Efke films

[Orio]

Anybody has tried the Efke films?
Feedback?

There is an Italian shop who is having a discount offer on these - 25, 50 and 100 ISO as small format, 100 ISO only for 6x6 format and 127 format (4x4)

I read that they recommend stop bath to be done with water only (no stop chemicals) and fix bath with hardener.

[Orio]

Dang I just noticed I commented earlier today on Bill's thread where he used Efke 400

So Bill how is it?
The 400 ISO is not for sale on the Italian shop - probably out of stock.
I am going to order some 25, 50 and 100 ISO.
Really curious about the 25 and 50 - those were the common ISOs when I was a child.

[Xpres]

I've used the 127 a few times in my brownie with good results. As with most film I put through old folders I developed it in Diafine with which I don't use a stop bath anyway. Maybe it's sensitive to high ph swings?

[hexi]

Hard to find film ... i'll give it a try in 100 iso, but after finishing my ten rolls of Foma

[Orio]

[Xpres]

It's a two bath compensating developer - it basically means you get a printable neg even if you've got the exposure way out which is ideal for testing old cameras - and you can put different films of whatever speed in the same tank as the times are the same for all. Google and see! But it has it's uses in fine work too giving a really great range of tones although at the expense of a bit of grain.
There are a couple of places that stock it in the UK so it might be available in Italy.

[GrahamNR17]

It has a fragmented history. It was bought by Efke from Adox. It is a very old fashioned high silver content film. It's now called Adox again in many markets. It's a very nice film, but with some caveats:

The 35mm version suffers from static electricity discharge which may ruin some shots (about one frame in five rolls is my average).

Do not develop it over 20 deg C. The emulsion is very fragile and will literally start to come away from the film base at higher temperatures. this is a known thing with these film1s, they even warn about it on the Adox web site. Use a hardener in the fixer bath.

The 25 and 50 ASA films, depending on the developer, are capable of huge degrees of enlargement and capable of recording stunning detail.

Quality control at the factory is not all it might be but that just adds to the character.

Enjoy it!

Oh, and they also still make 127 roll size, so you can test those old classic VPKs and stuff

[Orio]

I have split this topic in two because it wasn't talking about Efke films anymore.
The other part is now in the Techniques forum, under "hardening and washing techniques" title.

Now to get back on topic... haven't these Efke films some strange colours?

I photographed them to show it. The ISO 50 is of a rather normal grey, but look at the 100 ISO and 25 ISO. They're blue! Quite saturated (especially the 25) and actually a very nice hue of blue.
I wonder if the old films in the 50s and 60s were of this colour also...



The 6x6 ISO 100 films are sealed so I didn't open them yet.