Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Agfa date codes?

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Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 02-13-2005, 04:33 PM:

Does anyone know how to decipher the edge markings on an agfa print to determine the year of the print?

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 02-14-2005, 02:00 PM:

Unlike Kodak, Agfa-Gevaert has not freely shared that information. [Frown]

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/support/keykodeid.jhtml?id=0.1.4.11.14&lc=en

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/motion/support/h1/identificationP.shtml#135427

Posted by Mike Heenan (Member # 392) on 02-15-2005, 05:14 PM:

Strange, any clue why?

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 02-16-2005, 02:42 AM:

Did they ever encode that information to begin with? Most of the codes I've seen on Agfa elements just look like batch numbers to me.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 02-17-2005, 02:05 AM:

I'm still trying to figure out how to pronounce "Gevaert". Anyone? I've always wondered...

Posted by Stephen Furley (Member # 1277) on 02-17-2005, 02:10 AM:

Over here it always seems to be Gave-art; but I'm not sure if that's actually correct.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 02-17-2005, 11:20 AM:

Thanks, Stephen! I've asked that question several times over the years, and you're the only one who has ever responded.

[Smile]

Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 05-02-2008, 10:58 AM:

It has been 1169 days since the last post.

Posted by Jim Bedford (Member # 4) on 05-02-2008, 10:58 AM:

Dredging this up from ancient history to ask the same question. I have a silent serial chapter from 1922 that was reprinted on safety film with a sound track on Agfa B&W stock. Is there any way to know the date of the Agfa stock? Anything new on this?

Posted by Kris Dirix (Member # 3012) on 05-05-2008, 04:35 AM:

Jim, what's the edge number ?

Posted by Jim Bedford (Member # 4) on 05-05-2008, 10:42 PM:

"AGFA GEVAERT S 1907 61 AGFA GEVAERT S 131" and then repeats.

Posted by Kris Dirix (Member # 3012) on 05-08-2008, 03:51 AM:

The stock should be dated either 1977 or 1986

Regards. [beer]

Posted by Jim Bedford (Member # 4) on 05-08-2008, 07:09 AM:

Thanks Kris. Now I just have to figure out why an obscure serial chapter of a title that's not listed on the IMDB as a serial was struck 55 or more years after it was made.

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 05-08-2008, 08:41 AM:

quote: Kris Dirix
The stock should be dated either 1977 or 1986

So, how did you determine this?

Posted by Paul H. Rayton (Member # 1817) on 05-08-2008, 09:24 PM:

Yeah, Kris -- Please share with us the date code information, if any. Many of us who work with older prints (theatres and archivists) are constantly trying to figure out the age(s) of the prints we work with, for numerous reasons. Kodak has long made available their date codings, and the duPont codes are available, too. Fuji (until recently) dated their stocks openly. But Agfa's been a bit cagey, and we (I) don't know why. What's to hide? So, please help us!!!

Posted by Kris Dirix (Member # 3012) on 05-09-2008, 12:11 AM:

The Agfa edge code is a batch number, it's not an encrypted date code.

The 2nd and 3rd number is the "type identification code" 99 stands for CP30 Print Film, Jim's 07 was the type258 sound film, Agfa's first orthochromatic sound film.

Posted by Paul H. Rayton (Member # 1817) on 05-09-2008, 01:12 PM:

Well, I must be missing something, or my glasses need to be changed, as I've looked and looked at Jim's numbers and can't see a "99". Do you mean the initial two digits, the "19"?

Do you work at Agfa/Gevaert? Can you supply us (all, here) a list of the batches, to help with this? I've been meaning to contact Agfa here in L.A. "one of these days" to ask for something like that, but haven't quite gotten around to it yet. So you could be of tremendous assistance to the entire world of people who work with "older" print stock if you could supply a bit more complete listing of such information.

If you think it's too big for posting here, contact Brad Miller(this site's self-described Grand Poo-Bah), and he can help you determine how best to post it.

Thanks (in advance) from all of us ...

Posted by Kris Dirix (Member # 3012) on 05-13-2008, 11:38 PM:

Yes Paul, your glasses need to be changed.

You don't see a 99 in Tim's edge mark since it is 07. As I explained here before 07 stands for an old Type258 orthochromatic sound stock, now replaced by ST8D.

Agfasound ST8D

You will find 99 on the print stock.

Agfa Print CP30

According to the Agfa people I know, it is impractical to publish the batch numbers.

Posted by Damien Taylor (Member # 4255) on 06-04-2008, 08:52 AM:

OK, I missed the boat on this one but didn't want to start a new thread, I have some weird orphaned reel, I've not had a chance to run it yet, but it looks really old. The edge codings had no safety markings so I've always been a little wary. (better safe...)

The markings are "S GEVAERT BELGIUM S 33" repeat

Hopefully the AGFA pros know the answer to this one. Net searches yielded info about a 16mm stock with similar codings.

PS. I personally hear it pronounced as JERV-ART and never bothered to challenge it. Although looking at it now, that just seems silly, kind of like pronouncing it KADKO. [Big Grin]

Posted by Paul H. Rayton (Member # 1817) on 06-06-2008, 07:40 PM:

It's been almost a month since my previous posting, and now I, too, have an Agfa edge code I'd like a date on (if possible). I'll guess it's around 1993. It is color print stock. Hello, Kris, are you still out there?

Here's the code: "AGS 53 3797 02"

Posted by Kris Dirix (Member # 3012) on 06-10-2008, 12:24 AM:

Paul, it's a 1989 stock.

Damien, I found no sources yet on your "orphaned reel".

The GEVAERT (pronunciation GAVE-ART)was always something tricky.
That's the reason why the Gevaert name is abandoned and in the 80's and the brand name was altered to AGFA.

[beer]

Let's have a DUVEL

Posted by Christian Appelt (Member # 1067) on 06-10-2008, 06:37 AM:

quote:
I personally hear it pronounced as JERV-ART and never bothered to challenge it. Although looking at it now, that just seems silly, kind of like pronouncing it KADKO. [Big Grin]

Reminds me of this Monty Python sketch:

quote:

Interviewer (Michael Palin):
Good evening. I have with me in the studio tonight one of the country's leading skin specialists, Raymond Luxury Yacht

Raymond Luxury-Yacht (Graham Chapman):
That's not my name!

Interviewer:[tries literal pronunciation]
I'm sorry; Raymond Luxury Yacht.

Raymond Luxury-Yacht:
No no no, it's spelled, "Raymond Luxury Yacht," but it's pronounced, "Throatwobbler Mangrove"

Interviewer:You are a very silly man, and I'm not going to interview you. [Gets up and leaves]

Raymond Luxury-Yacht: Anti-Semitism!

Posted by Paul H. Rayton (Member # 1817) on 07-06-2008, 02:55 PM:

Hey, Kris:

I need two other Agfa edge codes deciphered, if you will:
1) AGS 105 5994 01
2) AGS 99 5794 03

Both rolls are color print stock, but from different films.

Posted by Kris Dirix (Member # 3012) on 08-12-2008, 03:59 AM:

Hi Paul,

Still on holiday right now.

I will search the data when I'm back in business.

However at the first sight, the batch numbers are quite weird.

Greetzzzz,

Kris

[sleep]