Gast
Hello Mirko,
The latest issue of a photography magazine mentioned that the MACO 25plus is getting a successor, which has been named the Maco 25 Professional. The main difference is said to be an integrated anti-halation layer.
As I’m boldly assuming that there are certain ‘similarities’ between the MACO film and your efke/ADOX 25, my question is: can we expect this improvement in your product as well, or am I completely off the mark?
Best regards
Wolfgang
cfb_de
Hello Wolfgang,
I’m not sure what you mean by an ‘integrated anti-halation layer’. If you’re referring to a film structure along the lines of ‘protective gelatin/emulsion/anti-halation layer/support’, the Efkes have had that for ages.
During pre-washing, the top layer of gelatin is softened and the blue colorant from the AHU is washed out. It’s quite a sight to behold (and, as I found out the first time, quite a shock).
I’d guess this is more of a marketing-oriented claim that wasn’t questioned further by this trade journal (keyword: advertising clients). But I haven’t had a “new” Maco in my hands yet. I’m sticking with Efke R50.
Best regards,
Franz
Gast
Hi Franz,
That’s exactly the kind of construction I meant...
In that case, the ADOX would be a real ‘high-tech marvel’... antihalation coating, polyester base, single layer...
Best regards,
Wolfgang
cfb_de
That could well be the case :-) But as I said, I’m not familiar with the 25mm. ‘My’ Efke/ADOX is the 50mm.
Which reminds me that I need to place another order with Mirko. My supplies are almost all used up now.
Best regards,
Franz
Gast
It is also conceivable that maco might switch manufacturers.
cfb_de
Hello "unadodox",
Please excuse me, but I only address people by names that sound like real names or people I know without using quotation marks. It’s just a quirk of mine, much like how others only use lower-case letters online.
But now to the matter at hand.
a) I have never claimed that the venerable Maco is the same as the run-of-the-mill Efke/ADOX.
B) It is common knowledge that Maco sources its film from the same factory as FOTOIMPEX does. That said, in my view, FOTOIMPEX highlights the specific characteristics of these films much more clearly and effectively, and at the very least, the recommendations from Mirko’s shop are more suitable for the 50-speed film than those from Schröer’s shop for the equivalent film sold there (I don’t want to single out any brand names here).
c) It may well be that Maco’s new 25 ASA film comes from a different manufacturer.
d) At present, there is exactly one manufacturer of 25 ASA emulsions.
e) If Maco has found a new manufacturer, I would think that’s a good thing.
f) But then, please do bring this new product to market in good time with data from standard testing, and don’t mess about as they did with the “Rollei R?”. There, a “further development” from a Berlin X-ray film factory was foisted onto the market under the Rollei logo at exorbitant prices.
Although it was heavily promoted beforehand, the film apparently doesn’t work with standard chemicals like D76 (and that was explicitly mentioned in the Rollei and Maco announcements). I’ve had enough of laboriously testing this stuff any further. For 50 ASA I’ll stick with Efke, for 100 ASA with APX100, and for anything above that with HP5+ or Delta400.
g) Lucky didn’t make me happy either. Apart from the lack of those divine highlights, the results of the 100 were more or less the same as the R?. In D76. So exactly the developer recommended for both films according to the importer/wholesaler’s data sheet. Lucky: overexposed. With an aperture range from -1 to +1. A truly “artistic film”. R? after testing: highlights blown out or shadows too heavy. In D76. A truly “novel film”.
Yes, it’s certainly conceivable that Maco might switch manufacturers. But to whom? No 25s are produced in China. We’ll probably have to learn to live with marketing-oriented statements. Life is tough and our niche has become too big-)
Best regards,
Franz
Gast
Hi Franz,
I’m not so sure about “no 15mm films from China”; here’s an overview of Swiss-made films.
Have a look at General Era Photo, China.
http://www.fotoline.ch/FOTOintern/98-18/sw-tab.htm
However, this is from 1998; the company no longer appears in the latest table from 2000, so it’s questionable whether the company still exists (the tables aren’t complete anyway).
Roland
RomanJRohleder
Roland,
If I remember correctly, Era was taken over by Kodak 2, 3, 4 or 5 years ago.
Source? An acquaintance in the Philippines with whom I discussed the matter by email years ago. My memory of it is rather vague.
cfb_de
Hi Roman,
Yes, sometimes the professor from Manila really does know his stuff :-)
Thanks for your reply – it arrived on the forum before I’d even got home.
Best regards,
Franz
