Is Efke 100 A Particularly Soft Emulsion?

[thronobulax]

I have Efke 100 frozen in a variety of formats, though I've shot very little of it.

Yesterday, I shot several sheets of the 3x2 which I believe is identical to the 5x4, prior to opening a new 5x4 box. I dropped a wet negative onto the stainless sink surface as I removed it from the film washer. A piece of the emulsion literally peeled off one side.

Is this normal? Is Efke P100 a sort of special needs film that requires extra special care for some reason?

 

[Ian Grant]

Yes, however it's not as bad as it was, needs careful handling but can give excellent results. Remember don't over expose and the Pl 100 name is the Tungsten light speed. The film used to be called EFKE Kb/R/Pl 21 the tungsten DIN speed it was renamed to the ASA/BS Tungsten speed.



Here in the UK the last major importer was Jessops, once the largest by far chain of camera stores with stores in most significant towns. they sold EFKE 100 rebranded as Jessops 200 with a Daylight EI of 200 EI.

Over expose and you lose EFKE films unique sharpness. I beganshooting EFKE films in the early 1970's, temerature control need to be +/- 1ºC or it reticualtes or emulsion separates from the base. I haven't had any issues in recent years since the late 1980's but tend to keep temperatures to +/- 0.5ºC here in the UK and +/- 0.2º when in Turkey, taht's over every step including washing.

IAn

 

[thronobulax]

Yes, however it's not as bad as it was, needs careful handling but can give excellent results. Remember don't over expose and the Pl 100 name is the Tungsten light speed. The film used to be called EFKE Kb/R/Pl 21 the tungsten DIN speed it was renamed to the ASA/BS Tungsten speed.

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Here in the UK the last major importer was Jessops, once the largest by far chain of camera stores with stores in most significant towns. they sold EFKE 100 rebranded as Jessops 200 with a Daylight EI of 200 EI.

Over expose and you lose EFKE films unique sharpness. I beganshooting EFKE films in the early 1970's, temerature control need to be +/- 1ºC or it reticualtes or emulsion separates from the base. I haven't had any issues in recent years since the late 1980's but tend to keep temperatures to +/- 0.5ºC here in the UK and +/- 0.2º when in Turkey, taht's over every step including washing.

IAn

Super helpful. Thanks. I have a bunch of 2x3 and 120 rollfilm squirrelled away in the freezer, as well as 1 box of 5x4. I will shoot some at ASA 200 and probably semi-stand process. Your note on temperature consistency is noted. My darkroom naturally quiesces solutions right at 19/20C but I usually don't make much effort to match wash temps. For this I will.

It's a shame the company ceased to exist. What little I have shot really looks nice.

 

[thronobulax]

Update: Many thanks for clarifying the real Daylight ASA of this film. Today I shot in a glade in the woods at ASA 200 and Semistand processed the negatives in Pyrocat-HD 1.5:1:200. The negs are just great. I cannot wait to print them.

 

[Ian Grant]

It's a shame the company ceased to exist. What little I have shot really looks nice.

The machineryat the coating plant had virtually worn out. It dated from the aerly 1950's when Dr C. Schleussner Fotowerke GmbH released the early version of the emulsions, Adox the trade name for Schleussner's films, papers, and cameras. The company was founded in 1860 and was bought by Dupont after WWII, when the plant closed in 1972 Fotokemia in Zargeb bought the equipment and rights to make the Adox films and papers.

The plant was very old technology and unecomic to repair or replace.

Ian

 

[thronobulax]

Well, I've just printed my first set of Efke negs. Very sharp with beautiful tonal range and it took 60mins of semistand processing in Pyrocat-HD 1.5:1:200 without a hitch.

It's tragic there isn't enough business to keep companies like this afloat but I guess that's "progress". At least I have quite a few unopened boxes in 2x3, 1 box of 5x4, and 10 rolls of 120 to enjoy ....