wrote:
no-name wrote:

The other films mentioned (Copex and Bluefire Police) are microfilms which
must be processed in an extremely soft developer in order to achieve
pictorial contrast. Both are less grainy than TMax 100, which is currently
the low-grain champ of the standard film world, and both have more
conventional tonalities when correctly processed.

As Donald noted, 35mm Gigabit is Copex Rapid Pan AHU. Gigabit in sheet film
sizes is a different Agfa microfilm.

Bluefire Police is often said to be Copex Rapid Pan AHU, but it is not. When
given identical exposure in a sensitometer, and processed together in
Bluefire HR developer, they develop quite differently. In twelve minutes of
continuous agitation, Copex develops to gamma 0.33, while Bluefire Police
develops to gamma 0.48. Copex has a more abrupt shoulder, Bluefire Police a
more abrupt toe. Their speeds are about the same, but Bluefire Police is a
little faster. The emulsion colors of the two films are noticeably
different. I have tried to find out what Bluefire Police is, but I have only
been told is an Agfa microfilm not available outside Europe. Nothing more
specific.

David Foy
http://www.bluefire.ca

Mr. Foy,
Any possibility we might see either of these microfilm products on a 120 spool?
Bear in mind that the existing stocks of Tech Pan are due to exhaust in the next
six months.

Well, I'm not Mr. Foy, nor do I sell any film, but FWIW:

Films like Gigabit or Bluefire are, to my knowlege, based on microfilm emulsions
like Agfa Copex Rapid, as mentioned by Mr. Foy.

Microfilm is manufactured only in a few standard-sizes:
16mm unperforated
35mm unperforated
35mm perforated
105mm unperf (?).
and 105mm x 148mm - Fiche.

Copex Rapid is Agfas "fast" microfilm, and is only available in
16 and 35mm. So the only possibility to get Copex Rapid (and therefor Gigabit
and other products based on it) in 120 would be to special order this emulsion
by Agfa, which would be $$$ and the minimum order is huge. This is most propably
the reason why Gigabit sheet-film is another emulsion than the 35mm perf.

Agfa offers a "medium" speed microfilm - Agfa Copex HDP - which is said to have
even finer grain as Copex Rapid, but is much slower.
Copex HDP however is sold in 105mmx61m rolls. So here it may be possible
to cut size 120 (which is about 61mm wide). And you would have some leftover to
cut 127 or 16mm or Minox size from.
I don't think this would be an option as the result would be much slower than
Gigabit or Bluefire, I would guess about ASA 20... or less.



For information on Agfa microfilm and available sizes:
http://www.agfa.com/mds/microfilm/co...ssortment.html


just my 0.02Euro
Christian