Svema Color 125 @ FPP

[kb3lms]

Lately I have been checking in on the http://filmphotographyproject.com website. I don't know if they participate here or not. Their store has better prices than Amazon these days and tolerable shipping costs. Anyhow, way down the list of 35mm film in their store is this C-41 gem:

Dead Link Removed

Now in their forum pages they say this is current film, not old frozen stock, but seem reluctant to give much more information. Has anyone tried it? Know anything about it? Printed with it or scanned it?

I have purchased 3 rolls out of nosiness but have not yet used it.

 

[AgX]

That is no C-41 film.

 

[kb3lms]

That is no C-41 film.

Well, their web page says it is. I plan to use a roll next week and then we shall find out. FWIW the unexposed film looks much like any other C-41 film.

Or, could it be a non C-41 color film that just happens to work to some extent in a C-41 process, like ECN-2 films do?

Personally I thought Svema was long gone but, maybe it isn't? They also list a Tasma film at FPP although it is b/w, not color.

 

[AgX]

Yes, that is on their website. And they also say that it is fresh film.

So, now it is on you to decide whom to believe.

 

[Xmas]

Well, their web page says it is. I plan to use a roll next week and then we shall find out. FWIW the unexposed film looks much like any other C-41 film.

Or, could it be a non C-41 color film that just happens to work to some extent in a C-41 process, like ECN-2 films do?

Personally I thought Svema was long gone but, maybe it isn't? They also list a Tasma film at FPP although it is b/w, not color.

You can still get ok colour but earlier colour negative won't necessarily tolerate the high temperature c 41process without a prehardened.

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

Lately I have been checking in on the http://filmphotographyproject.com website. I don't know if they participate here or not. Their store has better prices than Amazon these days and tolerable shipping costs. Anyhow, way down the list of 35mm film in their store is this C-41 gem:

Dead Link Removed

Now in their forum pages they say this is current film, not old frozen stock, but seem reluctant to give much more information. Has anyone tried it? Know anything about it? Printed with it or scanned it?

I have purchased 3 rolls out of nosiness but have not yet used it.

Contact Michael Raso or any of the FPP people if you are unsure how to develop that film.
Or you could go to their forum: http://filmphotographyproject.com/forum

 

[pentaxuser]

Yes, that is on their website. And they also say that it is fresh film.

So, now it is on you to decide whom to believe.

Yes the problem with some sites including e-bay is that sellers have taken to use the word "fresh" when they simply mean "unused and not opened". In other words my film is fresh because it is the same film that came off the production line, all those years ago. Well, yes it looks the same on the outside but depending on age it is not the same film that came off the production line.

Nowadays nearly everyone says "new" about paper, adding unopened which helps made the "new" description more authentic, apparently. If paper is 20 years old then it is never new by any definition even if has been unopened or even stored correctly

pentaxuser

 

[gone]

That dog shot is to die for. I love the look. Please DO get back w/ your results! You may be onto something there. If it were me, since it's not a lot of money, I'd shoot a test roll ASAP and get it developed in C-41 somewhere (unless you normally do C-41 yourself) and see how it looks. I'm a real doubting Thomas about stuff on the web, and always try things out myself to see what's really going on. My gut feeling is that it may not really be a C41 film, but w/ a look like that, it don't matter, do it?

 

[pentaxuser]

The dog shot looks fine but I am not sure it exhibits a different colour palette from "standard" C41 films. Maybe the dog shot wasn't the best example to use to demonstrate its difference. The same shot on say Fuji Superia or Kodak Portra might have helped to make the point but by itself and not knowing the claim made, I don't think I'd have said: "Wow this colour palette is really different"

Just as a matter of interest, how much cheaper is this than Kodak or Fuji film? Unless it is a lot cheaper or the colour palette jumps out at you as really different I'd worry about its pedigree and age

Let us know how you get on with it if you buy it.

pentaxuser

 

[kb3lms]

Just as a matter of interest, how much cheaper is this than Kodak or Fuji film?

It is not cheaper at all. It is more expensive at this time. However, with all the angst these days about the death of color film, IF there is another player in the game that could be a good thing!

As I mentioned, I purchased 3 rolls to try it out and see what the stuff is as I usually try out a new* film if I see it.

There was a discussion on this film over at RFF. This link was given as to the company that produces it: http://www.astrum-ltd.com/en/kino-foto-materialy.html

The English translation of the web page is just about gibberish. Maybe someone that can natively read it might be able to tell us what it really says.


*whatever "new" means in this context!

 

[AgX]

Astrum is no manufacturer.
Keep in mind that Svema of course had converting facilities and kept them for a while.

 

[railwayman3]

I'd guess it could be C-41 film from one of the big makers repacked under Svema name. A lot of own-label films came from Konica and Ferrania, also Fuji and Agfa.

In my own modest collection of old films and packets I have Efkechrome E6 and Efkecolor C41, from the 1990's, which is clearly from Konica, while recent Boots Colorslide (E6) and current Agfacolor Vista (C41) are from Fuji. Older Boots Colorslide was from Agfa.

Lots of badge-engineering used to go on.

 

[lancekingphoto]

Considering they do describe expired film as expired elsewhere in the FPP store, I have no reason to think they are deliberately misleading anyone. Of course I'm probably biased, as I recently attended my 2nd completely free FPP walking workshop event in Findlay, OH. Food, film goody bags for attendees and a massive camera giveaway. Bottom line: If there's one thing I've learned, it's that these guys are straightforward and definitely not in this for the money. They've even sent me several cameras in the past, all at no charge. They're a good bunch of guys, not to mention the podcast is a lot of fun.

(I'm not saying they couldn't be wrong, but if they are misrepresenting any product it's certainly not deliberate.)

 

[AgX]

It is described as "classic Soviet era, fresh films" and as "C-41".

Well, a contradiction at its best.

 

[kb3lms]

A roll is in the G-III now. It will soon be exposed, provided that the weather improves a little from the current rain.

"classic Soviet era, fresh films" and as "C-41"

That could simply mean that it is the same sort of film as produced during the Soviet era. It also adds that whole "Soviet" / "Iron Curtain" mystique.

And besides, who says the Soviets could not have knocked off a C-41 film? I have no idea if they did or not but they knocked off plenty of other stuff. And, I am sure, so did we.

FPP is a nice enough website positive about film. I do plan to make more use of their store in the future.

One suggestion I'd have for them is to make short ends of the Vision3 films available. They are superb if you fiddle around a bit to learn how to use them.

 

[AgX]

Seen some product descriptions and some prices, I think the fun and the must-have-it-now aspect dominate.

So I would not argue about. But as you asked about that film...

 

[dosilverhalide]

Just got 3 rolls of Svema 125 color, waiting for a Zenit 3m thats in the mail, and just did my first c41 at home last week. When it all comes together I'll put an image in here, assuming I don't screw it up. J

 

[AgX]

That try out:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[miha]

I wonder what does 125 stand for, ISO or GOST?

 

[AgX]

ghost

 

[dosilverhalide]

Shot a roll Svema 125 color the other day. Did a 1hr lab C41, and got great colors .I just put a picture in here. Its under Zenit 3m, Svema film.

 

[Daniil Monakhov]

Yes, AgX is right, Astrum is not a real manufacturer. They sell everything under Svema TM, but their films can be absolutely everything. This particular film looks like Fujicolor 200 or Kodak ColorPlus 200. There was never a 'Soviet C-41 film', the only post-Soviet C-41 film from Svema was DS-100, which was in fact some color negative film made by Fuji. I've shot one myself, so I can tell it by the edge markings.

 

[dosilverhalide]

Thank you for the link Agx. My brain processes old cameras and films, better than computer stuff. I studied the Svema negatives, no edge markings of any kind. There appears to be some kind of light bleed thru on some sprocket holes, don't know if it came from the camera or in manufacturing are in the c41 process. I'm running a roll of 200 Foma bw thru the Zenit now and will check for the light leaks again. J.

 

[Daniil Monakhov]

I studied the Svema negatives, no edge markings of any kind.

That's because Astrum has an opportunity to finish the products bought elsewhere as a big rolls. For example, around 2010 (expiry date 2011) they have finished a b&w film, cutting it and actually even printing 'Svema' edge markings on it. They've even sold the same type of film in three different boxes - FN64, Foto 100 and Svema Reporter (should be ISO 200). The film was some technical stuff, ISO 50-100, quite good in terms of grain, but had scratches, 'lightnings' (signs of static electricity in the form of trees) and had a very thin triacetate base.

There is one online photographic shop in Ukraine, that tried to sell b&w films from Astrum in 2013. Now they've stopped due to many quality issues and negative feedback.

 

[Raptor]

Sorry to bump an old thread, but I'm brand new here and just wanted to chime in on this.

There appears to be some kind of light bleed thru on some sprocket holes, don't know if it came from the camera or in manufacturing are in the c41 process.

I have several rolls of "Svema 125" that I got as freebies from FPP. I home process, so I can tell you for certain that these are hand-loaded, used commercial film cassettes. They tape onto the tail of the film that was originally in the can, and bulk roll it like a reusable cassette. The light leaks you've mentioned only seem to make an appearance on the first one or two frames of the examples I've seen, with the film before it being completely overexposed, so I think that leakage is the result of their hand loading from bulk rolls. Personally, I like the effect it has. As it has no pre-exposed edge markings, I also like it for rolling onto 120 and 620 for my MF cameras.