Rollei RPX-25 film, anyone used it already?

[doctorlebel]

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Hi Pico,

 

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions. As a way of confirming the operation of my Hasselblad 501C is functioning properly, I removed the lens from the body. Next, I removed the dark slide. I then pre-released the body, raiding the mirror out of the path. I then tripped the camera body, and verified that the rear curtains opened. This was confirmed by vidibly seeing the filmback oressure plate through the front of the body. So the camera appears to be functioning as designed. I will run some further tests with my Leica M4-P using the Rollei RPX25 at 3 different ASA values on a roll, and developing it in FX-1. We’ll see what transpires....

[doctorlebel]

Pico, I also removed the film magazine insert, set the shutter to B, and held a bright light in front of the lens. When I pushed the shutter release, the light could be seen on the back of the film magazine, confirming that the camera’s rear curtains opened properly, allowing the light to pass into the film magazine. Sorry for my typing errors earlier. Typing from my iPad. More testing will ultimately lead to conclusions of what went wrong. I have to suspect that is has to do with the FX-1 developer.

[doctorlebel]

Update on Rollei RPX 25 Roll Film. - Venturing out this morning with my Mamiya 7ii rangefinder in hand, I shot a roll of 120 film, exposing two identical images, one @ ASA25 and the other at ASA50. Ten images in total. Returning home, I wanted to process the film in two different developers to rule out problems with the Crawley formulated FX-1. So, I settled on HC110 (sol. and FX-1.

 

In the dark, I cut the film in half and placed each half on a reel and into a separate developing tank. Processed the HC110 for 5 min. and the FX-1 for 14 min. Stop bath and fixer were usual times. Each half-roll developed nicely. Therefore, I have to conclude that I either loaded that first roll into my Hasselbad incorrectly or something in my developing system went wrong. Over the next week, I’ll shoot another roll of ROLLEI RPX 25 in my Hassy and process once again with FX-1. The results should provide enough information to get to the bottom of my original outcome with Rollei RPX 25.

 

-Steve

[pico]

Therefore, I have to conclude that I either loaded that first roll into my Hasselbad incorrectly or something in my developing system went wrong.

 

It is possible to incorrectly load the 'blad magazine but advancing the film becomes so difficult we can usually know right away. If you got frame numbers it is not the developer. I'm puzzled.

[pico]

I leave this thread with a cynical opinion of Rollei film. Briefly, it seems to be a hype with other vendors' film  packaged in cute wooden boxes I consider coffins. More recently large format photographers have found Rollei films to be cut to the wrong and useless dimensions.

 

Why in the world would we think a credible film maker would sell to someone who will only raise the price for the same thing if it were not to the original producer's advantage? Answer - a bean-counter found a few pence in it. Maybe Rolleis bean-counter overlooked quality control from certain manufacturers.

Edited June 24, 2018 by pico

[Ouroboros]

I just finished developing a roll of 36 exp. Rollei RPX shot in my Leica M4-P. I shot 1/3 of the roll at ASA 20, then another 1/3 roll at ASA 25 and finally the last 1/3 roll at ASA 50. Developed the roll in Rodinal 1:50 for 11 min. @ 68 deg. F. Film is drying right now, but there are images. I don’t understand what happened with the Rolei RPX 25 roll film shot in my Hasselblad and developed in Crawley’s FX-1 developer. I’ve had good luck with FX-1 with Agfa APX 100, Ilford HP4, and even Illford Pan F+. I guess my next test run will be a roll of Rollei RPX25 shot in my Leica M4-P at three different ASA values and developed in FX-1. See if I can duplicate results achieved with Rodinal.

 

I just went out this morning with my Hasselblad and a roll of Rollei RPX 25 in the film back. It was a very nice overcast day so I felt a trial of this film would be appropriate for the early morning hours. I developed it in FX-1, and used 13 min for developing time @ 68 deg F.

 

When I removed the film from my developing tank after fixing, I stood with a roll of clear film, no images whatsoever. The numbers and Rollei logo can be seen on the film, but not a single image is visible at all.

 

I just processed a roll of Agfa APX 100 (new emulsion) yesterday using FX-1 developer and that roll of negatives are perfect.

 

Any thoughts on what might have happened with the Rollei RPX25?

 

I suspect you loaded your film back to front in your Hasselblad.