Agfa APX400 opinions

[retinax]

At least the Portra is cheaper than in Europe, in absolute terms (not PPP-adjusted). As is TMY-2 at AUS 9.09 at Walkens.
Average wages, as well as minimum wages, are higher in Australia than in most of Europe.
Comparing to the purchasing power of average earners in the US, Norway, Switzerland or the Emirates is an exercise in frustration for all the rest of us.

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

At least the Portra is cheaper than in Europe, in absolute terms (not PPP-adjusted). As is TMY-2 at AUS 9.09 at Walkens.
Average wages, as well as minimum wages, are higher in Australia than in most of Europe.
Comparing to the US, Norway, Switzerland or the Emirates is an exercise in frustration for all the rest of us.

Where are you getting that price? Walkens is showing $10 for Tmax400 for me?

 

[retinax]

Maybe they're not charging me sales tax due to my foreign IP address? Still a decent price me thinks. How odd that Fuji is more expensive than in Europe, isn't there an FTA?

 

[HHPhoto]

Fair point, but I’m not looking for the cheapest place to by film when average wages are factored in. I’m just looking for the cheapest option on *my* wage in a global market place. And the prices listed above are much more expensive than the US.

I guess you are comparing to prices of B&H in NY. AFAIK there is no VAT on their prices, whereas our European distributors - and I think the Australian, too - have of course to add VAT. VAT is in the range of 17% to 25% in EU countries.

Cheers, Jan

 

[gavinlg]

Really? One of the cheaper places in the world?

From Ikigai (35mm)...

$14 for Portra400
$17 for P400H
$21 for Provia 100f

Some films are cheaper at ikigai, some at walkens. Of the films you listed, these are the prices at walkens:

$12.73 for portra 400
$14.55 for p400h
$17.27 for provia 100f

Here are the prices at B&H, adjusted to aud:
$11.10aud for porta 400 single bought in a 5 pack
$17.05aud for P400h
$14.21aud for provia 100f

So yeah. One of the cheaper places in the world. I can remember around 10 years ago when the cheapest price in Australia for portra 400 was about $24. pro400h was around the same. It's much, much cheaper now.

 

[nickthetasmaniac]

Some films are cheaper at ikigai, some at walkens. Of the films you listed, these are the prices at walkens:

$12.73 for portra 400
$14.55 for p400h
$17.27 for provia 100f

Here are the prices at B&H, adjusted to aud:
$11.10aud for porta 400 single bought in a 5 pack
$17.05aud for P400h
$14.21aud for provia 100f

So yeah. One of the cheaper places in the world.

They aren’t *my* prices at Walkens. I’m assuming that being in NZ they are automatically deducting GST when you look at their website.

 

[Steve M.]

If Tri-X is around the same price, then your decision is much simpler. It's surely the best 400 ISO film around (but of course it's actually a 200 or 250 ISO film). It does everything I need it to do. If I need a slower film, it just gets shot at slower speeds. The flexibility and quality of this film is amazing. Microsol X, Rodinal, D76, etc are all great developers for Tri-X, and give quite different negs. It's nice to have a film that is reliable and works so well with different developers. Makes my job a lot easier as a film photographer.

 

[gavinlg]

They aren’t *my* prices at Walkens. I’m assuming that being in NZ they are automatically deducting GST when you look at their website.

Thats possible. GST is just 10% though. The prices are still roughly in line with b&h which is likely the cheapest in the world.

 

[john_s]

I have used the old, genuine Agfa APX400. Very grainy, without the charm of (original) Tri-X, and unlike APX100 which was a stellar film. What’s currently sold as APX400 is a reboot, though, I doubt it shares much with the original.

Very true. The Agfa APX400 needed to be very generously exposed and then it was lovely for portraits, but it was definitely an older style of film compared to the big manufacturers.


Why is Tri-X more expensive than TMax400? I think i remember it being the other way around when TMax400 was introduced as New! Improved!

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Kentmere 400 = Agfa APX 400 New = Rollei RPX 400.

Ilford PAN 400 ≠ the above three.

Here is no Ilford PAN 400 on Ilford web-site.
Where this film is coming from?

I'm using Kentmere 400 instead of HP5+ now. Here is some diffrence, but not enough to justify price difference. Only maybe @3200 it might show some significant difference. At box speed, prints are next to be the same.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Ilford PAN 400

Ilford PAN 400

Where this film is coming from?

Mine says ILFORD CAT1707382 Made in England HARMAN TECHNOLOGY Mobberley Cheshire UK on the box.

https://shop.silverprint.co.uk/Ilford-Pan-400-35mm-36-Exposures/product/839/1707382/

Chris

 

[miha]

Mine says ILFORD CAT1707382 Made in England HARMAN TECHNOLOGY Mobberley Cheshire UK on the box.

https://shop.silverprint.co.uk/Ilford-Pan-400-35mm-36-Exposures/product/839/1707382/

Chris

I wish 120 was still readily available.

 

[pyeh]

Quite right, Mooshoepork. Those prices from those Melbourne resellers are pretty good, considering. Even Vanbar, not normally known for price friendliness, had a special on Kodak Colorplus 200 for less than A$5 per roll recently.

 

[lawrence]

I have used the old, genuine Agfa APX400. Very grainy, without the charm of (original) Tri-X...

My feelings about the original APX400 are the same, unless you dig that crazy grain 😉
Kentmere 400 - apparently the same as the 'new' APX400 - is much less grainy but has rather soft grain.

 

[adietrich]

Way back when I shot APX400, and I used Atomal for development. That and the fact that it was medium format helped with the grain. I loved the results: https://www.rangefinderforum.com/rffgallery/gallery/11847/U11847I1564457021.SEQ.0.jpg