26 sheet boxes - how about it Ilford?

[tim atherton]

I'm sure there's probably some reason to do with master roll sizes etc - apart from some obscure quirk of history, but how about this Ilford/Simon?:

Market sheet films in boxes of 26 instead of 25...

Almost every LF photographer I know generally tends to load up their film in two's in double sided film holders (and even if it's a grafmatic it's six sheets)

Yes, occasionally I use one sheet - but that's the exception. I don't know how often I've ended up with a few boxes HP4/FP5/Delta in the fridge with just one annoying sheet in each.

So how about it?

 

[BrianShaw]

Why not 24 and 36 sheet boxes... like 35mm film?

 

[Nick Zentena]

25 is half of 50 or 1/4 of 100. Four 25 packets equal one 100 sheet box.

 

[tim atherton]

25 is half of 50 or 1/4 of 100. Four 25 packets equal one 100 sheet box.

well doh! - obviously

but it's also 12.5 film holders....

 

[PhotoJim]

I agree that it's a little annoying... but it's not the end of the world. It isn't that common that I buy a type of film and don't shoot a second box. If I do, well... I can load that straggler piece into a film holder. I label each side, so there's no requirement that each side have the same film, is there?

I actually have a film holder that's missing a dark slide... so that's why the slide is missing... for that straggler piece! (I need to find a replacement slide...)

 

[DannL]

How about this . . . take that last sheet (the straggler sheet) and the first sheet from your next new box, and together the make a pair. Hmmm. Nahhhh! Forget it, too much math. You people really scare me. ;-)

 

[tim atherton]

How about this . . . take that last sheet (the straggler sheet) and the first sheet from your next new box, and together the make a pair. Hmmm. Nahhhh! Forget it, too much math. You people really scare me. ;-)

Sure, I often get through a couple of boxes of HP5 at a time, but - I'll often work through one box of FP4 for something and then say a box of HP5 (or Efke 100). Then be working with 8x10 or colour.

Your idea works fine if you just work your way through 25 sht boxes of HP4 or whatever (in which case why not just buy a 100 sheet box... if you can find one). but only the truly boring stick to one film and one format...

 

[Nick Zentena]

well doh! - obviously

but it's also 12.5 film holders....

But that's only an issue if you buy the 25 sheet box. If you buy the 50 or 100 then it works out just fine. Now if Ilford switched to 24 or 26 then what do they do with the bigger boxes? Do these get switched to?

 

[Robert Hall]

That's what I would like, a 100 sheet box. Or perhaps a 50 sheet box if not 100 -- might be good for a day of shooting--.

 

[pentaxuser]

We can't change what has gone before but doesn't Tim have a point about packets that are divisible by 2. Why wouldn't it be just as easy to change over to boxes of say 24/26 as to continue with 25. OK the price needs altering and for a period there would be boxes of 25 and the other number with a price difference but the smaller boxes would eventually disappear.

Remember how big and difficult the decimalisation problems were going to be in the UK prior to its arrival. We must have taken all of a week to come to terms with the "new money"

pentaxuser

 

[kjsphoto]

100 sheet boxes of HP5 in 8x10 would be excellent for sure. I hate 25 sheets especially when going on the road.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Market sheet films in boxes of 26 instead of 25...

Nah -- obviously unlucky to load 13 DDS

Cheers,

Democritus Oppenstopper

 

[reggie]

They originally intended 24 sheets for 12 holders, but tossed in an extra sheet for that occasional mistake......

 

[photomc]

That's what I would like, a 100 sheet box. Or perhaps a 50 sheet box if not 100 -- might be good for a day of shooting--.

Actually, IIRC FP4 and HP5 are available in 100 sheet boxes (see Freestyle). Of course that is for 4x5 (or 5x4) but, to have a 50 sheet box of 8x10 or 50 or 100 sheet box of 5x7...now that would be nice. Funny though, can load the entire box of 25 - 4x5, but do not have that problem with 5x7 or 8x10.

But then again, use Efke and it does come 50 to a box, 4x5-5x7-8x10. Glad to have so many choice though...that IS the best part.

 

[DannL]

. . . (in which case why not just buy a 100 sheet box... if you can find one)

One problem . . . then there would be 4 straggler sheets to deal with. I'd have to buy two more filmholders for those. This hobby is already too expensive. ;-)

 

[Dave Wooten]

One really should have 25 holders and always purchase 50 sheets.

 

[MattKing]

It's amazing how important context can be...

I don't use sheet film.

As a result, when I saw this thread title, my first thought was ---- Why would it be useful to have photographic paper in a 26 sheet box????



Matt

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear All,

Interesting point ( and one I had never thought of ) I will have a look at the packaging stocks etc, and come back to you, and that's not a yes ( by any means ) yet OK !!!

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited

 

[Jim Noel]

Why not just go back to the way film was boxed many years ago - one dozen (12), two dozen (24), and one gross (144). This was common in the 40's and before.

 

[Robert Hall]

Simon, you rock! (just for listening to us blather on )

 

[pelerin]

<SNIP>
...easy to change over to boxes of say 24/26 as to continue with 25. OK the price needs altering and for a period there would be boxes of 25 and the other number with a price difference but the smaller boxes would eventually disappear.

<SNIP>

pentaxuser

The answer to this is quite simple. Swap to a 24 sheet box (which solves "what do I do with an odd sheet" complaints) and keep the price the same. This would provide an incentive to move the remaining stocks of 25 sheet boxes. You could even print a few retro-fit stickers to put on the boxes ..."Special! 24 sheet box + added bonus! One extra sheet free"... Not changing the price would have the added benfit of tremendous labor savings as there would be no need to add an SKU or update existing pricing and the new packaging could simply be shipped on a a stock turnover basis.
Celac.

 

[JBrunner]

The answer to this is quite simple. Swap to a 24 sheet box (which solves "what do I do with an odd sheet" complaints) and keep the price the same. This would provide an incentive to move the remaining stocks of 25 sheet boxes. You could even print a few retro-fit stickers to put on the boxes ..."Special! 24 sheet box + added bonus! One extra sheet free"... Not changing the price would have the added benfit of tremendous labor savings as there would be no need to add an SKU or update existing pricing and the new packaging could simply be shipped on a a stock turnover basis.
Celac.

Excuse me! Screw your self out of a sheet of film!!!! Not me!!!

(I am trying to be funny)

 

[tommy5c]

buy two boxs and your of 25 sheets and your problem is solved. or you could always play guess that film after a couple of months of collecting spare sheets.

 

[Markok765]

buy two boxs and your of 25 sheets and your problem is solved. or you could always play guess that film after a couple of months of collecting spare sheets.

Buy a 50 sheet box, isnt it cheaper than 2 25 sheet boxes?

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear Celec,

Now thats a clever idea......!!!!!...But I think if you neded any advice from APUG members in the future you may have to wait a little time...so it will have to be 25 or 26 not 24 !!

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN tcehnology Limited