[rollei_list] Re: sheet film back and cheap cut film !
- From: Emmanuel.Bigler@xxxxxxxx
- To: rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2007 11:02:29 +0100 (CET)
> 27,50 Euros?! When you could buy Wephota films for only 5 Euros per
> 25-box. :-O /Patric
Outch !! You are right, Patric.
One could fear that limited availability of film in the digital era
yields outrageous prices. The WEPHOTA catalog (thanks, Patric for the
pointer !!) proves that, on the contrary, at least for black & white,
and if you do not insist to get __only__ your favourite brand made in
Britain ;-) and accept the excellent products from Croatia (EFKE), the
Czech Republic (FOMA) or what is most probably Old Agfa Stock (Rollei
R3 ???), one can sleep quietly.
BTW speaking about Agfa: I have recently read in "Le Monde" (dated
March 1, 2007), the French newspaper, that Agfa Gevaert will split
into 3 independant companies: Agfa Graphics, Agfa Healthcare, Agfa
Materials.
So the question is : which of the three will take care of the
strategic, deep-frozen, stock of Agfa film ? Graphics, Healthcare, or
Materials?
The WEPHOTA catalog is really incredible since even the most obscure
metric- or inch- sizes of cut film are listed !!
In the US my understanding is that J&C photo does list EFKE and other
European brands in several sizes of cut film. For example WEPHOTA does
list the smaller 2"x3" size of cut film, actually 2"-1/4 x 3"-1/4
size, that fits the press camera cut film backs. The one that fits the
Rollei is 2"-1/2 X 3"-1/2 = nominal 6.5x9 cm, actual as mentioned by
Patric 63.5x88.9 mm.
-----------------------
I have an comparison about materials that used to be cheap and
available everywhere, and now hard to find: linoleum that used to
cover every floor in every home in the past.
For those of our readers that would not know what linoleum is (we
should be prepared that sooner or later, some of our readers will not
know what silver-halide film is ;-), this is the definition for
linoleum I found in the Grand Dictionnaire Terminologique du Québec,
http://www.granddictionnaire.com/
an invaluable resource when you want to find the translation for a
technical term between English and French :
"Floor covering made from jute or similar fabric impregnated with
oxidised linseed oil, resin and a filler, such as cork. "
In most homes in France the fifties and sixties, unused rolls of
linoleum were stored in cellars or attics, before being throw away
some day. When I was a teen-ager, I practiced linoleum engraving, an
engraving technique easier than wood engraving. So I just had to
purchase a set of tools and cut a piece as requested in the family
stock of linoleum, I could "live" for decades on this stock. Linoleum
has been replaced by PVC-based stuff, or other plastics. Recently in
Paris I had a shock when I saw the outrageous prices you had to pay in
a specialized crafts shop for a tiny piece of linoleum ! Impossible to
do the same carving/engraving technique on modern plastic floor
materials ;-)
So I hope that film will not follow the same route as linoleum. In
fact, people concerned by the hazardous substances generated by
plastic stuff in their homes can find alternate stuff in specialized
dealers for the "environmentally-friendly home". So there is
apparently a small production of good ol' linoleum as a companion of
real wool or hemp / "cannabis sativa" (as a non-toxic and nevertheless
perfectly legal ;-) thermal insulator for walls) and other "organic"
stuff for you home.
--
Emmanuel BIGLER
<bigler@xxxxxxxx>
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