william5
After the development of a roll film of Efke 100, I noticed that light must have got in through the window in the cassette (for the frame number). And it had passed right through the paper.
I then held the paper up to a halogen lamp and could clearly see light shining through. The film in question has the batch number 310580 and an expiry date of 9/2006. By comparison, the cover paper of an Efke 50 showed absolutely no light transmission.
Gast
William,
I compared five rolls of Efke film today. They’re all equally ‘opaque’.
The emulsion you mentioned was among them.
Only a 127 roll film from 1998, which we still had lying around, was slightly darker.
So I’m curious to know which emulsion is supposed to have darker paper than Efke 50.
I fear, however, that efke will once again say that the paper is as it is – that it complies with ISO standards blah blah blah – and that everyone should therefore figure out for themselves how to deal with it.
At the moment, I would personally recommend using the film only with automatic cameras, or masking the red window and only opening it briefly in the shade for transport.
All these factors have led us to source only raw materials from efke in future (no one else can produce this wonderful emulsion) and to have the entire manufacturing process carried out under the new ADOX brand in a more reliable facility.
See the ADOX thread earlier in the forum.
Mirko
FOTOIMPEX
Gast
I’ve got the same problem.
It’s happening with the 100 and the 25 as well.
The 9 and the 11 are showing through in one instance each.
Unfortunately, I can’t scan it to show you.
Isn’t that a warranty claim?
william5
Hi Mirko,
Unfortunately, I can’t tell you what type of emulsion the Efke 50 uses, as I no longer have the outer packaging. And I suppose it’s not possible to tell from the label on the paper in question? I don’t know if this helps, but I bought it directly from your shop around October or November.
Best regards, Jens
Gast
Frank, Jens,
efke hasn’t said anything about this yet.
We’ll just have to wait and see what they say.
I’m sure there’s some sort of ISO standard for how light-proof that protective film is supposed to be.
If the values are below that, it would be a warranty claim.
For now, I’d say you should tape up the window.
As all the films we’ve tested are the same, I’m afraid I can’t offer you anything else.
You can, of course, exchange any unused films, but then you wouldn’t be able to use efke anymore, and that would be a shame.
Most cameras these days don’t have a red window, and it works perfectly fine that way.
Best regards,
Mirko
Gast
Hello, shocked EFKE users,
Light leakage through the red window is nothing new. It may be new to EFKE, but I’ve been familiar with this phenomenon for a long time with the highly sensitive Ilford HP5 and XP2 films. I use an ADOX Sport 6x9, which has a small window with a slider that is only opened during film advance. Especially in bright sunlight, simply advancing the film is enough to create an unsightly light haze near the window.
Modern films are sensitised very far into the red spectrum, in some cases even into the early near-infrared range. And paper is generally not completely light-tight. Anyone wishing to use light-sensitive films here should therefore cover windows without sliders anyway.
@Mirko: If you manage to source a thin and TRULY light-tight protective paper for the ADOX roll films, that would be a real innovation with practical value. And while I’m at it, a request regarding the labelling: BLACK on WHITE, if I may ask. The subtle grey lettering we’re used to from Ilford is partly to blame for the problem – you end up staring so intently and for so long at the window, and handling the film so carefully, that the incoming light has looooot of time to squeeze through the paper fibres. So no grey, no white on black or any similar fancy business!
Wishes
LS
Gast
Lennart,
our lettering has always been in bold black on white ;-)
Mirko
