ORWO Live! Test shots.

<p>These are test shots from ORWO UN54 100ASA from Filmotech, Wolfen. I bought this film in a roll 400feet. That was the smallest dimension I could buy. Recently, they are also selling 100feet rolls. I had kept this in a freezer at home for a suitable day when I could re-roll the film in cassettes in the dark. However, my refrigerator had a short circuit and the freezer was full of vinyl chloride vapors and soot, when I opened it last fortnight. Either the chloride vapors or the heat baked the plastic cassettes and the inner plastic lining of the freezer out of shape and warped them all. All my films in retail packs were de-sensitized. Luckily, the ORWO metal-can seems to have protected the big roll. Last night I re-rolled about a 100feet into my loader and then on to a cassette.<br /><br />Loaded the cassette in my Praktica Nova IB with Oreston and took a few test shots this morning. This film is made on a base [Mylar, possibly, or equivalent] thicker than all the retail B&W cassettes I have seen. Loads firmly in the scanner. The emulsion seems to have more depth; those are the first impressions. May find something more. Here are some samples.<br /><br /></p><div></div>

<p>Was going to use a Zorki; but changed my mind that this DDR camera should be more appropriate for ORWO. I am thinking that JDM would approve! :)</p><div></div>

<p>The ORWO dealer in Bombay tells me that this film is made for the Documentary film makers. So, he sells mostly 1000feet rolls. He had to special order this for me from Filmotech. Dull Monsoon light this morning provided a good test atmosphere. This film seems to provide heavier tones and more depth than the earlier ORWO/Nova films. I may have to tune my brew a little to get a good balance.</p><div></div>

<p>IT was full of small shops till now. Newer investors seem to be going in for larger buildings. We see shacks associated with construction workers in the picture above.</p><div></div>

<p>This would yield soon to larger retail establishments.</p><div></div>

<p>They don't have much of a congregation in numbers in this locale. But they seem to be wealthy enough to expand.</p><div></div>

<p>They built this sidewalk only last week. Another utility is digging it all up. There is very little coordination among these agencies and contractors.</p>

<p>I am happy with the tests. These are preliminary. Shall post more in the near future. This film is promising me some pleasant days with the cameras. Thanks for viewing; appreciate your comments. regards, sp.</p>

<p>Very full tones, <strong>SP</strong>. Is it my imagination or is there a more pronounced grain than your images usually display? The Old Nova B looks very fine, and the Oreston certainly gives that trademark impression of depth and dimension. "Bus Stop"conveys this very well. I'm sorry to hear of the freezer disaster! Thanks for another interesting post.</p>

<p>SP as always your pictures are full of life and bustle, thanks for posting.</p>

<p>Thanks <strong>Rick</strong>! You are right about the grain; that is why I said that I need to tune my brew to get the best out of this film. Perhaps some more dilution and more salt would help. I develop very near 80 F. Thanks <strong>John</strong>; I am hoping to get to the other parts of the city soon and make some pictures of the older Bazaars. sp.</p>

<p>JDM definitely approves. Both the symbolic act and the actual practice are much appreciated.</p>

<p>You're certainly plucking out good shadow detail with your brew. Higher contrast might cause those to block up, I'm wondering.</p>

<p>Sorry to hear about the problems with your freezer. Too bad! I'm glad that at least the ORWO survived--that would have been especially tragic to loose a whole big roll.</p>

<p>I'm still debating as to whether it is worth it to try to get one of the 30m rolls directly from Wolfen. They emailed me back with details, but the problem is the very high Deutsche Post rates to get it from there to here.</p>

<p>I also did some shooting this last (so-called Labor Day) weekend on a couple of old DDR cameras too. They are interesting remnants of the "Workers' and Farmers' State." I shot some 2006-expired Ilford XP2 <em>super</em> 400 in a Contax D with a Zeiss Biotar 58mm f/2 stop-down lens at the local state fair. Then on Sunday, I shot in a state park called "Giant City" with a Praktina IIa with a Tessar 50mm f/2.8 on the same film. I'll be posting some of these later on. It's the first time I have tried any of the C-41 chemistry B&W.</p>

 

<p>Much better than the results I got from the only B&W ORWO films I have known, NP22 and NP27. I agree than increased contrast might create problems.</p>

<p>I have had good results from the former Orwo NP22 125 ISO film but did not make big enlargements then (1987).</p>

<p>NP22 was frame numbered in terms of the half-frame format, the numbers running from 1-87.I wonder if it is the same emulsion that SP has obtained recently.</p>

<p>According to Filmotech the new films at ASA100 and ASA400 are very different from the NPseries. I believe the company Filmotech itself is new and that they have bought over the old ORWO premises and developed new products, including special films for security cameras and the like. I have also had good results from the old ORWO films and have posted some pictures on PN. sp.</p>

<p>Sorry! I misspelt the name; it should be "<strong>FilmoTec GmbH". </strong>sp<strong><br /></strong></p>

<p>SP, nice series. Please keep posting these shots from your neighborhood!</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"This film seems to provide heavier tones and more depth than the earlier ORWO/Nova films" -</p>

</blockquote>

<p>maybe you just need to develop for a shorter time. In any case, you have enough film for a few tests there!</p>

<p>Subbarayan,<br>

What kind of developer did you use? Sorry about your freezer. I can imagine the mess. I usually reroll the whole amount into the cassettes and then pack them into the zip-locks that actually also keep dewpoint out of cassettes, they never collect any ice accumulations...Orwo is looking good. </p>

<p>Thanks <strong>Julio</strong>; I hope to have a lot of fun and joy with this film. Hi!<strong> KP</strong> my developer is a home brew made from some basic chemicals supplied for X-ray developers in the Hospitals. That was the only source available when i started here. However, now some more basic chemicals are available from lab supplies. If you are interested in the formula it goes as below, approximately.</p>

<ul>

<li>Developing agent 15gms. [Metol, most likely].</li>

<li>Accelerator 40gms [sodium Sulphite plus Sodium Carbonate, most likely].</li>

<li>Boric Acid 10 gms.</li>

<li>Water 1000cc.</li>

<li>The above is the <strong>Stock</strong> solution.</li>

</ul>

<p>For the <strong>Working</strong> solution I dilute this 1:9 with water and add "salt to taste" :)) [i am kidding]. Salt is 30gms per litre of Working solution. I develop at ambient temperature, that is, 75 to 80 F here for 8 minutes plus.<br>

For the developing Agent and the Accelerator the manufacturer gave me only general information. Did not give me details. So I have said most likely. I experimented over some year and a half to arrive at this formula of mine, after a lot of reading about photo chemistry. I added the Boric Acid from my neighborhood drug store. i believ it acts as a buffer to sustain the pH level.<br>

Salt is from the kitchen; supposedly works toward producing finer grain. Got the cue for it from Microdol-X formula, speculated upon by many, and from MSDS data from Kodak. After several variations I plotted Nomographs with quality outputs for the quantitative input combination. Then arrived at a bandwidth of reasonable results. I am experimenting still. It is very interesting. I hope I have answered your question. regards sp.</p>