For slow film, what are we left with?

[dogbunny]

I like slow film. Well, I guess just film slower than 100 iso or so. With Efke's demise, the pickings have slimmed. What do we have to choose from now? I like Pan F+, but what else is readily available? Slow and low that is the tempo.

db

 

[NeeZee]

Foto Impex in Berlin has the Efke 25, now called Adox: http://www.fotoimpex.de/shop/filme/adox-chs-25-13536-kleinbildfilme.html

 

[ottluuk]

Basically, Pan F+ appears to be the last mainstream option left in production. Besides that there is the remaining stock by Efke (including various rebrands) and some weird leftovers like Poly Pan F or Agfa Copex Rapid.

Supporting Pan F+ or moving to a ISO 100 emulsion sounds like a better plan in the long run than messing around with the weird/out of production stuff.

 

[thegman]

Basically, Pan F+ appears to be the last mainstream option left in production. Besides that there is the remaining stock by Efke (including various rebrands) and some weird leftovers like Poly Pan F or Agfa Copex Rapid.

Supporting Pan F+ or moving to a ISO 100 emulsion sounds like a better plan in the long run than messing around with the weird/out of production stuff.

That is all well and good, supporting players like Ilford, but at the same time you are suggesting deliberately not supporting small players who are doing their best to compete against the big boys. I think if we want the emulsions we like to stay in production, then we should just buy that rather than attempt to force consolidation of emulsions, and then presumably complain about it when it happens, i.e. Portra NC/VC to just Portra. Not suggesting you complained about it, but you just know it's going to happen.

 

[ottluuk]

That is all well and good, supporting players like Ilford, but at the same time you are suggesting deliberately not supporting small players who are doing their best to compete against the big boys. I think if we want the emulsions we like to stay in production, then we should just buy that rather than attempt to force consolidation of emulsions, and then presumably complain about it when it happens, i.e. Portra NC/VC to just Portra. Not suggesting you complained about it, but you just know it's going to happen.

In this case I think there are no small players left who actually still _produce_ panchromatic B&W negative film under 100 ISO (I would be delighted to be wrong, though). So you can either direct your cash towards the only producer now or after Efke's last run has sold out. I'm suggesting to nourish the living instead of making offerings to the dead, that's all 😀.

Adox CMS 20 is rebranded Efke KB25, no?

 

[sevo]

There are quite a variety of microfilms left, and digitalization is actually increasing the volume of data that is microfilm archived. As the more photographically suitable ones leave the market, these will fill the void - Maco and Fotoimpex already have announced "new" films to take the place of Efke 25.

But as most microfilms need special development (and developers) for photographic contrast, they cannot fully replace the old Adox films - many lab tricks and skills won't work with them...

 

[Brian Puccio]

love the tonality of adox CMS 20 ...

Seconding this. If I'm shooting B&W, it's either this or Neopan 1600. (Let's face it, it's either bright out, or it's not.)

 

[Riverman]

Try Fuji Acros. I find I have to shoot it at 50 to get any shadow detail. Fantastic film.

 

[rawhead]

I was going to add that Shanghai GP3 is now rated at 50 but I don't think it exists in 135. MF and especially @ 4x5, they're great.

 

[Peter_wrote:]

just saw this group of microfilm users on flickr http://www.flickr.com/groups/932369@N23/

some great results there. iso 6- this is really slow.

 

[jbielikowski]

Rollei Pan 25 should be still around.

 

[sevo]

just saw this group of microfilm users on flickr http://www.flickr.com/groups/932369@N23/

some great results there. iso 6- this is really slow.
but i think, it's more some kind of experimenting. as far as i understood, you will have to adjust a camera, because of the lack of sprocket holes.

Most microfilm has sprocket holes - and there are quite a few that make it into the 100-400 ISO range when used as microfilm, where it should be possible to reach 12-50 ISO with compensating development.

 

[ath]

Adox CMS 20 is rebranded Efke KB25, no?

No.
(10 characters)

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Tmax 100 and Fuji Acros are both finer grained than Ilford Pan-F. They're both cheaper and faster.

 

[Peter_wrote:]

Most microfilm has sprocket holes - and there are quite a few that make it into the 100-400 ISO range when used as microfilm, where it should be possible to reach 12-50 ISO with compensating development.

ah, thanks for the enlightenment. is it necessary to bulk load microfilm or can it bought in film cassettes too?

 

[Peter_Jones]

I have to agree with the other comments re Acros

Rate it at a lower ISO and develop accordingly. It will enlarge very well but watch the contrast especially with modern lenses.

 

[ottluuk]

No.
(10 characters)

Ah, great, so there's also Adox CMS 20 🙂. My mistake, somehow I thought that Efke rebrand (the CHS series) was all they did.

 

[Erik van Straten]

When I was still using my Olympus Pen FT (18x24mm), I used Tmax100 film rated at 50 and developed in Microdol. The results were stunning.

Olympus Pen FT, Zuiko 38mm f/1.8, Tmax100.

Erik.

 

[Tadeyev]

The 'Blue' alternative??

The 'Blue' alternative??

What about this:

http://www.frugalphotographer.com/catBluefire.htm#Bluefire Police 135-24 35mm

At 60, not as slow as 8 but not as fast as 100 !

 

[Godfrey]

I use ACROS 100 and fit a filter when I want longer exposure times with a fast lens wide open. Even my semi-standard orange filter knocks it down to ISO 25 ...

A B+W type 106 ND brings it way way down, something like ISO 3.

G