Those who used to shoot APX 100, what do you shoot now?

dhkirby · Apr 2, 2013

Hey guys,
So before they were discontinued I used to shoot a ton of Agfa APX 100 and 400. The 100 speed remains to this day my favorite film. I was luck enough to have bought a ton of it right before it stopped being available (by chance, actually -- I didn't know that they had stopped making it until later). Once I learned I couldn't get any more I started rationing it as best I could as I've been searching for a replacement. Now I'm down to two 36-exposure APX 100 rolls and one roll of the 400. I've started using HP5+ a lot for ISO 400 and I really love it, more than the APX 400 actually, but I haven't found a 100 speed that I like yet. I really miss the tones of the old Agfa, like the ones I got in the picture I attached. So I guess that the question is: what 35mm, 100 speed film can you recommend that might get me similar results? Thanks

E. von Hoegh · Apr 2, 2013

I sometimes expose APX100, from the stock in my freezer (8x10 format). I still have some APX 25, too.
I shoot guns.

Jim Noel · Apr 2, 2013

FP4+ and HP5+_

Richard S. (rich815) · Apr 2, 2013

FP4+, Acros and even Tmax 100. None will be identical but tweaking with different exposure and development and you'll get some good results.

Richard S. (rich815) · Apr 2, 2013

Oh and some might recommend the "new" Silvermax. I suspect it is APX100. Expensive though and sold out a lot. Just go Acros.

Ian Grant · Apr 2, 2013

Initially Tmax 100 but when availability became difficult (while in Turkey/South America) i switched to Delta 100.

Ian

elekm · Apr 2, 2013

After Agfa made its announcement, I immediately bought four 100-foot spools each of APX100 and APX400. So, I still shoot with it.

A while back, Freestyle had what I believed to be rebadged APX400. I bought 30 rolls.

Lately, I've been using the Adox films. And I always have my other favorites: Ilford Pan F and FP4.

As well, Kodak did a nice job when it reformulated its TMax 100 and 400 emulsions.

loman · Apr 2, 2013

In Denmark you can still get original batches of apx100. It's the only film I use in 35mm these days.

PhotoJim · Apr 2, 2013

It's possible you'll need to use a different developer to get results like you're used to with APX100, when using non-Agfa films. It might be that a different film-developer combination might give you results more to your liking than you're getting with whatever developer you're using now.

I have a great fondness for APX100, Plus-X and FP4 Plus all, but only one is still with us so it's obvious which one I shoot. I develop mine in PMK 1:2:100.

Have you tried Neopan SS? It's ISO 100 also. I'm not sure of its production future, though.

AgX · Apr 2, 2013

APX 100 is still available.

pmller · Apr 2, 2013

loman said:
In Denmark you can still get original batches of apx100. It's the only film I use in 35mm these days.

Internationally you can get it on macodirect.de and assume in other places as well, they ship more or less globaly. As far as the 400 speed is concerned I am so for very happy with the Rollei Retro 400S which is also made by the people who used to produce the agfa films.

/Bought some new rolls on ebay, there are also some retailers over there. So it should really be no problem to get a hand on that stuff.

graubär · Apr 2, 2013

It is still made and available as 135 rolls. In Europe by macophoto ans elsewhere. One should be able to find it also in other online stores.

Peltigera · Apr 2, 2013

APX 100 is certainly available in the UK, made in Germany by Lupus Imaging and Media GmbH.

Ian Grant · Apr 2, 2013

AgX said:
APX 100 is still available.

Yes and no only in 35mm, some of us like to use the same film in all formats. In addition it's not available world wide over a counter, unlike Ilford and Foma films.

Ian

dhkirby · Apr 2, 2013

Wow. Thanks for all the responses guys. I'm in the US so I hadn't looked into European suppliers. Great news that I can order some internationally. I have mixed feelings about T-Max. When I use it I don't find that I get enough of a difference between similar shades, but I've really liked what I've seen other people do with it. What developer do you all find that it works best with, in terms of contrast? And what can you guys tell me about Acros 100? I started learning using mostly Neopan SS but as I recall it was grainier and the darker shades didn't come out as rich. That was most likely just because I didn't have any experience at the time and was just developing everything in 1:1 D76 using T-Max times I got from an old Kodak darkroom book my dad passed down to me from god knows when, so I've been meaning to give Fuji another try but I just haven't yet. What's Acros like?

dpurdy · Apr 2, 2013

I switched to 120 Acros and like it better than 120 APX 100. To me it has finer grain, smoother tonality, much better reciprocity non failure. Using Acros with dilute developers or high acutance developers I get less noticeable edge affects.
Dennis

Koni Kowa · Apr 2, 2013

AgX said:
APX 100 is still available.

Exactly.
The Agfaphoto APX 100 (under licence of Agfa) is my favorite film, beside Kodak Tri-X.

You should at least give it a try.

PaulMD · Apr 2, 2013

dhkirby said:
What's Acros like?

Acros is great. I'm not a big TMax or Delta fan, but I do love Acros dearly. It's super-fine-grained and very high-resolution. If you want a traditional-ish negative you can do EI100 and Rodinal 1:50 for 18m, or use the magic stand-develop recipe of Rodinal 1:100 for 1 hour. Acros has so little grain that Rodinal is still smooth, plus you get actuance boost. Additionally, the best reciprocity failure of any film I'm aware of. Off the top of my head, I think it's +0 up to a minute and +1 up to 1000 seconds, which means it's usually the fastest effective film for long exposures.

I basically keep two film stocks around, Tri-X for when I want speed, pushing, or grain, and Acros for everything else.

Ricardo Miranda · Apr 2, 2013

To the OP
This thread would be better served on the B&W forum, not here on the 35mm cameras forum.

So, what is the APX 100 you see around these days?
Agfaphoto APX 100 is the remains of a 2005 Agfa master roll that has been frozen. Last year, Lupus Imaging (who is the distributor, it doesn't make any actual products) sent the remaining master roll to be slit, spooled and finished. All the stock you see today when it is finished, that's it. No more APX 100 is available.
BTW, the reason you only see 35mm stock is due to the film base thickness is only suitable for that format.

"Silvermax is APX 100"
No sir, it isn't. Its formula is based on the APX 100, but it is new material as ADOX have said in this forum when it was introduced.

AgX · Apr 2, 2013

Ricardo Miranda said:
Last year, Lupus Imaging (who is the distributor, it doesn't make any actual products) sent the remaining master roll to be slit, spooled and finished. All the stock you see today when it is finished, that's it. No more APX 100 is available.

This is the first time I come across this information of the last batch being converted. (Though it is plausible.)

Ricardo Miranda · Apr 2, 2013

Info comes from a Dutch retailer, Fotohuis: "Last master rolls from 2004/2005 are used up by Lupus / Agfa Photo so i expect it is just a matter of time when this film is running out completely."

subsole · Apr 3, 2013

I guess the ADOX CHS 100 II could be pretty similar to AGFA APX 100 :

http://www.adox.de/english/ADOX Films/Premium/CHS100_II/index.html

Ian Grant · Apr 3, 2013

No it'll be similar to the EKKE 100 film sold as Adox CHS100 by Fotoimpex.

Ian

Ian Grant · Apr 3, 2013

AgX said:
This is the first time I come across this information of the last batch being converted. (Though it is plausible.)

I think Mirko of Fotoimpex said some time ago that the volume of APX 100 left was why they trialled a replacement for APX 400 first, and this coincides with the timesacle he mentioned.

Ian

Rolfe Tessem · Apr 8, 2013

APX-100 is 2.62 Euro per 135 roll in 100 roll quantity. In the US, you really need to order a quantity for the shipping cost to make sense.

I have 200+ rolls in my freezer and it still seems to be available from http://www.macodirect.de

It doesn't really have any direct analogue, but when it runs out either FP4+ or Acros will become the replacement for me.

Those who used to shoot APX 100, what do you shoot now?

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