Agfa Avitone

[Damien_Demolder]

Anyone used this to take pictures with? It's an ortho copy sheet film. I have a whole pile of it I want to load into darkslides and shoot with, but I've no starting point for exposure. There are info sheets on old sections of the Agfa website, but nothing that is really helpful for people wanting to use it for something its not designed for!

I have the P3p version.

Any help or suggestions appreciated.

damien

[Fen]

Hi there,

I don;t have any information on this myself, but I'd probably suggest sending it into the magazines "Help Section".

[parisian]

Very possibly completely wrong - step forward Huw! but I suspect that the film is between ISO 25 and ISO 50 similar to the Maco and Rollei ortho films exposure wise.
Depends how much you have to experiment with of course but I would be tempted to start in that area and then dip it in Rodinal.
This conversation is a pleasant change from the usual pixel counting variety - thank you Damien.

[PeteE]

If it is a 'copy film' then it is likely to be high contrast like Ilford Ortholine or the Kodak one - I was given some sheets years ago and use a red safelight to cut some up to fit in the back of my Pentax 6x7,lay it across the film guide rail and expose at 2 ASA and develop in home-made print developer 1+2 dilution for about 3 mins at 68oF and get good results.I have the Pentax 6x7 shutter wound already before I put in the cut sheet.

[Damien_Demolder]

Thanks.

I was thinking of starting tests at around ISO 5. The sheets are 10x10in so I'll cut them down to 5x4in to start with. I need to look up the components of the recommended developer, but I was planning to dish develop in ID11 or Perceptol, as I have some. Can you still get Rodinal? I used to love that developer.

[Malcolm_Stewart]

... Can you still get Rodinal? I used to love that developer.

Yes, I bought a bottle last July.

I'd got fed up with my usual developers going off well before I'd used half of their contents, so thought I'd try something with a good track record in the keeping stakes.

[Damien_Demolder]

Thanks.

I was thinking of starting tests at around ISO 5. The sheets are 10x10in so I'll cut them down to 5x4in to start with. I need to look up the components of the recommended developer, but I was planning to dish develop in ID11 or Perceptol, as I have some.

Well, that didn't work!
Nice clear sheets of film though. I suppose I could recoat them and use them again.

More investigation needed!

[PeteE]

you did put them in the DEVELOPER FIRST not the FIXER I hope? !!!!

[Damien_Demolder]

you did put them in the DEVELOPER FIRST not the FIXER I hope? !!!!

Well not quite. I mixed it all together in to one bath to save time.

Mind you, for all that came out of it I might just have well have done.

[Wax_Painter]

Quote //
Well not quite. I mixed it all together in to one bath to save time. //

Sounds like a great idea, why didn't I think of that? :-)

Hi, I am new here but have the same questions. Just wondering you had any further experiments with the Avitone p3p and got better results?

I read a little about Kodak duplicating films on their site and it seemed theirs is made for use in duplicating machines with an intense blue light. I believe these duplicator/copy machines are something like an office copier that takes film instead of plain old sheets of paper. My thinking is it would mean that a long exposure is needed although I don't know how long that would be. I think I read that some duplicating films are safe to handle in room light, so they must be very, very, very slow films. I am not an expert on this subject though, just speculating. I have been thinking of getting some of the Avitone to try also but probably best bet would be to contact Avitone and get s spec sheet for it?

I am curious about it also.

Thanks
Paul
Wax_Painter

[Damien_Demolder]

Hi Paul

The Avitone is a orthochromatic film, so you can handle it under a red darkroom light, and yes I think it is very slow. I tested it at ISO 15, and used an exposure of 3 minutes - indoors.

I think that either my film dev was shot, or it just isn't the right type. I can't ask Avitone as it was made by Agfa - and the company doesn't exist anymore. I have a spec sheet but its not much help frankly. It mentions the right dev, but I can't find out what's in it.

When I get round to it I will send a sheet to Geoffrey Crawley and he will find out how to use it for me. He can do it just by sniffing it!

I haven't had time to try it again.

damien