AGFA Film Bankrupt?

[Mackinaw]

On the Leica forum, somebody reported that Agfa film (the new company just formed last November) has filed for bankrupcy. Here's the link:

http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2005/05/27/afx2060455.html

Can somebody in Europe tell us more?

Jim Bielecki

 

[iDude]

Unfortunately, this is correct. Made the national News this morning. Sad.
Here's a link to an article (in German, though): http://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/0,1518,357801,00.html

 

[TPPhotog]

Here's a translation of the link that was posted on APUG this morning.

The original link in German is this one.

🙁

 

[taffer]

Great, just when I was curious about APX 100 :bang: Any news about what will happen with their developers, papers and other chemicals ? Rodinal ? Agefix ? Agepon ? Argh !!!

This is getting more and more scary for moments 🙁

 

[felipe]

Great, just when I was curious about APX 100 :bang:

Me too.
But what's even worse is no more vista! Had been using it exclusively in ireland because of its beautiful blues and greens and never found an equally good and cheap alternative. 🙁

This is very sad and it definetly sounds a lot worse than ilford announcing its restructuring back then. 2000 jobs is no small thing.

Guess I have to buy another freezer 😀

phil

 

[chug]

Ah crap! Im gonna have to go buy up big on some Vista and chuck it in the fridge!

 

[Solinar]

Got Rodinal?

Got Rodinal?

Today is definitely a good day to stop by your local camera shop to pick up some Rodinal. APX100 and Kodak Tri-X are my standard B&W medium format films.

This is what happens when the rest of the planet prefers to view images on an electronic screen rather than on paper.

 

[pvdhaar]

No more Vista 400 means I'm also on the look out for a decent alternative. Anyone got suggestions?

 

[Bertram2]

Here's a translation of the link that was posted on APUG this morning.

The original link in German is this one.

🙁

Surprising. This comes a bit too fast. The spin-off must have been quite sick from the beginning on or AGFA sold the film department just to let it die. Just one way to get rid or 1900 people.
Or most of them, I expect AGFA film to go on later, with a reduced portfolio and only a handful of employees.

Bertram

 

[TPPhotog]

For now all we can do is keep buying their products whilst we can and send our thoughts to the workforce at Agfa Film.

All we have to lose is some choice in what we buy. However the workers have to try to find alternative employment in an economy that is not looking too healthy the last time I saw anything on the German Economy 🙁

A sad day for us ... a Very Sad day for the workforce at Agfa Film :bang:

 

[wilt]

The last year, I've standardized my developing on Rodinal, which I really like. Aaaaargh!

 

[Goodyear]

/nips off to buy some Rodinal.

 

[einolu]

does apx 100 come in 100ft rolls?

 

[Matthew]

yup.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=1094&is=REG

 

[Little Prince]

Oh, I just ordered a couple of rolls of APX100 and was hoping I'd like it. Now I should hope I don't.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Rodinal shouldn't be hard to synthesize.

My suspicion: recovery/restructuring with colour film -- they are very strong and very good in that area -- but further losses in mono. But that is pure speculation: I have no more inside information than anyone else.

Cheers,

Roger

 

[pshinkaw]

I think the formula for Rodinal is in the public domain. Photographer's Formulary sells generic Rodinal (paraminophenol) so it's not goping to disappear.

If Agfa can't get it back together, we will miss some of their other products unles those product lines get sold out of bankruptcy and marketed by someone else. I like Optima ISO 200 color negative in 120.

-Paul

 

[canonetc]

I think the formula for Rodinal is in the public domain. Photographer's Formulary sells generic Rodinal (paraminophenol) so it's not goping to disappear.

If Agfa can't get it back together, we will miss some of their other products unles those product lines get sold out of bankruptcy and marketed by someone else. I like Optima ISO 200 color negative in 120.

-Paul

Paul, thanks for the info re: generic Rodinol. Have you ever used it and compared? Might be a moot question, just curious.

Otherwise, I have to say BUMMMER! I found AGFA a less expensive route than Ilford in terms of paper and developers. AGFA paper I found more contrasty than Ilford, but while Ilford FB paper is WHITER, AGFA FB is slightly off-white or ivory, yet still had better contrast than Ilford (when using AGFA Neutol developer) in printing. Odd, but that's my experience so far.

On a side note, Ilford film prices have skyrocketed at my local pro store. Just over $6.00 for a roll of FP4 35mm, 36 exposure. I nearly screamed. I remember buying FP4 from B&H for $3.00 years ago.

So, I grabbed the last roll of 100' FP4 for around $49.00.

back to AGFA, I really hope someone buys out the paper/chem division. Or, if they just downsize a bit, could stay alive. I pray someone knuckles down and will keep us film people able to process and print!

cheers,

chris
canonetc

 

[canonetc]

I want to also say I am very sad for those AGFA workers who devoted years to the industry.

 

[doubs43]

JandC Photo sell RO-9 which is the original Rodinal formula.

Walker