fotohuis Posted August 28, 2012 Share #1 Posted August 28, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) From a very reliable source the decision is almost final: Fotokemika / Efke in Croatia is ceasing all production after the shut down period in holidays. The coating plant needs maintenance and the airco systems have been overloaded just in Summer and needed repair too. The fact that Fotokemika is not making enough profit in film and paper production is the main reason they are finishing all production. Apart from the original Efke brand films: Efke 25-50-100 and IR820/aura, Ortho 25 also the same films from ADOX (CHS 25-50-100), Ortho 25 and some Rollei films are involved. Ortho 25, PAN 25, Retro 100 TONAL the photo papers EMaks and Varycon and their equivalent Adox too. As already told the main reason are the too low prices, especially in the USA about these films and papers. Distributors can make money on it but for the factory not enough margin left for regular maintenance and some small profit. The demise of a small Croatian factory is there. Sorry about the loss of jobs of their employees too. Hopefully Kodak will find a better solution for their film division. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 28, 2012 Posted August 28, 2012 Hi fotohuis, Take a look here Fotokemika (Efke) ceased all production. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
KM-25 Posted August 28, 2012 Share #2 Posted August 28, 2012 Between all Kodak E6 getting nixed and now the almost certain exit of Efke film based products, this year has been the worst I have ever seen in terms of reduction of varieties of film, possibly up to 1/3rd of what we started with in January. I am putting in a fairly sizable order for IR820 in 120mm and 4x5. In embarking on a new format, 4x5, this has been my most expensive year yet for stocking up film, well over $12,000........thankfully I can write it off my taxes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guido Posted August 28, 2012 Share #3 Posted August 28, 2012 I never managed to get the hang of IR820. My rolls were plagued with embedded dust particles and "burn spots" all over. Same goes for Rollei 400S. Didn't really motivate me to try anything else with Rollei or Efke on it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted August 28, 2012 Share #4 Posted August 28, 2012 Efke never excited me, but I used their large format sheet film. Some was even cut too large so that I had to manually trim it to fit holders. No loss to me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sblitz Posted August 28, 2012 Share #5 Posted August 28, 2012 in the us at least a niche player in a niche market with high production costs, generally not a good combo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrism Posted August 28, 2012 Share #6 Posted August 28, 2012 Asking for outdated OrwoChrom was my norm when I couldn't afford outdated FujiChrom (oh, heck, Orwochrom and Fujichrom; I'm sure intercapping wasn't invented then!) I'll be sad to see them go and will mark the occasion with another shelf-full from Freestyle whilst I can. Though I believe Orwo films were made in East Germany in those days - before the brand was sold when the former East Germany had newer and better sources of income. Chris OK, now I have done it - a freezer shelf full of ADOX 120 25ISO. I have four MF cameras to feed as well as three film Leicas, and I am far better supplied with bulk 35mm than with 120 rolls. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farkle-Mpls Posted August 29, 2012 Share #7 Posted August 29, 2012 Advertisement (gone after registration) Does this also include Rollei Retro 80S? I love that film ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotohuis Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share #8 Posted August 29, 2012 There will be temporary an assembly problem for the Retro 80S 127 roll film. The Rollei IR-400(S) has been made by Agfa Gevaert (Belgium) and the assembly of the 120 roll film has been done by Ilford / Harman so it's a first class product. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bateleur Posted August 29, 2012 Share #9 Posted August 29, 2012 This is a shame, diversity in the black and white segment is a good thing and when a player drops out it's a sad day! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveler_101 Posted August 31, 2012 Share #10 Posted August 31, 2012 I am still confused about the larger consequences of Efke's demise. I have never used their film, but had them on a list of possible films to try. I am looking to diversify my film options as a precaution for fear of the demise of Kodak. Can anyone help me get my head around the consequences of Efke's demise for other film labels that they actually produced and also clarify actual alternatives that are out still there--especially in Europe? Efke was a partner/contractor of Agfa and was the real manufacturer of Rollei Retro films? Is that right? Which if true means that Rollei Retro films are no longer available? What is this Agfa/Rollei film I found for sale on B&H's site then? It says on the website that it is produced by something called "Maco Photo Products". Here is the link to the B&H webpage-- Rollei/AGFA 135-36 Exposure ATP1.1 Advanced Technical 42220111 And what is this ADOX film? Is that also effected by Efke's demise? - About ADOX - Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotohuis Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share #11 Posted August 31, 2012 Most Rollei (MACO) films are produced by Agfa Gevaert in Belgium. Only the Ortho 25, ATO and Retro 100 TONAL were made by Fotokemika/Efke. Also the 127 roll film assy was done by Efke. So that will be a problem. Same for the Adox CHS films (25-50-100), Ortho 25, IR820 and some Adox photo papers (exactly some 1:1 identical with Efke.) The Retro 100 films were APX-100 old stock from Agfa Photo, bankrupted in 2006. It's about finished in the market now. Most 120 roll film assembly can be also done by Foma, what in the past also was done for Rollei films. It's a brand name from Maco, like Adox is the brand name from Fotoimpex or Agfa Photo is now the brand name from Lupus, were color CN films under this name are sold too but containing Fuji Superia 200/400. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveler_101 Posted August 31, 2012 Share #12 Posted August 31, 2012 Most Rollei (MACO) films are produced by Agfa Gevaert in Belgium. . . .Most 120 roll film assembly can be also done by Foma, what in the past also was done for Rollei films. . . . Thank you very much, fotohuis, and at risk of trying your patience: "most 120 roll film assembly CAN ALSO BE DONE by FOMA," in other words, under a licensing agreement? Are they all working with the same film formulas? Is all this--Agfa Gevaert, Efke, FOMA, MACO--remnants of what was once the Agfa network broken apart in 1945? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Messsucherkamera Posted September 1, 2012 Share #13 Posted September 1, 2012 This is sad news for those of us who work in sliver based B&W. It simply sucks out loud. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotohuis Posted September 1, 2012 Author Share #14 Posted September 1, 2012 All Rollei-Maco films are made under agreement. 35mm assembly is done in Bergheim, ex-Tura and their 120 roll films by Efke or Foma. Even the special IR-400 (S) is put on 120 roll film by Harman/Ilford where also their RPX100/400 emulsion is coming from. The point at Efke /Fotokemika is that they were able for cheap roll film assembly and had the possibility for producing special films in small quantity (Efke IR820/aura, Ortho 25, ATO, Retro 100 TONAL (orthopan) 127 roll film assy ) which is now a problem. The money and margin they could make on their regular products, Efke 25-50-100 and the same Adox CHS 25-50-100 films was too small. Forced by a low pricing USA market too. The regular Efke/Adox films are also containing more Silver so in a high priced international Silver market it's impossible to have a reasonable priced product then. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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