bmattock
Veteran
I read it when the breathless 'Agfa is back!' post was made a couple days ago. It does not say what you think it says. Read it yourself.
FERRANIA: Italian film, rebranded generic, where to buy?
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I read it when the breathless 'Agfa is back!' post was made a couple days ago. It does not say what you think it says. Read it yourself.
batterytypehah!
Lord of the Dings
I do in fact read what I quote, go figure. You may accuse me of paraphrasing "Ferrania USA will stock and distribute" as "should soon be available in the U.S." Don't see why you have a problem with that.
I did not claim that "Agfa is back," if that's what you mean -- that has been discussed ad nauseam in the other thread already.
I did not claim that "Agfa is back," if that's what you mean -- that has been discussed ad nauseam in the other thread already.
bmattock
Veteran
Because you're not comprehending what you are reading.
Let's break it down...
OK, so Lupus has a new distribution partner. That partner is Ferrania USA. Seems simple enough.
Now, what will this new distribution partner do?
What product lines will they stock and distribute? Well, that is in the next paragraph down on the official new release that the original thread you quoted points to (indirectly, you have to go to the link and then go to the official Lupus news release link):
Now, it is known that Lupus acquired the rights to the AgfaPhoto name and logo, as well as remaining stocks of Agfa film left in cold storage. And for several years, they've been selling it.
You say that Agfa Vista film is now Ferrania. Perhaps, sir. I myself found it to be true of Kroger brand film several years ago and announced it here.
You have made a leap in logic, however, which is at the moment unsupported by the facts. Ferrania USA has not said they are relabeling Ferrania (Italy) film as Agfa. Lupus has not said they are selling Ferrania film as Agfa. You have not purchase any Agfa Vista film made by Ferrania in the USA, have you?
However, Ferrania does not make Black & White film, so who is making the "Agfa APX" film in the news release? Who is making the "Precisa" slide film, since Ferrania does not make slide film anymore either?
It is my presumption that most - if not all - of the remaining Agfa stock of film products is about to be remaindered out in the USA, and that Ferrania USA will do the marketing. This makes sense - Ferrania USA markets film to stores such as grocery stores, relabeling them.
Nor did I accuse you of it. I stated that I read the release when you suggested that I had not.
It may well be that the soon-to-be grocery store film in the USA will be labeled Agfa and will actually be Ferrania. I have simply said that the press release does not state that - you say it does.
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batterytypehah!
Lord of the Dings
OK, you could have said that in a whole lot less text, Bill.
I did indeed make one assumption, namely that the AgfaPhoto Vista 200 about to be introduced to the U.S. will be the same as the AgfaPhoto Vista 200 currently being sold in Germany.
Your mocking tone notwithstanding, it is a fact that current Vista 200 is made by Ferrania. As experienced by myself, as well as several other forum members. The markings are identical, and so is the marked yellow color cast and pronounced grain.
I do not know if this Ferrania-for-AgfaPhoto production is still ongoing or if this stuff, too, is old stock. The expiration date on the sample I just purchased (09/2010) actually suggests the latter.
It stands to reason that AgfaPhoto would be selling genuine Agfa color negative stock in Germany, if they still had any left of it. Proudly bearing a Made in Germany stamp and presumably going for more than 38 euro cents a roll, too. The fact that they don't leads me to conclude that none is left.
I agree with you that the slide film in the press release can only come from old stock, and my guess is there isn't much life left in that before it hits expiration.
Lastly, I saw (but didn't buy) APX100 on German drugstore shelves, too. It was likewise labeled "Made in EU," which in this case probably means "cut from old Agfa stock at Gevaert in Belgium." There is stated intent for new APX production once this stock runs out, but as we have discussed in the other thread (and as indeed with any forward-looking business statement), it's far from certain.
I did indeed make one assumption, namely that the AgfaPhoto Vista 200 about to be introduced to the U.S. will be the same as the AgfaPhoto Vista 200 currently being sold in Germany.
Your mocking tone notwithstanding, it is a fact that current Vista 200 is made by Ferrania. As experienced by myself, as well as several other forum members. The markings are identical, and so is the marked yellow color cast and pronounced grain.
I do not know if this Ferrania-for-AgfaPhoto production is still ongoing or if this stuff, too, is old stock. The expiration date on the sample I just purchased (09/2010) actually suggests the latter.
It stands to reason that AgfaPhoto would be selling genuine Agfa color negative stock in Germany, if they still had any left of it. Proudly bearing a Made in Germany stamp and presumably going for more than 38 euro cents a roll, too. The fact that they don't leads me to conclude that none is left.
I agree with you that the slide film in the press release can only come from old stock, and my guess is there isn't much life left in that before it hits expiration.
Lastly, I saw (but didn't buy) APX100 on German drugstore shelves, too. It was likewise labeled "Made in EU," which in this case probably means "cut from old Agfa stock at Gevaert in Belgium." There is stated intent for new APX production once this stock runs out, but as we have discussed in the other thread (and as indeed with any forward-looking business statement), it's far from certain.
bmattock
Veteran
Sigh. I did, in my first response.
This may well be the case. We'll know when the 'Agfa' branded film arrives in the USA and appears on store shelves.
AgfaPhoto quit making film in 2004/5 when they shut down. They had a lot of film in cold storage on 'master rolls' as I understand it, and they were cutting it and boxing it as needed, with new expiration dates to match. So that doesn't surprise me.
As well, Shantou ERA stopped making film a long time ago, and they also release film with dates of 03/2007, 03/2008, 03/2009, etc every so often. But they don't manufacture film anymore. I think they just have a lot of it around still.
Could be. Dunno.
If it's been in cold storage, no telling what date they'll put on it. Slide film itself is about past its shelf life, however.
Lupus made statements a few years ago that they had sufficient stock on hand to last until 2012. I tend to doubt the veracity of their statements, but that's all we have to actually base anything on, short of the actual film itself.
As to remade APX, I still believe that is pure pie-in-the-sky. I believe it will either be something that is most definitely NOT APX, but sold as if it were, or it simply won't happen. APX is gone. I await history to prove me wrong; as I said, I've been wrong before and will be wrong again and will readily eat crow when and if I am.
lorenzo1910
Established
Mauro
Mauro
Dear lic4, I love Ferrania films.
It is a very old company, still manufacturing 135 and 110 films; I usually buy them at large retail store in rebranded boxes. The price for two 24 exp rolls 200 ASA is EUR 2,50: please let me know if you would like to get some rolls, we may find out a solution.
It is a very old company, still manufacturing 135 and 110 films; I usually buy them at large retail store in rebranded boxes. The price for two 24 exp rolls 200 ASA is EUR 2,50: please let me know if you would like to get some rolls, we may find out a solution.
lorenzo1910
Established
Le Europrint che si trovano all'Esselunga? 🙄
Mauro
Mauro
yes, they are branded Europrint: in my opinion, a good choice for street photography
(scusa la risposta in inglese, lo faccio per permettere anche ai nostri amici anglosassoni di avere informazioni).
Have a nice Sunday...buona domenica!
(scusa la risposta in inglese, lo faccio per permettere anche ai nostri amici anglosassoni di avere informazioni).
Have a nice Sunday...buona domenica!
lic4
Well-known
Thank you Mauro, today I just ordered some from Hong Kong, a seller on Ebay who has 36 exposure rolls in stock.
To answer another question on this thread; I did call Ferrania US in Oklahoma, and they pointed me to Duane Reade stores in the NYC area which stocks Ferrania. Unfortunately, they stopped purchasing Ferrania in the fall, so everything in the stores are final stocks. I was able to buy a few boxes of film (24 exp rolls), and purchased the remaining Ferrania rolls from the downtown Brooklyn Duane Reade store. Sorry to everyone else.
If enough people in the US are interested, we could pull together and bulk order Ferrania from the Oklahoma office.
Justin Smith
Established
I e-mailed the US office to ask where film may still be available in my area (Kentucky), as Kroger no longer carries it. Here is the reply:
"Dear Justin,
Thank you for your inquiry, unfortunately Kroger did stop taking film, we
are only supplying them with cameras at this time. If there are retail
stores in your area that sell the Easy Clix brand, that is also our film.
Winn Dixie and Food Lion Home 360 brand is also our film.
Regards,
Ferrania Customer Support"
No longer a Winn-Dixie or Food Lion in my town, but there is a Food Lion a couple of towns to north (which happens to be where I also go on beer runs 🙂 )
"Dear Justin,
Thank you for your inquiry, unfortunately Kroger did stop taking film, we
are only supplying them with cameras at this time. If there are retail
stores in your area that sell the Easy Clix brand, that is also our film.
Winn Dixie and Food Lion Home 360 brand is also our film.
Regards,
Ferrania Customer Support"
No longer a Winn-Dixie or Food Lion in my town, but there is a Food Lion a couple of towns to north (which happens to be where I also go on beer runs 🙂 )