Agfapan Vario XL, how to expose it and then how to develop it?

[nikos_k]

<p>I have been acquired a few rolls of Agfapan Vario XL. Looking for information on that film, I have came across an agfa add stating that it can be exposed from EI 125 to 1600 in the same roll! How can that be? Is this possible? If I expose the entire roll at 1600, should I ask from the lab to develop it as a 1600 film?</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>Those rolls of Agfapan Vario XL are probably pretty old by now - possibly up to 30 years old - so performance will already be compromised. Like every other C-41 process monochrome film, claims for its extended exposure range are probably greatly exaggerated. It's likely to be best between 100-400, depending on exposure conditions - subject and lighting contrast, etc.</p>

<p>Give it a try and bracket heavily on every important shot. Don't expect much from frames rated at 800-1600 - they'll probably be murky and gritty.</p>

[nikos_k]

<p>If I expose it at 400, should I ask from the lab to process it as ASA 400 or as 125?</p>

[martin_jones1]

<p>It's standard C-41 process. Unless it's a pro lab they may not want to stray from the norm. I last used it in 1983 and I don't feel that it was as good as the competing Ilford product which was XP1 in those days.<br>

When processed, my negs had a purplish tint and although they printed well on normal B & W paper I have tried to scan them recently on a Nikon CS5000 and they seem to confuse the Digital-ICE which is designed for C-41 negs, colour or chromogenic.</p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>Likely you will get better results at lower E.I.s, but experiment anyway. Scan as color negative and desaturate after scanning. Do not order prints from lab as they will probably have a color cast. Or if you have access to a black & white lab the negatives may print well on conventional black & white paper.</p>

[glen_h]

<p>C41 uses the same development time for all films.<br>

As we know from the usual black and white development charts, it is usual for higher speed films to require longer development. <br>

Also, C41 films usually have a low gamma. When adjusting the color filters for C41 printing, if one looks at a print through a filter, one needs to subtract half that filter value from the filter pack to correct for it. This is one reason color negative films have a large exposure latitude.<br>

It doesn't surprise me that a C41 film could allow for a range of EI values with different development times. </p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Thirty years is only yesterday.</p>

<p>Standard C-41, as they say. Even the color C-41 films had(have) wide latitude in exposure (usually at least 3 f-stops).</p>