What happened to Efke 25 Film?

[borgida]

Hello

I know there have been a lot of posts on this subject.

However, something has happened to Efke 25 4x5 film. The film which used to be rich and delicious when developing in PMK Pyro is now flat and looks like milk toast. What has happened to this film over the past year? I have purchased many boxes from JandC Photo (both under the Efke and Adox name) and the film is just flat and lacks richness.

So, why did JandC photo switch the film name from Efke to Adox? Why was the film out of stock for so long this year? Does Freestyle have the good Efke 25 film now and is JandC Photo selling from a different factory?

This is a big issue about quality control and I have lost a lof of money buying film which is flat and lifeless.

Whoever else is using Efke, John at JandC photo, and Freestyle Photo, please let me know your thoughts and what is being done to get Efke to be how great it once was.

Best Regards,
Ross Borgida

 

[Dave Wooten]

Just got a lot of it even up to 11 x 14 and 4 x 5 it is fine

 

[borgida]

What happened to Efke film?

Just got a lot of it even up to 11 x 14 and 4 x 5 it is fine

Where did you buy the film from? Freestyle or JandC?

 

[Dave Wooten]

Got it from J and C, I also got some 7 x 11 but havent tried it yet...

 

[borgida]

What is Efke film?

Got it from J and C, I also got some 7 x 11 but havent tried it yet...

When did you buy the film from JandC Photo? I bought film within the last two months? Two boxes and they were both bad.

 

[Dave Wooten]

Definately in the last 2 months, have you changed developer...mixed a new batch to check etc.

 

[Alicouscous]

Are they Efke or Adox ?
I think the Adox line is not fine, only the authentic Efke film is good .

 

[Jerevan]

Gee, I hope it's not one of those "Elvis is the Devil incarnate" threads again...

Check your chemicals, test with something else if you have it - otherwise get in touch with JandC. I think they can help you out, in whatever way they can.

Adox IS Efke, until someone proves it clearly otherwise!

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

There should be no difference between Efke and Adox films other than possible storage issues. As far as I know, they are identical. John has stated that Adox films will have additional testing for quality control, but I haven't heard about any practical consequences of this at this point in terms of film having been rejected, and John has been up front about such issues in the past.

I'm not a fan of Efke 25 myself, but I shoot plenty of Efke/Adox 100, and haven't noticed any sudden changes lately.

 

[Alicouscous]

Adox IS Efke

Hummmm, yes and no .
If you understand German, you can read the forum from fotoimpex . You'll see that many users think that something has been changed in the Adox films . Probabbly they've asked Fotokemika ( company that makes this films ) to add an hardener in the emulsion , and the speed has changed .
If you buy Adox , you have to test your batch to find its real speed and adapt your development process .

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

It is my understanding that the only difference between Efke 25 and Adox 25 is the label - both films are made by Fotokemika. I have not tried the film with the Adox label, but I shoot a lot of the film that carries the Efke label.

I am shooting Efke 25 (bought from J&C) in multiple formats, 35mm, 120 rollfilm and sheet film sizes up to 8x10 with no problems at all. My developer is Pyrocat and I've recently been comparing Efke 25 developed in Pyrocat-HD vs Pyrocat-P vs Pyrocat-MC. Results with Efke 25 have been excellent in all 3 versions of Pyrocat.

I've recently been using Efke 25 Lot 310493 and Efke 25 Lot 310580.

Check your developer and your development processes.

 

[Alicouscous]

have a look on this :

http://www.fotolaborforum.eu/index.php?showtopic=1041&st=0

 

[Alicouscous]

They have an english section too, please have a look here :

http://www.fotolaborforum.eu/index.php?showtopic=1057

 

[borgida]

Efke Film - Where?

Are they Efke or Adox ?
I think the Adox line is not fine, only the authentic Efke film is good .

Do you know where authentic Efke is being sold? Freestyle>

Thanks
Ross

 

[lenny]

I'm going to pipe in here. First of all, Ross is not crazy, nor is he inconsistent at developing. I have had the exact same results. Last year, let's say January 2005, Efke 25 film was a marvel. It looked like Super XX, had rich, delicious tones and plenty of midtone separation. Further, in PMK, the grains were tight together, making it a perfect film for high end drum scanning. Perfect scanning densities (IMO) are up around 2.0-2.2 and the grains held together for this...

In September I bought a box and went to Pt. Lobos. It was a wasted trip - the images were flat and very grainy. The difference is not trivial. Developing longer does not make a difference. It is very easy to take a quick shot outside one's house and develop it - and see whether a box is bad or not.

If the earlier film was a different film, I'd like to know what it is, because I want more of it. No other film I tested compares with it. I was even hoping to use the 100 ISO version of this film when 25 gets too slow... but I have never gotten a box of the 100 that is a "good" box. I have tested many since last year, even after they said they had new stuff at jandc and none of it passes the test. The quality is all over the place...

I have tried a dozen different kinds of film, mostly all using 4x5 sheets and nothing can match any one of a half-dozen different films from the 70's. Why can't anyone make a decent piece of film anymore? Ilford assures me that FP4 Plus has just as much silver as FP4 (no plus) and from where I sit, they ruined it. The modern, TGrained films are a joke when it comes to midtone separation. I am a 40 year veteran who knows his craft very well.

So, does anyone know what the old Efke was, if there is some way to get some more of it?

 

[Alicouscous]

Yes, Normally freestyle is official reseller for Efke in USA .
Personnaly I buy this films directly in Croatia where they are made, with help from a friend .

 

[Rolleijoe]

I too purchase from Freestyle. In fact they are the exclusive distributor now for Efke and Foma stocks. Just shot my 1st roll of Efke 25, looking forward to seeing the results. I still have about 3 bricks of Agfapan 25 in the freezer, saved for special occasions.

 

[Rolleijoe]

Yes, Normally freestyle is official reseller for Efke in USA .
Personnaly I buy this films directly in Croatia where they are made, with help from a friend .

I'd like to have such a friend! The Fotokemika papers are the best since the older Agfa fiber papers. Easy & predictible printing results.

 

[Alicouscous]

My friend is leaving in France but he's going in Croatia every years for hollidays during summer . He buys the films for me directly from the factory shop in Samobor .
It's not possible for me to buy films for you because the problems with X-ray controls in airports . I think freestyle is a good resellers for us and canadians customers .

 

[removed account4]

when the ekfe banner appeared here on apug and the link didn't go to j&c, i wrote john and asked him what had happened. he told me ( wish i still had the pm i'd quote it ) that he is dealing in adox films now. he also said adox and ekfe are the same film with the only thing different being the name on the box.

 

[Alicouscous]

I just give you the infos I know..............you've to make your own opinion now.

 

[Aggie]

Was it not all a question of how long the film had aged the real reason for differences in what is the same exact film? If you are having troubles with the Adox, stick it in the fridge to age for a bit, then try it again. Even Kodak aged their films. Problem with Efke/Adox (they are the same film) is one batch to the next it depends on how long they let it age. If they get a large order, they will ship out not fully aged film. What I've always done is make sure I have plenty on hand, and when I get so low, order more so I can guarentee that it has aged at least in my fridge long enough. I never seem to run out of film that way. What is sad is the sellers like J&C are the ones who take the non aging issue in the shorts. Efke doesn't care. They sold their goods, now let the buyers figure it out. John has always stood behind his products. I'm only answering this since he posted last he was going to be in Germany for a while. He is due back soon according to that same post, but I don't think he has made it yet.

 

[borgida]

Well, I am skeptical about everything as Efke and J and C Photo as they have never given a clear explanation about what has happened to their film.

So I am going to buy a box from FreeStyle to test. I will let everyone know the results.

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

They have an english section too, please have a look here :

http://www.fotolaborforum.eu/index.php?showtopic=1057

Thanks for the link, Alicouscous.

This explains why my Efke films are behaving in a predictable way. I always run my own sensitometric tests (developed in my developer in my developing process), on each manufacturing lot, type and size of film that I buy.

 

[Aggie]

Well, I am skeptical about everything as Efke and J and C Photo as they have never given a clear explanation about what has happened to their film.

So I am going to buy a box from FreeStyle to test. I will let everyone know the results.

That is so much BS! J&C has always given information as to what has happened. John has gone out of his way to be part of the apug community. Freestyle comes here to announce who has been promoted at their company with no further info.

I just checked the [post you have made, all 6 of them, and each one has been to bash J&C. Seems there is an ulterior motive going on here.