Topic: Mystery Film from China

[Miles]

Hi All,

Hope you're grand.  Back from wasting film in Canada and France.  Middle son Jacob (Ed - the small Liverpool fan is now 25 ... I know ...) is in China teaching for a year (Tianjin) and got me a Seagull MF SLR, good lad.  He also got me some film that was Shanghai GP3 like and had backing paper number transfer issues.  On this visit he's got me a box of the 135 in the pic below.  Looks like old Kodak canisters with a black sticky label over it as shown and then the white one over the top of that.  Says it's 400 ASA but have no idea "process C41" is painted over which I hope is true as it stick with 100:1 RO9 Stand these days (that works with Ilford XP BTW).

So filmwasters, what do we reckon in might be ?

Got a role on Ortho25 that I ran through my Mr1 Tenax that's developing now, not hoping for too much there ...

[Francois]

Could the "I" stand for Ilford?

I looked at the address on the label and this most probably comes from their mystery film selection. I must say that at 0.10 yuan a roll, this is a steal!

Just fixing a bit of the leader will at least tell you if it is C41 or not...

EDIT: I just used Google Translate and it says the mystery film is color... could be XP2

[Miles]

Interesting, thank chum, I knew you'd know something.  The C41 is oddly painted out on the black label, if it is XP that's grand as copes with RO9 just dandy.

What's the fixer test with the leader ?

[Francois]

You just clip it and dump it in the fixer to remove the silver. If the base is clear, it's either slide film, B&W or XP2. If the base is orange, it's color film... that simple

[Miles]

Ok, so clear, with a bit of a violate tinge, not a shocking XP pink.

Thanks.

[Indofunk]

The XP2 I've used has always had a violet tinge...

[Francois]

Looks like we solved the mystery in a way.

[SLVR]

I'm pretty sure the made in EU would be a good idea of what the film is. I don't think Agfa made any C41 BW films. The only two c41 BW films that I know of are BW400CN and XP2. One made in EU, the other made in the US.

It has to be XP2 simply by default if it is in fact a C41 film.

I'm not sure that I would straight assume that it's XP2 though. The base color of XP2 that I've had processed has always been consistently a vibrant shade of purple.. Yet I've noted some purple hues from other traditional bw films in the past as well.

You have a few rolls so it looks like the only REAL test to me is to shoot it, process it c41 and see if you have a blank film or not.

[Francois]

Or just pull a short length and develop in B&W to check the edge markings...

[Miles]

The fact that the C41 has been actively blanked out and the base quite light compared to XP2 is odd.  Either way I'll load up and shoot soon.  XA2 I think. 

As you say I have a few rolls to try.

[SLVR]

I like Francois' idea. You could lose a little less film just pulling out 5 inches or so in darkness and loading in the tank and souping.

[Kai-san]

I'm pretty sure the made in EU would be a good idea of what the film is. I don't think Agfa made any C41 BW films. The only two c41 BW films that I know of are BW400CN and XP2. One made in EU, the other made in the US.

Konica also had a C41 B&W film, the VX400. I've used it myself, it's quite nice.

[pierre506]

This is AGFA APX 400 B & W Film, expired in 2012.
Suggestion from the seller:
1. Shoot on ISO 100，developing by HC110，dilution H，21℃，12.5 minutes,
2. Shoot on ISO 100，developing by PAISON bw-60 Developer, dilution 1:9,  12 minutes
3. Shoot on ISO 100，developing by Ilford ID 11, dilution 1+1, 16 ℃，20 minutes



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[Miles]

Thanks, was thinking about shooting it at 200 but 100 you say ?

I'll still 100:1 RO9 it standing for an hour as I'm lazy and it's my MO.

[Francois]

So the leftover color would have been the AH layer...

Pierre506: a Frenchman in China?

[pierre506]

Thanks, was thinking about shooting it at 200 but 100 you say ?

I'll still 100:1 RO9 it standing for an hour as I'm lazy and it's my MO.

Someone tested it as ISO 200, upon the results.
It's an expired negative, only good for tested.

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[pierre506]

So the leftover color would have been the AH layer...

Pierre506: a Frenchman in China?

A Chinese in China.
My 1st lover named it to me in her dream.

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[Francois]

Sorry, I couldn't tell without a picture...

BTW, Happy Chinese New Year to you

[pierre506]

Sorry, I couldn't tell without a picture...

BTW, Happy Chinese New Year to you

Thank you.
It's the most important eve this night in China.

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[Adam Doe]

Sorry, I couldn't tell without a picture...

BTW, Happy Chinese New Year to you

Thank you.
It's the most important eve this night in China.

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Happy New Year!!!

[Francois]

Thank you.
It's the most important eve this night in China.

It's important even here in Canada. The Canada Post even issues a special commemorative stamp every year!

[Sandeha Lynch]

I just love the sound of ... HCNY.

[Miles]

Pierre was bang on.

It is Agfa APX400, and it's really curly.

Put a role in an XA2 and gave it to my son to take to Berlin.

It's looking a little "Noir" on Dev, will see if I can scan soon.

[Miles]

Rosa Luxemburg Platz