Efke 25 4x5: First Impressions

[robert_cardon]

Recently I purchased and tested out some 4x5 Efke 25 , with the hope

of expanding my options when it comes to achieving a correct match

between film and subject (both brightness range and tonality)

requirements � OK, I�ll admit to looking for a magic bullet too. At

any rate, I shot several normal contrast (5-6 stop range) scenes with

the film rated at 25 ISO, and one low contrast one using the Efke

rated at 25, shadows on Zone III. The film was developed in a Jobo

3010 drum on a CPA-2 using ABC pyro mix 1.5:3:100 for five minutes at

speed 3, 21 degrees C, and identical exposures with the same mix at 4

minutes at the lowest speed I could get. Next I printed the negs on

an enlarger with a cold light source, first with no filtration (which

is what I normally do to see what I got).

 

The negs looked great on the light box, lots of snap, but when I

printed them, I found that the contrast was very high, compared to

the FP4 and HP5 I normally shoot. I was getting paper white

highlights with adequate shadow detail off the negs developed at 5

minutes, a bit lower highlight densities with the 4 minute negs. One

thing I noticed was that the highlights really expanded for both

development times. Normally on an pyro developed FP4 or HP5 neg, I

can pull out at lot of detail in the highlights, e.g., clouds. The

Efke didn�t give me as much detail with a burn in. The one shot I

took in subdued light yielded great overall tonality, but the sky

densities were akin to what would be achieved on Ortho film, very

much like I got with the HP5 of the same scene. This one printed

fine.

 

Frankly, it was difficult to print the EFKE negs, even with a grade 1

filter, and even burning in didn�t give me the cloud detail I�ve been

getting with the Ilford films. Normally I can pull a fairly decent

print out of the Ilford negs even if they�re over or under developed

a tad. Both the 4 and 5 minute times gave similar results. I

suspect the negs were of higher contrast than what I�ve been

accustomed to dealing with.

 

While this is hardly a scientific test, I think it�s safe to say the

Efke 25 expands tremendously in a rotary processor. I�m not sure

this is the film to use for everyday, normal contrast situations, but

if you have a very low contrast scene, Efke 25 could be the ticket,

e.g. some place like Chaco Canyon in subdued light (those who have

shot there on a cloudy day know exactly what I�m talking about).

 

Perhaps the film responds differently using tray or gas burst

development. Or it could be that Jobo development (continuous

agitation) is not appropriate for this film unless pronounced

contrast is desired. At any rate, it seems that EFKE 25 is a great

film if you really want to liven up a low contrast scene, and it

would be exceptional for doing Alt process work from what I�ve read.

On the other hand, more diluted developers or less agitation (or

both) may render the film adequate for general use.

 

Anybody else have any experience or insight on Efke 25?

 

RJ

[mark_sampson]

A rule of thumb is that slower films have inherently shorter scales (higher contrast)than faster ones. There's a law of physics in there somewhere... There's no reason, though, that you can't get the results you want. You just have to be willing to keep trying. Perhaps a different developer or dilution, decreased exposure index with less development, only the tests will tell. It's the testing, not the film or developer, that is the "magic bullet".

[john lehman, college alask]

Back in the days before T- and delta-grain films, it was conventional wisdom that film speed was inversely correlated with contrast; along with exposure and development, people used to use Tri-X and Super-XX with neutral density filters in order to control contrast in very sunny conditions. Just another tool in the arsenal :-)

[c_p_goerz]

Hey there,

 

I bought some of this film too for the same reason you are having trouble. I LOVE the short scale which makes it perfect for dull flat scenes that may be visually interesting but nothing a filter can really help.

 

The main drawback as you have noticed is the high end tends to blow out. I develop by inspection with PMK and get tasty results. You may want to try that method or try diluting your developer further to tame the top end. It may be worth your while to shoot a whole scale of negs from zone 2-9(grey card that fills the frame or a white wall etc) just to see the steps on paper and tailor your development accordingly.

 

It is an excellent film and once you master the development you can get some amazing shadows and dazzling highlights. As the prior answer mentioned the proportion of contrast to film speed is very true.

 

 

CP Goerz

[donald_miller1]

Have you thought of trying Pyrocat HD? At 1-1-100 dilution it produces outstanding negatives for silver enlarging.

[aaron_van_de_sande]

The highlights are NOT blown out. Try making a contact print, it's all there.

[david_flockhart1]

The advise to try developer dilution or type is good advise. Last week I tested some

Efke PL100 with both ABC pyro and Pyrocat HD then printed on Azo grade 2. The

ABC negs had blown out highlights and the Pyrocat HD didn't. Both had adequate

shadow detail. Same scene and lighting for the test.

[jeffrey_scott]

A couple of friends of mine have tried the EFKE and I process and print for them. I too have had trouble with this film, I am still dialing it in but I keep having to cut my developing time down or dilute the developer more and more every time I process the EFKE, and I am still not where I'd like to see it; what a PITA.

[jim_galli4]

Is there an echo in here. Shooting 5X7 today with Kodak Pan X Aerial at ASA 40 (a change from 32 where I always shot before) and it sounds like the same stuff. 4 minutes in Rollo Pyro and with cold light, I can print fine. An interesting aside, While I was shooting an old deserted residence with Joshua tree landscaping, a friend pulled in next door at his mom's old place. I walked over to ask if the '15 T was still in the shed and he said no it had been sold a couple of years ago and he was storing his 1928 Caterpillar 10 in the shed now. He opened up the door and it was a scene from 1950. Just what I was looking for. I did a mental inventory of which lenses were with me today and thought "this is a job for the dog" (150mm goerz dogmar) Meter was telling me 4 seconds at f32 1/3 in this cave and the cheat sheet said 13. So I did one at 13 and intuitively thought that doesn't seem like enough and did a second at 21 seconds. In 150 ml of Rollo Pyro I developed the 1st for 4 minutes 24 seconds. It was perfectly useable, about what I expected. Then I developed the second in the same previously used pyro (big no-no) for 3 min's 30 seconds. What can I say, it's perfect with great detail all through the shadows. So much for that. I guess I'm saying the slow ultra contrasty films are still useable in high contrast situations.

<center><img src=http://tonopahpictures.0catch.com/G-Claron/150Dogmar_8.jpg><br>

<p><i><b>1928 Orchard Caterpillar 10</b></i></center>

 

Note: Pic soon. It's still drying. jg

[lacey_smith4]

if the highlight detials are there, would not sandwiching the neg with a blank-developed neg reduce overall contrast -- this trick is like the masking of PMK itself -- the darkest part of the negative cannot get darker, the lightest gets Film-Base more density, thus a less contrasty negative. I do not think you ever lose all those dark negative highlights, though you might smear the upper zones a little.

[tim_curry]

It sounds like the Efke at 25 in rollo is running too fast. Slow it down a bit. Do a zone test for zones 1-3 (most likely you will be at asa 12 with pyro) and then check development times for zone 8. One advantage with this film is VERY firm highlight detail but, development times are critical. This is B&W's answer to Velvia.

[aaron_van_de_sande]

Efke pl25 is the one film I have tried where you can normal contrast negatives with Weston pyro (3:1:1).

Others have reported good results for pl100 using 2:1:1 .

Straight abc seems to be too reactive to use with efke films.