Efke B&W films - any opinions?

[leighb]

<p>B&H has a selection of Efke film available.</p>

<p>Anybody used this brand? Opinions / observations / processing recommendations?</p>

<p>My applications would be for slow / fine grain emulsions.</p>

<p>TIA</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

 

[SCL]

<p>I used some about a year ago and really liked the rendition. I used 35mm Efke 25and Rodinal developer, great tonality and contrast, I have crystal clear 11x14 prints of these two pictures from the same roll on my wall. Most people who see them think I used my 120 camera for the shots.</p><div></div>

[SCL]

<p>And #2</p><div></div>

[leighb]

<p>Very nice shots, Stephen. You and I seem to like similar subjects.</p>

<p>Thanks for the info.</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

 

[Mike Gammill]

Efke emulsions are a little soft, but I still use non-hardening fixer. The Efke 25 is good film. Never tried the 50 and didn't

care much for the 100.

Great shots. It takes a lot of skill to use a slow, high resolution film to maximum advantage.

[ken_kartes]

I shoot it and like it. Might shoot a roll in my Nikon S2 tomorrow if the weather holds. Shoot a roll, better yet, shoot three.

[leicaglow]

<p>I used quite a bit of it, trying to like it. In the end, I was too annoyed by the curl of the film, and the inability to get it to scan well for larger production. I also do not like using a hardening fixer.</p>

[yog_sothoth]

<p>I like efke 25 a lot. I prefer Adox pan 25, but the efke 25 is certainly very good.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>Last time I tried Efke film was in 2003. The <a href="../photo/1710632">R100 was excellent, especially in Neofin Blue</a>. Curled a little more than Kodak or Ilford film but was manageable. No idea if the current crop of Efke film is the same stuff.</p>

[Fotohuis RoVo]

<p>The Efke 25 is almost an Orthopan film while Efke 100 has the regular sensitizers.<br>

About the material: Efke 35mm are based on Tri-Acetate (130 micron) while the 120 roll films are based on Polyester (100 micron). The last curls lots more.<br>

The original type film (50's) was from dr. Schleussner later Dupont (Adox) and in the 70's sold to Efke. In 2003 the Fotochemika company became a private company.<br>

Best fit with Efke (single layer) films are Beutler A+B, Neofin Blue and Rodinal. Beutler and Neofin Blue will give a very high acutance and sharpness with these single layer films at box speed. Rodinal also but has some less acutance with these films.<br>

<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3311/3531595018_f19fb577aa.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="318" /></p>

<p>Efke 25 E.I. 25 in Beutler A+B 1+1+10 7:00 Minutes.<br>

(Leica) M7 + Summarit 2,5/75mm.</p>

 

[raymond_wilson]

<p>Leigh,</p>

<p>I love it. This is the 25ASA critter in a Yashica 124G, wide open. (f3.5 iirc)</p>

<p><a href="http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y171/d4xycrq/Kimbolton%20Car%20Show/?action=view&current=Frame4.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y171/d4xycrq/Kimbolton%20Car%20Show/Frame4.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a></p>

<p>Ray</p>

[raymond_wilson]

<p>Leigh,</p>

<p>And perhaps this is what you can expect for skin-tones...<br>

<a href="http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y171/d4xycrq/Kimbolton%20Car%20Show/?action=view&current=Frame15.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y171/d4xycrq/Kimbolton%20Car%20Show/Frame15.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br>

By the way, I can't tell what developer I used. It could have been Ilford or Jessop's or maybe HC-110.</p>

<p>Best regards,</p>

<p>Ray<br /></p>

[raymond_wilson]

<p>Hmmm.... The preview window showed the image...what happened?</p>

<p><a href="http://s5.photobucket.com/albums/y171/d4xycrq/Kimbolton%20Car%20Show/?action=view&current=Frame15.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y171/d4xycrq/Kimbolton%20Car%20Show/Frame15.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></p>

<p> </p>

[anthony_valvo]

<p>I do like EFKE 25. The film has an old school look with lots of contrast. Its also great in the DR5 process, for B&W slides. Lately, I've shot some Pan-F and I'm liking that too.<br>

Shot below is in EfKE 25.<br>

Anthony</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

[jay_de_fehr]

<p>I haven't used much Efke film; one roll of Efke 25, if I remember correctly. Jim Byers posted at my blog some impressive examples of Eke 25 developed in 510-Pyro:</p>

<p><a href="http://pyrostains.blogspot.com/2010/04/jim-byers-on-stand-development.html">http://pyrostains.blogspot.com/2010/04/jim-byers-on-stand-development.html</a></p>

<p><a href="http://pyrostains.blogspot.com/2010/03/spring-is-here-camellias-are-blooming.html">http://pyrostains.blogspot.com/2010/03/spring-is-here-camellias-are-blooming.html</a></p>

<p>And attached is one from my roll, also developed in 510-Pyro. Based on my limited experience, I prefer Ilford Pan F+, Kodak TMX, or Fuji Acros, but I haven't given the Efke anything like a fair trial. I'd like to try some more of it, based on others' images made with it, and I'd like to try it with my other developers, both of which should be very good candidates as single agent, acutance developers. </p><div></div>

[edward_zimmermann]

<p>Yes. I know Efke. Its lower grade film made with obsolete film emulsions on a not terribly good base. That's the charm. Its part of getting a 1950s look. They are the best retro films out there--- including the material faults and quirks of the era. Its not really a 1950s film but its quirky enough to consider it one.. (films really did improve through the 1990s and the emulsions still continue to improve despite the significant maturity of the film technology) They are quite pleasant to work with as long as curly and unruly bases don't bother you...<br>

Efke 25 is not quite a replacement for APX25 but closer than any other slow film currently available.<br>

Don't expect the tonality, sharpness or quality of the Agfa APX film that once were but... Agfa are also no longer really with us--- save in our fridges and as APX-100 and APX-400 in KB-135 still being cut down from master rolls (albeit not quite to the quality, in my opinion, of Agfa that was)...<br>

As a slow fine grain film they are the wrong choice. Kodak TMax-100 has smaller grain and is sharper than Efke 25. The tonality and look, however, are quite different between the two and Efke is probably more error tolerant.<br>

For slow finest grain film the best choice are underdeveloped micro and document films--- "underdeveloped" to tame their high contrast. There are a number of developers suitable. Most popular these days are probably POTA, H&W Control and the commercial developers provided by Heribert Schain under the SPUR brand.<br>

My favorite microfilm is Agfa Copex Rapid A.H.U. They are still available from Agfa but unfortunately in 35mm width only the PET 13 without perforations. Perforated Copex loaded in KB-135 cassettes is, however, available from a number of vendors.</p>

[cj8281]

<p>Efke in 127 size is about the only game in town that is readily available. My baby Yashica digests it just fine and it turns out quite nice for prints.</p>

[leighb]

<blockquote>

<p>Efke in 127 size is about the only game in town that is readily available.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Hmmm...</p>

<p>Now if they'd only put it out in 828 my Kodak Bantam would be happy as a pig in doodoo.</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

 

[spanky]

<p>I have a love/hate relationship with Efke (Adox films btw are the exact same as Efke). I love these films for their amazing sharpness and overall "look" which may suit some tastes and not others.; only you can decide. I started shooting these about five years ago but couldn't really get all I thought I could out these films. I started shooting Ilford Pan F+ and Agfa APX 100 instead. Once I ran out of the APX I gave Ilford FP4 and Kodak Plus-X a go but I really didn't care for either one. I recently decided to give Adox/Efke 100 another try. I was blown away! In the years since I last used these films, I've gotten better at exposure and developing. Even one of the teachers at the college I take classes at was impressed by the resolution of the 100 speed film. I developed these in Rodinal 1+100 but someday would like to try them in Beutler. I then decided to try the 50 speed film. The 25 speed is just too slow for me. Again I was impressed. Adox/Efke 50 easily looks sharper then Pan F+. I also develop these in Rodinal 1+100. Furthermore, at $.50 a roll cheaper then Pan F+ this will amount to considerable savings over the long run given my volumes shooting.<br>

Now for the not so good aspects of Adox/Efke. While these films do require some care in handling due to the soft emulsion while wet, it really isn't any different then how one should handle any film. A pre-soak is also recommended for these films. If you shoot 120 size as I do, be prepared for light leaks. For some reason, the backing paper on these films just don't keep out light as well as Kodak or Ilford. Light streaks along the outer edge of the films is charming, however when it leaks into your image as posted in my 2nd example below, it's aggravating. It's because of this I'm on the fence on weather or not I will continue using these films. I like the look and sharpness, I don't like the light leaks. So far I seem to have this issue more with the 50 speed film then the 100 speed. I still have about 20 rolls to develop and about another 25 rolls waiting to be exposed. Once I finish these I'll make my decision. There also used to be some people who experienced the emulsion sliding off the base but I have not had this happen either recently or five years ago when I began shooting these films; maybe the manufacturer solved this problem. I guess you will just have to try a couple rolls and decide for yourself. That's part of the fun!</p><div></div>

[spanky]

<p> </p><div></div>

[Fotohuis RoVo]

<p>Rollei Retro 80S is also available in 127 roll film format.</p>

[edward_zimmermann]

<p>Rollei Retro 80s is hardly a "retro" film. Its an aviation film--- really Agfa-Gaevert Aviphot Pan 80. Its quite a modern aviation film coated onto a modern polyester base. Since its an aviation film its got a very extended red sensitivity up into 750 nm. The ADOX films of yesterday (and Efke of today) have very low red sensitivity... Traffic and aviation films are quite interesting.. and they are (when not purchased by amateurs as exotic boutique film) very cheap. It was a natural choice for 127, 120 and 220 since it comes in a wide 240mm width so can be easily cut down into roll film size..</p>

[marike1]

<p>I use Efke 25 as my main film for 4x5. I like to develop it in PMK Pyro best, but have gotten good results from Rodinal, Xtol, and HC110. It's a great film for low light as grain is minimal. </p><div></div>

[matthew_colodny]

<p>You have to be very careful in metering the Efke(adox) films compared to others. The film is very generous in measuring shadow detail and midtone detail, but the slightest tweak in the wrong direction in terms of exposure can really cause problems with the highlights. I also second the issues regarding curling and light leaks. When they say to load the film in subdued light they really mean it. There's a reason the film (The adox at least) is provided with those handy light safe cases in 120 size. Still, despite the setbacks, the Efke (Adox) 25 and 100 developed in rodinal (1+100) produces razor sharp results. </p>

[matthew_colodny]

<p>You have to be very careful in metering the Efke(adox) films compared to others. The film is very generous in measuring shadow detail and midtone detail, but the slightest tweak in the wrong direction in terms of exposure can really cause problems with the highlights. I also second the issues regarding curling and light leaks. When they say to load the film in subdued light they really mean it. There's a reason the film (The adox at least) is provided with those handy light safe cases in 120 size. Still, despite the setbacks, the Efke (Adox) 25 and 100 developed in rodinal (1+100) produces razor sharp results. </p>