What's next for high-resolution photography?

AchimBauer · 2014-05-03T07:34:30+00:00

Hallo Miteinander, ? Habe vor kurzem für mich einen SW-Filmtest gemacht, mit verschiedenen Filmen und Kameragehäusen immer identische Motive fotografiert....

AchimBauer

Hello everyone, ? I recently carried out a black-and-white film test for myself, photographing the exact same subjects using different films and camera bodies. One of the films I tested was the CMS 20 – that awful office-grade stuff that needs to be softened up with a meat tenderiser and special chemicals. Yet in direct comparison with films such as APX 100 (old and new), Scala and Silvermax, CHS 100 (old and new), Filmotec UN 54 and N74, as well as old frozen Orwo NP 20, the CMS performed incredibly well, even in night shots. Given the good results, I’d love to try more high-resolution films, but the problem is that all of them – or at least all those readily available here – are based on some Agfa document films, and Agfa no longer lists these in its range, but is now only linked to Imagelink. So my question is: are these films no longer being produced, or are they simply now called Imagelink – old film, new name? Do we need to stock up on film again? ? ? Regards, Achim

piu58

I’d be surprised if this film wasn’t still being produced. Digitisation is still taking place on a large scale. It doesn’t look like it’s been discontinued either; it’s still listed on www.mikrofilmtechnik.de. It can’t be old stock either, as there are strict rules governing film stock suitable for archiving. If the stock has deteriorated, for example, it can no longer be used. € I work in a hospital; we digitise 50,000 pages a day, though on Kodak film.

Klaus_H

Kodak has discontinued production of the Imagelink. What is sold today as Imagelink is manufactured by Agfa Gervert. € So: spelling reform? – Copex becomes Imagelink € €

AchimBauer

Thanks, Uwe and Klaus, ? Let’s hope it’s just a spelling reform. But if Copex Rapid is now called Imagelink, what’s the High Definition Pan – also known as ADOX CMS – called now? ? ? Regards, Achim

AchimBauer

Hello everyone, I still don’t know exactly what the future holds, but I’ve found out a few things. The Agfa Copex HDP is now called Imagelink HD, the Copex Rapid is called Imagelink HS, and the Copex RSM is now called Imagelink RA. Apart from Agfa, which is now called Kodak – no, not Kodak, but... I’ll leave it at that; I’ve read how the name changes came about, and it’s terribly complicated. But there are two other microfilm manufacturers: one is Futschi (Fuji), and a distributor has taken over the production of Ozaphan. That used to be Hochst-Kalle. I don’t know whether Ozaphan also makes Ozaphan films. (Ozaphan films were films that weren’t coated, but had the light-sensitive substances integrated into the base). I don’t know to what extent the others can be used for photographic purposes, but we still have the good old Agfa, which simply doesn’t want to be called that anymore. Regards, Achim