ORWO UN 54

ORWO UN 54 is a black and white film. It is a recording film for the film production. It is produced in Germany by Filmotec GmbH. The company is based in the ChemiePark Bitterfeld Wolfen in Saxony-Anhalt. The East German town of Wolfen was also home to the Wolfen film factory, which held the monopoly on film production in the GDR.

Of course, the ORWO UN 54 can also be used for black and white images in the normal way. It is panchromatically sensitized. According to the manufacturer, the film’s sensitivity is at ISO 100. A film with a higher sensitivity is the ORWO negative film N 74 plus.

The UN 54 is composed of five different layers, gelatine protective layer, emulsion layer, preparation layer, carrier and antistatic backing layer. The carrier layer on which the emulsion was poured consists of triacetate. This has a thickness of 135 µm.

Development of the film

The ORWO UN 54 must be developed in a black and white developer. This is quite easy with the right chemistry. The development must take place in complete darkness.

Availability and formats

The availability of the film is somewhat difficult to answer. The negative film UN 54 is produced by Filmotec and can still be obtained today. However, buying it as a private person is not so easy, as you can only get larger quantities from Filmotec. The 35mm film is offered in rolls of 122 and 305 meters. The 16 mm film is available as yard goods with a length of 122 meters. Theoretically, other formats are also possible, for this, it is best to ask the German company.

The film should be stored at temperatures below 13 degrees Celsius. A humidity of 50 to 70 percent is recommended. If you want to protect it, you should of course protect it from wetness. After exposure, the film material should be developed as soon as possible.