Shanghai GP3 120 film It's back?

John Wiegerink · Nov 22, 2017

I was just on eBay and noticed there is now Shanghai GP3 120 for sale again with an emulsion dates of 9/2019 and 10/2019. If it's like the old film (not the backing paper) it's darn good stuff. Truth is that unless it can do something Ilford FP4+ or Delta 100 can't I probably won't be using much of it like I did before. Why? Because its cost is about equal to Ilford and I'm very used to Ilford B&W films now. When I bought GP3 120 before it left the market it was darn cheap and darn good. Not so cheap anymore. Still. it's nice to have it back and nice to have another choice.
JohnW

pentaxuser · Nov 23, 2017

"It's an ill wind that blows nobody any good" as the saying goes. It may be a pity for consumers that GP3's price now matches Ilford but on the other hand it has to be good news for the "Western World" if not everything now made in China can blow all other comparable products out of the water on price. Mobberley and DT will be happy.

pentaxuser

Kevin Harding · Nov 23, 2017

It's back. And the backing paper print through doesn't seem to be an issue at the moment in the current batch.

Kevin Harding · Nov 23, 2017

You can also get it through Taobao for considerably cheaper than through eBay (~$2.25 per roll) or through a gentleman on the Large Format Photography forum who has a connection to the factory.

John Wiegerink · Nov 23, 2017

Kevin Harding said:
You can also get it through Taobao for considerably cheaper than through eBay (~$2.25 per roll) or through a gentleman on the Large Format Photography forum who has a connection to the factory.

That sounds more reasonable to me as far a pricing goes. These eBay sellers are probably trying to do what was done with coffee about 20 0r 25 years ago (maybe longer). Somehow there was a shortage of coffee beans (probably fueled by commodity investors) and then the big scare was created that people might not be able to get their fix every morning. Then, after a while of living Hell for addicted folks, coffee finally started becoming more plentiful. Of course the price that was set by the high demand just somehow stuck around. Hmmm, I really do have to figure out how to use that "Taobao" thing since $2.25 is right in my ball park for a really good film.

Cholentpot · Nov 24, 2017

Twice the price of what I used to pay. I can get Tmax or Ilford for the same dough. The draw of GP3 was the great price. I'm going to wait a bit and see if someone puts a brick of ten up for $25-30 like in the ye olde days.

Peter Schrager · Nov 24, 2017

Price is relative as per the quality of the pictures you can make..we already have several outstanding films in 100asa
Someone should post some examples
And I already have freestyle down the block!
Happy light!

macfred · Nov 24, 2017

Cholentpot said:
Twice the price of what I used to pay. I can get Tmax or Ilford for the same dough. The draw of GP3 was the great price ...

I agree !

mard0 · Nov 24, 2017

I ordered some yesterday from ebay. I paid roughly 4.50 euro per 5 and 4.00 euro per 10, including shipping. That's about the same that I would pay for some Foma film. And almost halve of what I would pay for Tmax or delta..

pentaxuser · Nov 24, 2017

I look forward to hearing about buyers' experiences with its return as a film in terms of exposure and processing.

pentaxuser

John Wiegerink · Nov 24, 2017

pentaxuser said:
I look forward to hearing about buyers' experiences with its return as a film in terms of exposure and processing.

pentaxuser

If the emulsion and manufacturing of the film base is the same as the old, it will then get very good reviews. I found it was one of the better 100 speed films in Rodinal, but worked very well in pyro-style developers also.
My developer of choice at the moment is Xtol-Replenished and would like to see how Shanghai GP3 does souped in that.

Alan Edward Klein · Nov 24, 2017

Here are photos on Flickr.
https://www.flickr.com/groups/shanghai_film/pool/

Ko.Fe. · Nov 24, 2017

The only reason I was buying it because it was cheap and it was reasonable for testing cameras after service. But every time I was trying to use it for photography I told myself - next time get normal film .
Maybe they made it as normal film this time.... At $6 per roll it has to be better than $5 (with free delivery and tax included) Arista 100 film from BH, which is three days delivery to the door and into my hands, comparing to by cheapest mail service from China, wait for month and get it from the mail box.

Alan Edward Klein · Nov 24, 2017

You can get Tmax 100 36 shot 35mm film or 120 MF from B and H for around $5.00

John Wiegerink · Nov 24, 2017

Ko.Fe. said:
The only reason I was buying it because it was cheap and it was reasonable for testing cameras after service. But every time I was trying to use it for photography I told myself - next time get normal film .
Maybe they made it as normal film this time.... At $6 per roll it has to be better than $5 (with free delivery and tax included) Arista 100 film from BH, which is three days delivery to the door and into my hands, comparing to by cheapest mail service from China, wait for month and get it from the mail box.

Early batches of GP3 120 had paper backing bleed through and molting, which made it only good for testing. The last batches just before it dried up were perfect and really alright for general 100 speed b&w work. I can't comment on this new stuff since I haven't used it yet, but I'd bet it's pretty darn good anyway.

Ko.Fe. · Nov 24, 2017

John Wiegerink said:
Early batches of GP3 120 had paper backing bleed through and molting, which made it only good for testing. The last batches just before it dried up were perfect and really alright for general 100 speed b&w work. I can't comment on this new stuff since I haven't used it yet, but I'd bet it's pretty darn good anyway.

Actually, I never have paper back on film problem with this film, while I was purchasing it few times over years it was available first time. It was just very thin, crappy made and finicky film to develop for me. No matter what I have tried, very thin negatives.

Kevin Harding · Nov 24, 2017

Peter Schrager said:
[...]
Someone should post some examples
[...]
Happy light!

I've only had a chance to shoot and process 1 roll of the 60 I purchased (Canadian winters mean the sun rises almost when it sets), and the scans I have a rudimentary at best at the moment, but here are some examples of the newest batch: https://adobe.ly/2hPJ5PW

I also never had any issues until I accidentally purchased a batch that had been rejected by the factory as failing QC (shipped without boxes, and triangular notches cut into the silver wrapper). This new batch seems flawless and exactly how I remember it from my last good batch.

pentaxuser · Nov 24, 2017

The key question here is: Is it the same film and paper as before, given that a deal of mystery seems to surround its apparent "disappearance" some time ago and its eventual re-appearance now?

pentaxuser

Kevin Harding · Nov 24, 2017

pentaxuser said:
The key question here is: Is it the same film and paper as before, given that a deal of mystery seems to surround its apparent "disappearance" some time ago and its eventual re-appearance now?

To quote myself:

Kevin Harding said:
This new batch seems flawless and exactly how I remember it from my last good batch.

The wrapping paper is the same as the last batch that was successful.

There's no real mystery to its disappearance; the factory moved locations and it took them some time to re-tool and start selling again.

Cholentpot · Nov 24, 2017

macfred said:
I agree !

I believe the price will drop soon. This is coming from China. They'll make and after hours run and some entrepreneur will post bricks at half the price that it's going now. I'm sure this stuff is cheap in China, we're now seeing sellers associated with the manufactures so of course the price is high. Hopefully by the time summer rolls around the price will be back down to what it used to be and I can buy a brick of 10 or two.

Or so I hope...

Kevin Harding · Nov 24, 2017

You can buy it for much cheaper than eBay right now via Taobao or a gentleman on the Large Format Photography Forum.

Peter Schrager · Nov 24, 2017

Kevin Harding said:
I've only had a chance to shoot and process 1 roll of the 60 I purchased (Canadian winters mean the sun rises almost when it sets), and the scans I have a rudimentary at best at the moment, but here are some examples of the newest batch: https://adobe.ly/2hPJ5PW

I also never had any issues until I accidentally purchased a batch that had been rejected by the factory as failing QC (shipped without boxes, and triangular notches cut into the silver wrapper). This new batch seems flawless and exactly how I remember it from my last good batch.

Thank you kevin!! It looks really nice..lets keep those factories humming!

trendland · Nov 25, 2017

Ko.Fe. said:
The only reason I was buying it because it was cheap and it was reasonable for testing cameras after service. But every time I was trying to use it for photography I told myself - next time get normal film .
Maybe they made it as normal film this time.... At $6 per roll it has to be better than $5 (with free delivery and tax included) Arista 100 film from BH, which is three days delivery to the door and into my hands, comparing to by cheapest mail service from China, wait for month and get it from the mail box.

I love every new stuff in bw but it has to be real new. The period of old Agfa films in new packaging seams to come to its final end.
The chineese probably know this - soon they increased pricing.
But in gerneral it is an issue of market rules - the more films , the more manufacturers the better to us.
Some may say : The demand from film is much to smal to many of different manufacturers.
I have to state : " Let's wait and we will see if it is true "

with regards

trendland · Nov 25, 2017

Cholentpot said:
I believe the price will drop soon. This is coming from China. They'll make and after hours run and some entrepreneur will post bricks at half the price that it's going now. I'm sure this stuff is cheap in China, we're now seeing sellers associated with the manufactures so of course the price is high. Hopefully by the time summer rolls around the price will be back down to what it used to be and I can buy a brick of 10 or two.

Or so I hope...

My hope to smaller cheap pricing is not as great that yours.
But in general (because of additional alternates) this will help Ilford to increase their pricing not so much in the future.
The all the time statements : The production of film is much more expensive today because of much smaller volume is nonsence.
Because the most issue on higher pricing
with films are the profits of film dealers (sometimes) So we can see a very nice example with Shanghai films now.
Of course the smaller volume makes films not cheaper.But some pricing increases + 400%, + 350%, + 600% so the manfacturers get the smalest part of that money.
A monopol structure we notice with Fuji E6 for example is poison to all.
Welcome Shanghai films !
You are right - we can get it cheaper in future.But don't be to much optimistic for final pricing.

with regards

trendland · Nov 25, 2017

Alan Edward Klein said:
You can get Tmax 100 36 shot 35mm film or 120 MF from B and H for around $5.00

That's right.My worry isn't to pay $ 5,- to
Tmax 100 in 135-36 or in 120. I am not afraid of.
But I am still afraid of seing pricing on 6,99 in a year - 8,25 half a year later - 9,95 in two years - after this 13,95 (a simple roll).
If this would happen it would indicate :
Kodak discontinue Tmax in all formats.
From the day Kodak will state this - you will soon see clever Ebay sellers offering a roll Tmax100 at $ 17,95 !
THE LAST ROLLS OF TMAX.
Beware to come to this in future..
Because Tmax is strikingly cheap these days. And the issues to backing paper in 120 are real mysterious.
A little to much mysterious to me!
with regards

Shanghai GP3 120 film It's back?

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