What is the status of Scala 160/Silvermax 100?

[markjwyatt]

I am under the impression that Silvermax 100 is discontinued? Scala 160 seems to be available, which would indicate (given they are the same film, just packaged differently) that this emulsion continues. Any official status on this? Thanks.

 

[otto.f]

I was informed this week by a shop in the Netherlands that Scala160 will not be available anymore. Scala50 will stay available for an unforeseeable long time, he said. It’s a pity though, it was the alternative for Silvermax100, which is discontinued as I read at the Adox site. I just discovered the 160 and developed in Silvermax as a negative I find it absolutely wonderfull. A very nice and even better alternative for my beloved Kodak Plus Xpan. If I can compare it with any film this one is most close. I don’t know the 50 and haven’t heard of Silvermax developer to be discontinued.

 

[Lachlan Young]

It's likely to return once it can be translated on to Adox's own coating plant - I assume. Hopefully on 120 & sheet bases too

 

[miha]

The film is readily available.

 

[halfaman]

I had the impression reading Adox information that Silvermax 100 and Scala 160 were the same film. So it makes sense that both are discontinued.

 

[alter ego 6x9]

Both Scala and Silvermax are available and “ready to ship” at fotoimpex webstore (Germany).

 

[Lachlan Young]

It may have been discontinued in distribution to protect fresh stock levels for direct sales from Fotoimpex until manufacture re-commences. Or it may be that certain retailers are deciding to carry only one line or other (Scala or Silvermax) to prevent excessive SKU's.

 

[markjwyatt]

It may have been discontinued in distribution to protect fresh stock levels for direct sales from Fotoimpex until manufacture re-commences. Or it may be that certain retailers are deciding to carry only one line or other (Scala or Silvermax) to prevent excessive SKU's.

Silvermax is not really available in the US now (I see a few rolls on Amazon for $18 ea.). Freestyle lists (and some others) have Scala as available but Freestyle says it has "low stock". I am interested on what Adox' "official" position is relative to future production of this film (either or both packaging).

 

[alter ego 6x9]

Silvermax is not really available in the US now (I see a few rolls on Amazon for $18 ea.). Freestyle lists (and some others) have Scala as available but Freestyle says it has "low stock". I am interested on what Adox' "official" position is relative to future production of this film (either or both packaging).

if you go to Adox site - they have the list of current films (Scala and Silvermax are there) and there is a list of discontinued products (none of those films are on discontinued list). This is as official as can be. Of course, they might (or might not) have some near future plans which are not officially disclosed. If you are interested you can email them. Personally, I bought a few 100ft bulk rolls when it was cheap (49€ per 100ft) and individual rolls are still available at fotoimpex.de so I see no reason to worry. And they ship to US, I assume, so anyone can stock up...

 

[lantau]

Personally, I bought a few 100ft bulk rolls when it was cheap (49€ per 100ft) and it is still available at fotoimpex.de so I see no reason to worry. And they ship to US, I assume, so anyone can stock up...

The bulk rolls have been discontinued over a year ago. They said because they haven't got that much left and want to keep up the supply of single rolls for a certain time. So I missed out on buying another one.

I hope they will offer CHS100 II as bulk roll. I like them not just for the savings, but for the fun of it. And I can loaad my Zeiss casettes for my Contax 2. Modern cassettes work, but do not really fit. They cause some stress on the camera.

FP4 is a great alternative, of course, and I'll buy that if there is no Adox offering.

 

[markjwyatt]

...
FP4 is a great alternative, of course, and I'll buy that if there is no Adox offering.

FP4+ is my current main film (supplemented with HP5 plus if I want extra speed). I do like Silvermax, and would not mind having it as an option.

 

[Anon Ymous]

It's likely to return once it can be translated on to Adox's own coating plant - I assume. Hopefully on 120 & sheet bases too

The thing is, Silvermax/Scala 160 was made using materials inherited from Agfa. The clear film base, sensitisers and possibly more were sourced from there. Fresh production would probably require reformulation, at least to some extent. I don't know how likely this is, perhaps @ADOX Fotoimpex could share some info.

 

[Team ADOX]

Both ADOX Silvermax and ADOX Scala 160 are still available by our main international distributor (and mother company) Fotoimpex:
https://www.fotoimpex.de/shop/filme/kleinbildfilme-135/

As we have always clearly explained, both films are technologically identical. For market and demand reasons Silvermax is focusing on the negative film market, and Scala 160 on the BW reversal film market.
We have also clearly said right from the beginning that this film production run was one single big coating run, with lots of original Agfa Leverkusen / Germany technology involved. Technology which is meanwhile not existant anymore in the same form. Therefore another production run of exactly the same film with completely identical characteristics is not possible anymore.
We are working on long term alternatives. But that is an extremely difficult and challenging project, and success of the R&D cannot be guaranteed.

We currently offer an attractive first alternative in form of the ADOX CHS 100 II.
As CHS 100 II has
- an almost identical spectral sensitivity
- an almost identical sharpness and resolution
- similar max. contrast range (dynamic range)
- similar price (CHS 100 II is even a bit cheaper)
- can also be reversal processed.

ADOX - Innovation in Analog Photography.

 

[alter ego 6x9]

It’s great to see clear answers directly from Adox team.

 

[markjwyatt]

Both ADOX Silvermax and ADOX Scala 160 are still available by our main international distributor (and mother company) Fotoimpex:
https://www.fotoimpex.de/shop/filme/kleinbildfilme-135/

As we have always clearly explained, both films are technologically identical. For market and demand reasons Silvermax is focusing on the negative film market, and Scala 160 on the BW reversal film market.
We have also clearly said right from the beginning that this film production run was one single big coating run, with lots of original Agfa Leverkusen / Germany technology involved. Technology which is meanwhile not existant anymore in the same form. Therefore another production run of exactly the same film with completely identical characteristics is not possible anymore.
We are working on long term alternatives. But that is an extremely difficult and challenging project, and success of the R&D cannot be guaranteed.

We currently offer an attractive first alternative in form of the ADOX CHS 100 II.
As CHS 100 II has
- an almost identical spectral sensitivity
- an almost identical sharpness and resolution
- similar max. contrast range (dynamic range)
- similar price (CHS 100 II is even a bit cheaper)
- can also be reversal processed.

ADOX - Innovation in Analog Photography.

Thank you for the clear statement.

 

[crypt47]

Adox announced the end of silvermax.

"The very last batch of SILVERMAX in the 160 YEARS OF ADOX design.
After this batch there will be no more Silvermax films available."

I hate that kind of marketing. Instead of producing the film, they just sold Agfa legacy, now for double price, and made an announcement on instagram. %( Like they just went the lomography way. I dislike company a lot after the first suspicion a year ago. Also film in their cassetts got stuck. Chose Tri-X for steady production and will try to avoid Adox's other products. It's not that interesting to adapt processing of film every time something is over.

 

[Henning Serger]

I hate that kind of marketing. Instead of producing the film, they just sold Agfa legacy, now for double price, and made an announcement on instagram. %( Like they just went the lomography way. I dislike company a lot after the first suspicion a year ago.

I have to completely disagree with your opinion.
At that time they had the unique chance and opportunity to offer this wonderful film to the market. And therefore for almost a decade photographers have had (and still have) the opportunity to use this film and make wonderful photographs with it.
I was an Agfa Scala 200X user. Loved this film.
With the introduction of ADOX Silvermax and ADOX SCALA 160 I have been able to continue my work which I started with Scala 200X. ADOX SCALA 160 is a bit finer grained, has about 1/3 stop less sensitivity, but the overall look and results are close enough for me to see ADOX SCALA 160 as a worthy successor to the former 200X.
I made many excellent photographs on ADOX SCALA 160, and will continue to do that for the coming years. When my ADOX SCALA stock is sometime depleted in the future, I will have made wonderful SCALA slides for about 15-17 years. And I will continue to enjoy these pictures the following years until my death!
If ADOX would not have taken the chance for the production of this film, I would not have all these wonderful pictures now and in the future!
And the same is valid for all other users of this film. No one can take away your photographs you have made with the film. You have them as long as you want. And the discontinuation of a film does not affect the shots you have already made with it.

What should have ADOX done? Destroying all the raw materials they had instead of making film? Refusing to offer this film to the market? Taking completely away the possibility of using this film from the photographers?
Fortunately they did not choose this way.

Best regards,
Henning

 

[markjwyatt]

I am glad ADOX produced Silvermax, and if they were to continue it, I would have continued using it. I probably won't order it from Germany, pay for shipping, worry about X-rays, etc. because there is plenty of other good [medium speed] film stock available including FP4+, CHS 100 II, Fomapan, and TMAX.

 

[bunktheory65]

Im late on the bandwagon for silver max. currently have a roll of it in my camera, and just cant justify the huge prices for it online now.

Makes me wonder how long they kept producing the special developer for it?

 

[crypt47]

Im late on the bandwagon for silver max. currently have a roll of it in my camera, and just cant justify the huge prices for it online now.

Makes me wonder how long they kept producing the special developer for it?

Yep, we all are late. Just about ~30 year late, while AGFA (originally made the emulsion) was still in business.^( You don't really need this special developer for one roll. Any trusted developer will do. A special developer is another marketing move (as I pointed above). They will probably rebrand it when the term 'silvermax' will be no longer relevant.

p.s.

recently made decent prints from smax negatives. it was fun while it lasted. kodak on the other hand doesn't make surprises.

 

[crypt47]

because there is plenty of other good [medium speed] film stock available including FP4+, CHS 100 II, Fomapan, and TMAX.

It's not the same thing completely. If you after tonality, there is no much options.

Refusing to offer this film to the market? Taking completely away the possibility of using this film from the photographers?

They should produce clear information about their stock and how long it will last. First they sold it in bulks. Also refusing to bump price on the last batch with special sticker on it. Because it's like saying "we just sellers, we can't produce it and we are proud of it". Well, it was sold anyway, so many people thought as you did.

 

[bunktheory65]

It's not the same thing completely. If you after tonality, there is no much options.



They should produce clear information about their stock and how long it will last. First they sold it in bulks. Also refusing to bump price on the last batch with special sticker on it. Because it's like saying "we just sellers, we can't produce it and we are proud of it". Well, it was sold anyway, so many people thought as you did.

Originally i had hoped that it would be the right film for what i was hoping to do with macro work, but alas,,,,

 

[halfaman]

They should produce clear information about their stock and how long it will last.

They did and in this very same forum.


https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...ilvermax-35mm-film-135-36.94595/#post-1257955

We have enough film for about 5 years. After this material is sold making such a film again will probably become very expensive.

 

[markjwyatt]

It's not the same thing completely. If you after tonality, there is no much options.

I did like the tonality of Silvermax. CHS 100 II is also nice, but different for sure. I am trying Fomapan 100 now.

 

[PerTulip]

It's not the same thing completely. If you after tonality, there is no much options.....

Which would be your preferred option? I liked Silvermax very much.