rollei's replacement film for APX, anyone used it yet?

Quinten · Nov 1, 2005

In a german magazine I read Rollei made some new medium format films based on the APX emulsion. An iso100 and an iso 400. I remember a link on this site with some info but can't find it anymore, it's not on rollei's site neither, the german magazine was rather serious though.

So I wonder is this the same as Agfa's APX and has anyone used it yet?

cheers!
Quinten

Fotohuis · Nov 1, 2005

Rollei test kit 35mm is available now this week:
Content: 1X Rollei IR-400; 2X R3; 1X Retro100; 1X Retro 400; 1X PAN25; 1X RHS developer 250ml; 1X RLS developer 250ml; all films in Rollei wooden box.
Introduction price Eur. 39,00

All international extra transport costs within Europe (EU-countries) will be of our costs. Post and packaging, also Eur. 5,50.

Our English pages will be updated within two weeks so that all international APUG members can understand our product program.
Excuses for our delay in (English) website update.

Best regards,

Robert

http://www.FotohuisRoVo.nl
*NIEUWS*

Ole · Nov 1, 2005

Thanks Robert!

I know the Maco/Rollei IR 400 film is good, so it looks promising for the rest.

Fotohuis · Nov 1, 2005

We will be flexible in the developers: RHS or RLS can be swapped for 1X 125 ml or resp. 2X 125 ml Agfa Rodinal
For us it's about the same price. Total weight will be approx. the same.
Retro 100 and 400 are perfectly matching with Rodinal 1+50.

Robert

david b · Nov 1, 2005

Can I get one of this kits now and have it sent to the US?

Quinten · Nov 1, 2005

Hi Robert, do you have some 0,5liter rodinal bottles left? And where is your store situated?

I'll be looking forward to those retro 100 films!

Thanks,
Quinten

EmilGil · Nov 1, 2005

Checking the datasheets made me pretty sure it's the same film. Dead Link Removed (in the middle, page 2) and Agfa (page 9)

Good news, just got to find a supplier (which might be easier said than done here in Sweden, where the biggest chain have removed half of their B&W material from the shelves in 12 months...)

Claude · Nov 1, 2005

Hello Robert,
when will these test kits be available for 120 format ?
Friendly
Claude

Alicouscous · Nov 1, 2005

Maybe available in France, see the MX2 website

Fotohuis · Nov 1, 2005

@ Alicouscous: 120 rolfilm format for IR-400 and Retro400 will be available next month.
@ Claude: That means our testkit for 120 rolfilm will be also then available.
@ EmilGil: Retro100/400 is APX100/400 compatible
@Quinten: yes, 500ml, Eur. 9,00 , 2nd. bottle 10% discount.
We are selling on the internet.
@David: contact your Maco dealer. If you would like to pay the expensive transfer costs to the USA, we could arrange something by wire transfer.

info@fotohuisrovo.nl

best regards,

Robert

Alicouscous · Nov 1, 2005

Do you think Rollei will propose a film for B/W slides ( like Scala ) ??
When I compare spektral curves from Rollei Retro 100 and Scala, it looks the same emulsion ...........?

EmilGil · Nov 2, 2005

The question is, should one go for the Retro 100 as an APX100-clone/replacement or do as david b says: "Support Ilford!" and maybe go for FP4/HP5 instead.

I'd hate to see Ilford go as well, but I've never tried their films and testing out a couple of new films takes quite a while...

Fotohuis · Nov 2, 2005

Ilford is a 100% quality company, in the past already expensive and till now even more expensive. They have big problems in their logistics now.
Hopefully they can solve their problems soon, before it's too late and they are loosing too much customers worldwide.

Rollei R3 can be used as B&W slide film, due to the strong emulsion and polyester clear layer. A real B&W (and cinefilm) is the Fomapan R100, but for photographic purposes available in 35mm only. We have it on stock, together with the reversal developer kit from Foma (Cz).

Both R3/Scala and Fomapan R100 can be at home developed in this R100 reversal kit.

best regards,

Robert

Info how to do: http://www.schwarzweiss-magazin.de/swmag_frame_leser.htm) Kehrt Um !! Made by RJR, also a (German) member of APUG. Thanks for this nice piece of publication Roman J. Rohleder! Vielen Dank!

fred · Nov 2, 2005

About Ilford, don't take your wishes for reality Robert!
Here in Belgium there is no problem to have all the Ilford papers and films.
In fact, we don't need a market that is divided in too many little players. That will be a danger for the quality.
And off course we have to make for ourselfs the stock of paper and developper that we need for our activity.

Fred

Alicouscous · Nov 2, 2005

In fact, we don't need a market that is divided in too many little players. That will be a danger for the quality.

But if you have a market with only one big player, it's a danger for the PRICE !
Did you see you must pay 20 % more for a Ilford film if you compare the price one year before ?

fred · Nov 2, 2005

Alicouscous said:
But if you have a market with only one big player, it's a danger for the PRICE !
Did you see you must pay 20 % more for a Ilford film if you compare the price one year before ?

If quality and availability is garanteed for the next 20 years, I will sign immediately...

Fred

jandc · Nov 2, 2005

fred said:
If quality and availability is garanteed for the next 20 years, I will sign immediately...

Fred

Let's just assume you're down to one player because everyone decided to throw all their eggs in a single basket.

What do you do if natural disaster, mis-management or any number of other factors, not related to sales, force the closure of that one company?

Agfa's demise was more related to mismanagement than to poor sales, lack of availability or poor quality.

Not that this discussion has any real basis in reality as people want choice and will buy from more than one source because they want choice.

cvik · Nov 2, 2005

Alicouscous said:
Do you think Rollei will propose a film for B/W slides ( like Scala ) ?? When I compare spektral curves from Rollei Retro 100 and Scala, it looks the same emulsion ...........?

I believe APX 100 and Scala has the same emulsion and that the difference was the base and development. It is common to underexpose a stop (rate the film + 1 EV) when using a reversal developer. This would explain the different film speeds.

So, hopefully, Retro 100 has a clear base and is the same emulsion as APX 100.

Alicouscous · Nov 2, 2005

Only one question : Rollei is not a Film's manufacturer, so who builds this new films ??

Fotohuis · Nov 3, 2005

Maco in Stapelfeld. Gevaert (Belgium) is involved (I.R.), Retina Berlin, Forte (Hungary) for the rolfilm assembly, Amaloco (NL) and CG for their chemicals.

Retro 100 = APX 100.

We have the Rollei 35mm testkits available now. 1X IR-400; 2XR3 ; 1XRetro 100; 1X Retro 400; 1X PAN25; 250ml RHS and 250 ml RLS developers in a Rollei wooden box. All packaging and int. logistics within EU countries Eur. 5,50. Rollei 35mm testkit Eur. 39,00

120 rolfilm Rollei testkit will be available next month.

Best regards,

Robert

http://www.FotohuisRoVo.nl
see NL website: *NIEUWS*

Alicouscous · Nov 23, 2005

So, hopefully, Retro 100 has a clear base and is the same emulsion as APX 100.

tested today, the base is not clear :-((((((

sanderx1 · Jan 2, 2006

Fotohuis said:
Retro 100 = APX 100.

We have the Rollei 35mm testkits available now. 1X IR-400; 2XR3 ; 1XRetro 100; 1X Retro 400; 1X PAN25; 250ml RHS and 250 ml RLS developers in a Rollei wooden box. All packaging and int. logistics within EU countries Eur. 5,50. Rollei 35mm testkit Eur. 39,00

120 rolfilm Rollei testkit will be available next month.

Any news of the continued availability of Retro 100/400? And I don't mean "while stocks last" type of availability - just too many heartbreaks that way...

GeorgK · Jan 2, 2006

It has been written several times, but, as usual for the web, burried under a lot of sh*t, so one more time:
Rollei/Maco bought the remaining APX100/400 stuff (mainly uncutted master rolls, I guess) from Agfa and had it cut and spooled by a 3rd party manufacturer (Forte in hungary?)
The emulsions and base should be absolutely identical with the original stuff (BTW, it is original stuff), but there is no guarantee for transport, handling, storage, quality control, etc.
The quantity is limited, because APX is not produced any more (and there is not hope) and so it is strictly "as long as stocks last".
So there are only two useful strategies: If you cannot live without APX, by as much of this films today and freeze it for the next ten years. But if you already have decided to switch, switch today.

Regards
Georg

sanderx1 · Jan 2, 2006

Thanx - as I've swithed (well mostly anyways) I'll just keep it that way, then. Are the other Rollei/Maco films similar "last master out" films or will they endure?

GeorgK · Jan 2, 2006

Maco does not produce film, but over the last years they shifted their business from simply re-packaging of cheap eastern film (mainly Efke) to ordering special versions of films from existing production lines to fill market niches. In this regard, the Retros are an exception.

The other three films should be in actual production, and should be available as long as Maco and/or the manufacturers survive (and if people want them). The following is some information I extracted from the web, please feel free to correct any errors:
Pan25 is produced from Agfa (not the bancrupt Agfa-Photo!) in Mortsel/Belgium, and to me it looks a little bit like a modified (expanded sensitivity?) document film. IR-400 seems to be especially made for Maco. R3 is a slightly modified surveillance film (back coating, price multiplication), originally intended for radar speed checks and other surveillance purposes, produced by a relatively small german manufacturer.

BTW, theoretically you could buy 30,5m rolls of PET400c, which has VERY,VERY similiar specifications to Cube400c (the R3-predecessor) for half the price of Cube400c - but not as a private customer, only if you own a bank or run a security firm. You see, Maco ist mainly a trading company.

Regards
Georg

rollei's replacement film for APX, anyone used it yet?

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