What is Rollei RPX 25?

[AgX]

the "maker" Rollei

The maker is Maco, a firm trading and rebranding films for a long time. They got the licence to the brand Rollei the same time they started to convert and rebrand Agfa films.

Rollei as we knew it ceased existence long ago.

 

[removedacct1]

Im using a 120 roll in my 6x9 camera, so I only have 8 shots to play with. Maybe I'll just shoot it at box speed and do the normal time. Its sunny today, so not the best conditions for this film.

8 frames is plenty to perform a proper speed + developer test.
Exposed at box speed in bright sunlight, and developed normally will give you predictable results: too contrasty and poor shadow detail.

 

[Alan Johnson]

You may find a time for development of RPX 25 in Xtol in post 78 here:
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/rollei-rpx-25-grain-and-resolution.115244/
The origin film, Aviphot 80 has a strongly S shaped curve so some use it in normal developers to give high contrast and others in special developers or at lower EI to give more like normal contrast.

 

[braxus]

Just a cautious note on the development of RPX 25, from my development tests: Do not overexpose the film since the shoulder is very short and clips abruptly, so highlights will have practically no separation above Zone VIII*. I tried it in three developers, Tetenal Neofin blue (high dilution, 1+32), XTOL 1+1, and Pyrocat MC. Neofin blue was essentially unusable since the highlights already "clipped" at zone VII. Strange, because similar type low speed films like APX 25, Rolleipan/Adox Pan 25, and Efke 25/Adox CHS25/Rolleipan 25 (v.2) never did that. XTOL 1+1 (24°C/75F; 30s continuous agitation, then 4 inversions/30s))gave the following results for me. N-1: EI 32, 6:00min; N: EI40, 6:30min; N+2: EI 50, 8:00min. As one can see, timing is very critical, as is agitation. Pyrocat MC 1+1+100 (24°C/75F, 30s continuous agitation, then 2 inversions/2min) gave 10:00 min at EI32 for a contrast between N and N+1.

*that is a curve type I last saw in Tech Pan with special developers like Technidol or Neofin doku

Ok.

 

[pentaxuser]

The maker is Maco, a firm trading and rebranding films for a long time. They got the licence to the brand Rollei the same time they started to convert and rebrand Agfa films.

Rollei as we know ceased existence long ago.

Yes with the market going the way it is in respect of rebranders and various names, some more exotic than others that seem to bear little relationship to whose film it actually is, I chose to use Rollei as that is the name on the box and in the hope I would not make thing more confused

pentaxuser

 

[relistan]

As mentioned this film is aerial film with a string S curve. Unlike Rollei Retro 80S, which is the same film, 25 is more like the actual speed for ground level photos. It's not yet available in 120 or 4x5 due to difficulties slicing PET base, but if you shoot 35mm, the better film is ADOX Hr-50. That is again, Aviphot 80, but ADOX has applied a proprietary "speed boost" which gives it a smoother curve for pictorial subjects. Here's a recent shot of mine in this film

 

[foc]

This might help your guess as to who makes what film.

http://industrieplus.net/dxdatabase/index.php

 

[AgX]

A firm converting film can have put a number of their like on a cassette.

 

[woodlandSerenade]

It's not yet available in 120 or 4x5 due to difficulties slicing PET base

RPX25 is indeed available in both 120 and 4x5

 

[relistan]

RPX25 is indeed available in both 120 and 4x5

That sentence is referring to ADOX HR-50, which is not yet available in those sizes.

 

[braxus]

Well I just developed my 120 roll and Im waiting for it to dry before I start to scan it.

 

[woodlandSerenade]

That sentence is referring to ADOX HR-50, which is not yet available in those sizes.

Oops... My poor reading comprehension strikes again.

 

[braxus]

These shots dont look too bad. Not a lot of tones in this film compared to other B&W I've shot recently, including TMAX 400. These pictures were taken in a shaded area in some of them, with the sun peaking through. Shot on my Fuji GW690 camera.

 

[braxus]

I shot a second roll today. This time in my Pentax 645N and the day was cloudy with slight rain. Post results in a few hours.

 

[braxus]

Film is drying. Here are the raw negs before scans.

 

[braxus]

Here are the samples off my 645N camera today. I notice with this film, the midtones arent very good compared to other film types of this speed. It seems rather bland in the midtones (or lack of a lot of different midtones).

 

[woodlandSerenade]

I wonder if the bland midtones could be due to the extended red sensitivity.
I'm not sure how you'd negate that... A cyan filter?

 

[distributed]

Random thought connected to the original question: Would it be possible to identify films by spectral analysis in a chemical lab?

 

[braxus]

I wonder if the bland midtones could be due to the extended red sensitivity.

I doubt it has to do with that. I know other films with extended red have really good tones. I think it just is mixed only for aerial photography and not for general photography.

 

[MattKing]

It is an aerial film.
Which means it is designed to maximize that mid-tone contrast, usually at the expense of shadow and highlight rendition.
If you develop it to bring in the shadows and highlights, the mid-tones go blah.

 

[Alan Johnson]

I doubt it has to do with that. I know other films with extended red have really good tones. I think it just is mixed only for aerial photography and not for general photography.

The origin film, Aviphot 80, is IR sensitive. From the graph in the link, green foliage (grass, trees) reflect IR strongly and appear lighter.
That is what you see. BTW, what EI and developer were used?
https://slate.com/technology/2013/0...s-in-the-infrared-is-eerie-and-beautiful.html

 

[braxus]

Xtol 1:1 at 8 minutes. Shot at box speed of 25.

 

[markjwyatt]

Thanks. I found the spec sheet and you are correct. I'm going to try it with my R72 filter and see how it looks.

Rollei 400 IR was produced by Agfa in Belgium, at least up until 2016 or so. Maybe Maco produces it now.