Agfa 25

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pirateoversixty
Posts: 221
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Location: Peoria, Illinois

Agfa 25

Post by pirateoversixty »

Another idle thought from somebody with too much time on his hands. (Get a life, James!!)
Anyway, was just browsing e-bay for some 35mm bulk film, and was amazed at what the bids were for APX 25. I can remember shooting one roll of pre-APX and I wasn't impressed with it. Still have a roll of 35mm in my freezer somewhere. Had an ei of 12, if I remember correctly.
I consider today's emulsions far superior to Agfa's. Delta 100, Acros, and Tmax 100, in my opinion, should be quite beyond Agfa 25 in satisfactory results.
Anyway, I certainly would not be interested in paying the crazy prices some people are willing to pay for this film.
JIM

Jim Appleyard
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Post by Jim Appleyard »

Jim, you certainly do have valid points, but there's more to it. Personally, I can't stand the tones and contrast of t-grain films and I often shoot waterfalls at slow shutter speeds and sometimes there is too much light on the falls; I need a really slow film like APX 25.

There's also "just the way it looks". APX delivered its own flavor as does nay film. It simply always worked well for me.

The prices on ebay for this film are sky-high, but these folks buying it have way too much money.

I've gone to Pan-F and Efke 25 for my slow stuff.

Digitaltruth
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Post by Digitaltruth »

APX 25 has been out of production for some time now, and I've had several people asking about alternatives. While its true that modern medium speed films offer great quality, there are still some slow speed films worth looking at for their different characteristics. Here is a brief analysis which is posted on the site:

http://www.digitaltruth.com/store/produ ... lm_001.php

and more technical info on Rollei Pan 25:

http://www.digitaltruth.com/store/rollei_pan25.html
Digitaltruth Photo
https://www.digitaltruth.com

pirateoversixty
Posts: 221
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 1:21 pm
Location: Peoria, Illinois

Post by pirateoversixty »

Thanks, John. I have seen these comparisons, and was impressed. I guess for my info, it would be interesting to see head to head comparisons of Rollei, Efke, and so forth with Tmax 100 and Acros, exploiting each to its maximum potential with appropriate exposure and developing techniques. I am sure this is on the web somewhere. Anyway, I guess the purpose of my original post was to express amazement that some people would be willing to pay seven bucks a roll, maybe more, for a roll of Agfa 25.
Jim

Ornello
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Re: Agfa 25

Post by Ornello »

pirateoversixty wrote:Another idle thought from somebody with too much time on his hands. (Get a life, James!!)
Anyway, was just browsing e-bay for some 35mm bulk film, and was amazed at what the bids were for APX 25. I can remember shooting one roll of pre-APX and I wasn't impressed with it. Still have a roll of 35mm in my freezer somewhere. Had an ei of 12, if I remember correctly.
I consider today's emulsions far superior to Agfa's. Delta 100, Acros, and Tmax 100, in my opinion, should be quite beyond Agfa 25 in satisfactory results.
Anyway, I certainly would not be interested in paying the crazy prices some people are willing to pay for this film.
JIM
I suggest using Fuji Across 100, which is just about as fine-grained as Agfapan 25, and has better color response. Speed is about 50-64. Try D-76 1:1 to start, try about 5.5 minutes as a starting point.

pirateoversixty
Posts: 221
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 1:21 pm
Location: Peoria, Illinois

Agfa 25

Post by pirateoversixty »

And the madness continues; fleabay: two lots of 10 each Apx25 120 going for 12.40 currently.

Yes, Acros is good. Have trouble finding the grain with either of my focusing devices. Been using Thornton's two-bath or Neofin-type.
Jim

pirateoversixty
Posts: 221
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 1:21 pm
Location: Peoria, Illinois

Agfa 25

Post by pirateoversixty »

Question to Ornello, the mellow fellow:

If I were to rate Acros at a lower ei, and I were to use a developer that works best at a lower ei, say a half to one stop slower, what would you recommend that I expose Acros at?
Jim

Ornello
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Re: Agfa 25

Post by Ornello »

pirateoversixty wrote:Question to Ornello, the mellow fellow:

If I were to rate Acros at a lower ei, and I were to use a developer that works best at a lower ei, say a half to one stop slower, what would you recommend that I expose Acros at?
Jim
I would suggest Paterson FX-39 developer, the best developer I know of. Otherwise, D-76 1:1. The grain of Acros is extremely fine, sharpness is excellent. Best index is around 50-64. I like the color response of Fuji films better than that of the Ilford films. Green foliage is lighter in the Fuji materials. Please consult the table here for use of FX-39:

http://www.digitaltruth.com/chart/scarp ... erson.html

I worked out these times. They are accurate!

pirateoversixty
Posts: 221
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 1:21 pm
Location: Peoria, Illinois

Post by pirateoversixty »

I feel lazy today. Where does one get Patterson products today? FX 39- liquid or powder?
JIM

Ornello
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Post by Ornello »

pirateoversixty wrote:I feel lazy today. Where does one get Patterson products today? FX 39- liquid or powder?
JIM
FX-39 is a liquid. Paterson products will be available through Ilford in the near future. See thread on that topic here.

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/pressroom/article.asp?n=101
Last edited by Ornello on Fri Apr 18, 2008 8:28 am, edited 1 time in total.

Keith Tapscott.
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Location: Plymouth, England.

Post by Keith Tapscott. »

Jon Mided wrote:APX 25 has been out of production for some time now, and I've had several people asking about alternatives. While its true that modern medium speed films offer great quality, there are still some slow speed films worth looking at for their different characteristics. Here is a brief analysis which is posted on the site:

http://www.digitaltruth.com/store/produ ... lm_001.php

and more technical info on Rollei Pan 25:

http://www.digitaltruth.com/store/rollei_pan25.html
The Rollei Pan 25 looks like a good substitute to APX 25.

Ornello
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Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2006 9:49 am

Post by Ornello »

Keith Tapscott. wrote:
Jon Mided wrote:APX 25 has been out of production for some time now, and I've had several people asking about alternatives. While its true that modern medium speed films offer great quality, there are still some slow speed films worth looking at for their different characteristics. Here is a brief analysis which is posted on the site:

http://www.digitaltruth.com/store/produ ... lm_001.php

and more technical info on Rollei Pan 25:

http://www.digitaltruth.com/store/rollei_pan25.html
The Rollei Pan 25 looks like a good substitute to APX 25.
Very slow films, though they have very fine grain, often suffer from poor latitude, and are therefore difficult to work with. Often the best all-around films are medium-speed films. Films such as Acros, though a bit on the slow side to be called medium-speed, are so good that it hardly makes sense to go slower.

pirateoversixty
Posts: 221
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Location: Peoria, Illinois

Agfa 25

Post by pirateoversixty »

Agreed. Back in the day, tried K-25, but that ei drove me crazy. Also, agfa 25 pre-apx; again, that 12 was not getting it. Pan f is a little better, but much prefer the 100's or better.
Jim

Ornello
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Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2006 9:49 am

Re: Agfa 25

Post by Ornello »

pirateoversixty wrote:Agreed. Back in the day, tried K-25, but that ei drove me crazy. Also, agfa 25 pre-apx; again, that 12 was not getting it. Pan f is a little better, but much prefer the 100's or better.
Jim
You should find Acros to be just about as fine-grained as Pan-F, with better color response, better exposure latitude, and a longer, easier-to-control development time. I rate Acros at about 64. I don't use slow films much, but Acros is clearly better than Pan-F in every respect. Ilford Delta 100 is also very good, but Acros again has better color response.

pirateoversixty
Posts: 221
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 1:21 pm
Location: Peoria, Illinois

Agfa 25

Post by pirateoversixty »

Developed a roll of Acros and printed a few negs last nite. Developed film in D-76. Came out just ok. Nothing outstanding. Negs printed ok. I have have used Neopan 400 for a couple of y ears in 35 and 120. I think I will stick with the 400, as I find it very flexible as far as exposure times, and the grain and other qualities are very good. Since the beginning of the year, I have experimented with Delta 100, Plus X, T max 100 (pretty good results), FP 4, and, of course Acros. Actually, all were good, but Neopan 400 does it best for me.
Jim

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