Analog.Cafe › Film and Darkroom › 10 min read by Dmitri. Published on August 6, 2025. Rollei RPX 25 is a silver-rich, sharp, fine-grained panchromatic black-and-white film that has become one of my favored choices for Voigtländer Vitessa cameras (foldable rangefinders from the 1950s). I have been using RPX 25 for six years, although not as frequently as I would prefer. The film is relatively accessible in both 35mm and 120 formats; it can also be found in bulk rolls and 4x5 sheets. In this review, I will discuss everything I've learned about RPX 25 over the years and explain why I believe it performs exceptionally well with vintage lenses like the Voigtländer Ultron 2.0 or Zeiss Tessar 2.8. In this review: What is Rollei RPX 25? Resolution and sharpness. Grain structure. Development. Scanning. Dynamic range and contrast. Exposure, editing, and highlight recovery. Additional samples. Pricing and availability. Support this blog & enjoy premium features with GOLD memberships!
What is Rollei RPX 25? You may recognize Rollei as a camera brand known for iconic models like the Rollei 35 S. However, the current owners of the Rollei brand do not manufacture film or cameras anymore; they have "licensed" the Rollei name to other companies. Examples include the Rollei 35AF, produced by MiNT, and the Rollei film series marketed by Maco, a major photographic retailer in Germany.
It’s rare for companies to disclose their suppliers, but several unverified sources indicate that Maco sources some coated material for their Rollei lineup from Agfa-Gevaert, a functioning Agfa-branded factory that produces aerial surveillance film among other products. Adding to the confusion, many recent Agfa-branded films are not manufactured by Agfa-Gevaert (but rather are branded under a licensed name). Agfa-Gevaert does not sell film directly to consumers. However, these are merely intriguing facts and speculations. What truly matters is the image quality and the process of shooting and developing this film: Rollei RPX 25, captured with a Voigtländer Vitessa A, developed in Ilford DD-X, and scanned with Pacific Image PrimeFilm XAs, inverted using VueScan. I realized that a figure was present in this image (possibly taking a photo including me!) only years after scanning it.
Resolution and sharpness. Lower-ISO films are typically expected to exhibit finer grain. Coarser grains, designed to capture low light at high speeds, aren't utilized in slower films like Rollei RPX 25. Consequently, we encounter smaller particles that absorb less light but can provide finer detail resolution.
Even though Rollei RPX 25 does not employ T-Grain technology (which could yield even smaller grains), it remains very fine-grained. It compares favorably to Lomography Fantôme Kino 8 and Adox CMS 20 II (the latter is claimed by the manufacturer to have the highest resolution among photographic mediums, suggesting it exceeds even the capabilities of digital sensors).
The data sheet for Rollei RPX 25 indicates a diffuse granularity of RMS 8, placing it among the smoothest emulsions available, such as Fujifilm Provia 100F (RMS 8), Fujifilm Velvia 50 (RMS 9), and Ektachrome E100 (RMS 8). However, as Kodak notes in its documentation, RMS granularity does not reliably measure perceived film grain. Indeed, Fujicolor Natura 1600 is rated at RMS 4 but is noticeably grainier than the other films mentioned. This discrepancy arises partly from the fact that film grains are not uniform in size (which is why Natura and similar films may appear smooth in highlights yet grainier in shadows).
Reflecting on visual comparisons, my scans of RPX 25 show larger granules than those found in Lomography Fantôme Kino 8 and Adox CMS 20 II. They even appear chunkier than in color slide films, yet this does not hinder the film from exhibiting remarkable detail and enhanced sharpness. It is important to note the distinction between sharpness and detail; smaller grain doesn’t always translate to sharper images (it may capture more details, but without processing, those tiny particles can look unclear). The silver-rich grain in RPX 25 might convey fewer details than some other films, yet it appears sharper due to its high localized contrast (i.e., well-defined edges between light and dark tones).
Grain structure. The appearance of your film's grain is influenced not just by the light that strikes the emulsion but also by how you develop, scan, print, and exhibit your film. ✪ Note: Observations of grain
Rollei RPX 25 is a fine-grained, panchromatic black-and-white film that is rich in silver and delivers sharp images. In this review, I will discuss everything I've discovered about RPX 25 during my six years of use and explain why I believe it pairs beautifully with vintage lenses such as the Voigtlander Ultron 2.0 or Zeiss Tessar 2.8.