ADOX presentation on the current state of film manufacture

Larry Cloetta

Larry Cloetta

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ADOX rep at Finnish film fair in Helsinki March 15, 2019. Interesting presentation on the current state of the film production industry, which doesn’t sugar coat the challenges. Some information which probably isn’t obvious to everyone; Q and A at the end worth watching as well.
If you’re all digital, which seems to be most people here, probably not so much, but those using film likely to find this illuminating.


https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1648&v=Z4-WLDm-e8A
 
As someone who is finishing a business plan for a small film lab, this was great to see! thanks for posting. I'll have to add more ADOX in my initial inventory purchases.
 
Interesting presentation. I am glad to see they continue to move forward as a company.



I enjoy using both CMSII and Silvermax and find both films to be very good. In fact I think I slightly prefer Silvermax to any other similar speed films I have used. I just wish that they had a ISO 400 film in their repertoire. Maybe in the future.
 
Pioneer said:
Interesting presentation. I am glad to see they continue to move forward as a company.

I enjoy using both CMSII and Silvermax and find both films to be very good. In fact I think I slightly prefer Silvermax to any other similar speed films I have used. I just wish that they had a ISO 400 film in their repertoire. Maybe in the future.
Click to expand...


I've been following ADOX for quite a long while, and their efforts to bring new and legacy products from the ashes. They did infact have an APX400 replacement which did not go past a test release, given market saturation at ISO 400 (HP5 and TriX being mainly there) and then there was the Efke liquidation which had them making CHSII as a replacement.


APX100 seems to be back in the form of Silvermax. I've tried a bit of it in 35mm but need more experience to form a solid opinion of it.


Interesting to see the insights from Mirko himself.
 
Larry Cloetta said:
ADOX rep at Finnish film fair in Helsinki March 15, 2019. Interesting presentation on the current state of the film production industry, which doesn’t sugar coat the challenges. Some information which probably isn’t obvious to everyone; Q and A at the end worth watching as well.
If you’re all digital, which seems to be most people here, probably not so much, but those using film likely to find this illuminating.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1648&v=Z4-WLDm-e8A
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. Very interesting. But nothing really new for those who followed ADOX with their efforts during the last years.
Because their founder, owner and CEO M. Boedekker has been very transparent all the time and reportetd about all their challenges, set-backs and progresses.
We need such companies in the market!

Just one important comment:
The numbers concerning the film market at its peak time are not correct: Instead of 900 million rolls of film it had been about 3 billion rolls in year 2000.
Both Kodak and Fujifilm have reported the 3 billion number some years ago.
 
Thst was excellent and enlightening, thanks for sharing! 🙂 It seems to me there needs to be an emphasis on succession planning; getting young staffers with twenty, thirty, forty years future ahead of them into the industry and keeping them there. Because film has become an enthusiasts' product, it ought to attract those future workers who are motivated by keeping film alive, not just those who see it as a career option amongst other industries.

This applies to sales and marketing and advertising as well as production and research. I wish Adox every success for a promising future.
 
I know Adox/Fotoimpex quite well. Bought from another big german retailer (Maco) for several years before I realised what Mirko is doing @Adox. I buy everything there since and fortunately my office is 500m away from their main "street store" in Berlin. 🙂

Compared to eating it's like being vegetarian: Meat = respooled surveillance film, I don't buy stuff like Rollei Superpan, Rollei Retro (JCH Street Pan) etc. anymore and only support the last real manufacturers such as Adox, Ilford and Kodak, especially Adox 😎
 
That is a very good and important presentation by the ADOX CEO.
He is very honest and open minded.
And it is extremely important that the film community get the knowledge about all the difficulties and challenges the film industry has to face.

Cheers, Jan
 
I, too, really enjoyed the video and learned a lot about the technical and economic challenges of making film and photographic paper. I have used ADOX papers in the past and loved them. This video makes my want to try some of the films. I would like to do my part to help ADOX succeed.
 
Aaron Hellman said:
I, too, really enjoyed the video and learned a lot about the technical and economic challenges of making film and photographic paper. I have used ADOX papers in the past and loved them. This video makes my want to try some of the films. I would like to do my part to help ADOX succeed.
Click to expand...

Aaron, you really should try their films, because they have unique characteristics:
- ADOX CMS 20 II: Incredible high resolving film with super fine grain. No limits for enlargement!
- ADOX HR-50: Extremely fine grain and very good resolution. Excellent separated mid-tones. Can also be used as infrared film with IR-filter. And you get outstanding results with it as a BW reversal film (slides) in the Scala reversal process.
- ADOX CHS 100 II: Better detail rendition than FP4+ and Fomapan 100. Available in all (rare) sheet formats you want (!) up to even 50x60cm!!

Cheers, Jan
 
CharlesDAMorgan said:
Ordered some CHS 100 II in 4x5 from Photoimpex. I like low speed in my pinhole as it reduces the risk of fingers being photographed operating the shutter...
Click to expand...


ADOX CHS 100 II is an excellent film. I've used the first run, and now also did my first shots on the current production. I am very satiesfied: A very sharp, good resolving fine grain film with wonderful tonality.
 
Skiff said:
ADOX CHS 100 II is an excellent film. I've used the first run, and now also did my first shots on the current production. I am very satiesfied: A very sharp, good resolving fine grain film with wonderful tonality.
Click to expand...

I agree. I bought a box of 4X5 CHS 100 II a few weeks back and shot four sheets the other day. A very impressive film, fine-grained with very nice tones. It will probably replace FP4 as my standard 100 speed 4x5 film.

Jim B.
 
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