new MCC against the 1/2 basement full (OK-more than a few boxes) of Agfa MCC I already have.

Thank You and Good Luck
Victor

 

[Scott Peters]

Great news. Just goes to show you with the right size plant/overhead and market demand analog can keep on ticking.......

 

[argus]

I wish you all the best.

Anyone trying to maintain and market traditional photographic materials, papers and chemistry needs our support.

I had the chance to try some old MCC 111 but unfortunately the paper base was fogged so I can't comment on the quality of the paper. From what I heard lately, a lot of people were in love with the paper.

G

 

[mds721]

Hi

Hope it comes back I been stocking up on the APX 100 film.

Please let me know how I can test the new paper & film.

I been using Agfa Papers and film since the late 1960's.( Portriga Rapid and Brovira Grade 6 ) I have a few 100 feet of Agfa Superpan and ISS Pan in my freezer dated 1979. Over the years didn't have the heart to throw it out. Recently I defrosted one roll of ISS Pan and shot a roll. Perfect, no fog perfect negatives, developed in HC-110. Back into the freezer for future use.
I had outdated Tmax and Tri X a few years past date and dumped it fogged. Actually used it for developing tank practice film in my photo classes.
Now to try that 4x5 KODAK Super Panchro Press Type B film that has been sitting in the freezer for about a 1/3 of a century.

 

[Kino]

Ohhhh pinch me!

Great! Wonderful! The best of luck! I look forward to using your products!

 

[rusty71]

I would be very interested to test a batch of the new MCC using split selenium toner. Best of all, I could give a quantity of MCP to my photo students to test as a general purpose paper.

Since the demise of Forte Poly Warmtone I'm looking hard for a paper which split tones well in the mid-tones. Ilford warmtone is a great paper but just does not split tone well.

 

[sienarot]

Wow, this is excellent news!! I too would like to volunteer to try out some test materials!

I was just getting into film as AGFA was on their way out. I did manage to get a handful of APX 100 and 400 rolls from the bargain bin and I must say I really liked the 400 emulsion. It's a shame I hadn't gotten into medium format by the time it started to get really scarce.

Who said film is dead?