ISO 25...

Okay, Im sure most of you are sick of this topic, but I'm lost to the

point of confusion here. ISO 25 B&W films that compare/replace APX25.

I've read a lot of reviews of other products and opinions on what to

substitute, but I'm still foggy on which path to take. So, I ask

this; I am getting into landscape photography with B&W film, where as

before, I only used color. I will be needing a film that offers both

120 and 35mm formats. I was thoroughly impressed by the APX25, but

since its no longer available, what should I look at? Ive already

researched the Rollei Pan25 (Maco), the Ilford PanF and the EFKE 25.

The only reviews ive read said that they were all great options for

studio photography due to the skin tone render. Since I'll be doing

outdoor shooting in low light and bright light, im not worried about

skin rendering.

 

Anything you might steer me towards? Id really appreciate the

insight!

isnt pan f 50 iso?

Yes, PanF is iso 50, but several have suggested its use to substitute for APX25.

Try rating Pan F at 25 ASA and cutting the dev time by a third.

Matt, I'm afraid you've answered your own question. Rollei 25, Pan-F and Efke 25 are the last trad films left that are slow. The only left that I can tell you is to try all three in various devs and see which one you like. I would suggest an accutance dev like Rodinal, or D-76 1+3. FX-2 might be another option.

 

You can find dev times at digitaltruth.com or unblinkingeye.com. Do a search for these films here at photo.net and you'll ffind all kinds of info.

I shot fp4+ at 50 asa one time before:

 

http://www.anycities.com/reinders/share/rollei/

 

and I liked it, I have another roll I may get to developing tonight that I shot the same way.....just an idea.

Matt, I and a lot of other people, use efke 25 for landscape work. Yes people comment on how it is great for skin tones but it is also incredible (my opinion) for landscape work. And that includes low light, into sun, and any other kind of light scenes. Atleast that is what I have found.

What was the actual number for the efke 25? (35mm and 120) I know they use some sort of call letters in front of the "25" on J&C's website.

Matt,

 

Forget everything you've heard about Ilford, it's all rubbish. The closest to APX 25 is indeed the Efke 25, or even the Efke 25 Ortho.

 

Freestyle in California also carries it. The Rollei Pan 25 you mention is EXACTLY the same Agfapan 25, but at a much higher price.

 

Try the Efke in Rodinal, and you'll never look back.

Efke 25 is great stuff. I think the 35mm version is called "KB25" and the 120 version is called "R25" or something like that.

Why ISO 25 in particular Matt? I'm presuming it's fine-grain that you want. Then why not use Tmax100? If you develop it right, then the grain is near invisible.

 

Years back, I used to use Panatomic-X and PanF, until the original T-max100 was introduced. Then I saw no need to look anywhere else for a fine-grained film, and now the "generation 2" version is even better.

 

Sorry if that sounded like a commercial for T-max, but IMHO tabular grain technology was a quantum leap forward. It suddenly made my 35mm shots look like they were done on medium format, and my MF shots look like 5x4, and I couldn't have said that for the difference between, say, FP4 and PanF.

Efke/Adox 25, Pan F and Rollei PAN25 are the last traditional low speed B&W films left on the market.

Other options: high resolution micro films: Copex or Imagelink together with the SPUR developers but in fact suitable for 35mm only and a very good optical lens.

 

3 different classical films and different looks. Efke has a big batch to batch deviation, Pan F seems to be very difficult under contrastly situations and the Rollei is rather expensive, specially in the USA.

 

An example of the Rollei Pan25, E.I. 25, 35mm.

 

Regards,

 

Robert

Foma 100 in Rodinal is great stuff too. Best of all PAnF in Rodinal. Good quality film with great results. Better than Efke

Okay, to try and clarify some responses ive gotten....:)

 

I am leaning towards the iso 25 for the granulation, or lack there-of. I have seen a lot of landscape photos taken with the APX25 and knew I had found the film I wanted. As we know, it is no longer made. Despair :(

 

Anyway, I see where commments have been made for the Rollei Pan 25 being the "exact" same as the APX 25. Is that really true? It seems to be, but I havent been able to view any shots that used this film. I dont really consider it too pricey. $6 per roll isnt too bad, but it is more expensive than the usual $3 per roll for B&W, so I understand the "pricey" side of it. I can live with it as long as I get results close to that of the APX 25.

 

I also see that everyone likes the EFKE25. I'll probably buy a couple of rolls of this just for the heck of it to try it out.

 

Ive never been too impressed with Ilford films. I liken them with the Kodak, and just tend to avoid them.

 

Now, my developer here uses the TMAX chemicals. Everyone has told me to develop it in the Rodinal. Is there a company I can send the expoed rolls to for developing that wont screw them up and wont rape me on price? Also, if possible, I would like the option of sephia with whomever develops my film.

 

Thanks for all the help so far, I really appreciate it!

I agree with Pete about shooting tmax 100. Tmax 100 is very fine grain and its sold everywhere and readily available. Efke is only sold by a few vendors and its commonly unavailable for months at a time. Its fine film but for me I can't afford to stock up on 100's of rolls when it happens to be available. As for the Rollei Pan 25 it is agfa apx 25, but I'm not sure it will be around for very long either. I'm not sure they will continue to make it, does anyone know? I prefer to shoot tmax 100 its very consistent and very fine grain. If I want finer grain I'll shoot 4x5.

Speaking of the SPUR....I looked at it on J&C (SPUR Copex), and it seems pretty advanced. Anyone have any photos they have taken with this stuff? Id love to see it. I know that my local developing center does not have the SPUR chemicals, so is there a place (if I decide to try it out) that will use the SPUR that I can send it to?

 

Thanks!

About the Rollei R3 and Pan 25 film (Reaction of Mr. Schr�der, general manager of Maco (MPP=Maco Photo Products) in a German forum:

 

ROLLEI + ORWO

F�r manche Marktteilnehmer �berraschend war die Entscheidung der Firma ROLLEI, der MPP die Alleinvertriebsrechte f�r ROLLEI Analog-Verbrauchsmaterial zu �bertragen. Entscheidend daf�r war das Wissen der Verantwortlichen, dass die Filme unter der ROLLEI Marke k�nftig

in Deutschland produziert werden. Ich war �berrascht, dass einige derjenigen, die sich sonst so fachkundig 䵳sern, nicht wissen, dass eine Firma ORWO FILMOTEC seit vielen Jahren in Wolfen LAUFBILDFILME produziert. Mit und ohne Tonspur. Die Basis f�r die ROLLEI Vertriebsrechte war u.a. die erfolgreiche Kooperation der Firmen ORWO Filmotec und MPP in Bezug auf die Anfertigung von Filmen f�r den Nicht-Laufbild-Bereich. Diese Zusammenarbeit besteht seit mehreren Jahren. Ich habe mich nicht zu den oft hart an die Grenzen des Ertr䧬ichen gehenden Unterstellungen ge䵳sert: MPP Filme verdienen nicht �Made in Germany�.

MPP hat niemals ein Produkt als �Made in Germany� deklariert, das diesen Aufdruck nicht verdient h䴴e.

 

So partial production of their films are comming from OrWo Filmotec.

PAN25 has some characteristics of APX25 but is certainly NOT the same film.

SPUR is very special.

J&C is the only one doing SPUR in the USA in combination with Impex Berlin.

We are their Dutch distributer but also for Rollei/Maco B&W films.

 

http://www.spur-photo.de

Okay, one more question real quick...What (if any) filter should be used with these films?

I did a direct comparison of Efke R25 against some expired (2004, I think) APX25 a while back on a shoot at Alcatraz. I'll dig up the negatives, figure out which scans are which, and post some samples. But they seem pretty similar to me.

 

Ilford is supposedly working on a Delta 25. That was something rumored and kinda confirmed, IIRC, on APUG several months ago. Not sure on status.

 

allan

All data of the new Rollei films are available on our web site:

http://www.FotohuisRoVo.nl

 

and also on the Rollei and Maco website, I think in the mean time also in English. (Dutch is very German similar)

Adox/Efke 25 is almost red blind. The curve of the Rollei PAN25 is going till approx. 650nm.

Robert, where you said " Adox/Efke 25 is almost red blind. The curve of the Rollei PAN25 is going till approx. 650nm", can you explain that a little more simply? I kinda undersand the terminology, but not entirely. What does this mean as far as EFKE VS. Rollei?

It means that something taht looks like a certain tone of red will come out darker than you think on the print. So if you shoot, say, the rollei and the red comes out like a dark grey in the print, it'll be pitch black with the Efke 25.

 

allan

Exactly.

 

Robert

Thanks!

 

BTW, Who sells the EFKE that actually has it in stock??? I checked J&C and not only do they not have it in stock, they arent shipping until after the 22nd. Ill already have needed it by then. Also, I checked freestyle, and they are out of the R25 (120). Know of any US distributors?