An excellent presentation by Ilford Photo/Harman Technologies rep Michael Bain

I attended a talk this week by Michael Bain, Ilford Photo's North American rep. It was a fascinating and inspiring talk about Ilford's path through the changing photographic landscape over the years. The black and white film market is a fraction of what it was, but they have restructured the company around the new realities. Interestingly, 35mm film sales are flat, but Ilford is seeing steady growth in medium and large format film. In printing paper, RC paper sales are flat, but there is growth in fiber papers, which is where they've launched new products.

He emphasized over and over that Ilford Photo is financially healthy and fully committed to black and white film photography. They are a small company facing a changing market, so they are very conservative in their operations. With sound financial management, they hope to preserve their existing product line, even the smaller-volume products, while finding new ways to grow.

Like everyone else in the world, Michael expressed frustration that people often confuse Ilford Photo, the financially healthy black and white film photography company, with Ilford Imaging, the now-bankrupt manufacturer of digital printing paper. They actually got stung by Ilford Imaging, because Ilford Imaging was the source for the emulsion for Ilford Photo's direct positive paper. Now that Imaging is bankrupt, they are not supplying the emulsion. Ilford Photo is trying to purchase the formula, but it has proved to be very expensive to try to work through the Swiss bankruptcy system. At the very least they've learned not to rely on another company for a key component.

Good news to hear! Ilford is the ONE reason film photographers can believe in a future. Kodak offers nothing as well as Fujifilm.

Much praise to Ilford!

I am very happy that Ilford is still around, and that they have the business practices they do. At least here in America they serve the market exceedingly well. After using up my remaining three rolls of 120 TMY-2 and four rolls of 120 Tri-X, I have nothing but Ilford films in my camera bag, and Ilford papers in my darkroom (except for the old stuff I use for lith printing). In addition, I use Hypam fixer, which I buy in 5 liter containers locally, and Harman Selenium toner.

Their involvement with the end users and presence in the online environment is encouraging and impressive.

After over 30 years now of shooting nothing but transparency films I've injected B&W into my usage of films. Along with my normal transparency load of film I now carry 4x5 holders with B&W film along with a roll back with B&W for my RB as needed. And, yes, my move was to using Ilford based upon their apparent dedication to keeping film alive.

vdonovan said:

Like everyone else in the world, Michael expressed frustration that people often confuse Ilford Photo, the financially healthy black and white film photography company, with Ilford Imaging, the now-bankrupt manufacturer of digital printing paper.

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That of course had to be expected when doing that tradename agreement. It should be considered the price for Harman to gain use of "their" old name.

Otherwise they had to pay a huge monetary price for promoting a new tradename as Orwo did in a similar situation.

They used to make cameras... if they're looking for new ways to grow, perhaps they could develop a new digital b&w (repacking someone else's with a modified sensor).... there must be a lot of people who want a monochrom but can't afford it . But more realistically photo books would be very cool with their print quality and paper.

Ilford gives me hope for what the world of film will be like in the future: Niche manufacturers, highly responsive to a dedicated customer base.

It seems like the writing is on the wall with Kodak. KA's goals and management don't seem aligned with film over the long term. My hope is that when the time comes that KA exits the market, it is done in such a way that an Ilford-style company is able to take over some of their product line.

I hope whoever that is chooses to follow Ilford's model.

djhurley92 said:

They used to make cameras... if they're looking for new ways to grow, perhaps they could develop a new digital b&w (repacked someone else's with a modified sensor).... their must be a lot of people who want a monochrom but can't afford it . But more realistically photo books would be very cool with their print quality and paper.

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They are making cameras! Three pinhole cameras.
And they also make single use cameras with hp5 and XP2.

Thomas Bertilsson said:

They are making cameras! Three pinhole cameras.
And they also make single use cameras with hp5 and XP2.

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Oh yeah!! I forgot about that. I actually bought an HP5 one as a gift for someone with processing included. It's a great way to get people in to film. The pinhole cameras are cool, but for special uses. In my post I was referencing their old general purpose 35mm cameras from the 60s.

djhurley92 said:

They used to make cameras... if they're looking for new ways to grow, perhaps they could develop a new digital b&w (repacking someone else's with a modified sensor).... there must be a lot of people who want a monochrom but can't afford it .

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How could such a small company develop a different digital camera, whilst they are not even into electronics? They could not even give their name to a bought-in camera as that is not theirs. (Digital products are traded under the Harman brand anyway.)

omaha said:

Ilford gives me hope for what the world of film will be like in the future: Niche manufacturers, highly responsive to a dedicated customer base.

It seems like the writing is on the wall with Kodak. KA's goals and management don't seem aligned with film over the long term. My hope is that when the time comes that KA exits the market, it is done in such a way that an Ilford-style company is able to take over some of their product line.

I hope whoever that is chooses to follow Ilford's model.

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Whomever follows in the footsteps of Kodak will HAVE to follow Ilford's model. There's no other proven way to sell film profitably.

Been an Ilford user sine the '80s. Nice to see them thrive by a solid product followed up by innovative and sharp thinking.

I'm really pleased they're doing well and will keep buying plenty of their film and chemicals...

vdonovan said:

.... Interestingly, 35mm film sales are flat, but Ilford is seeing steady growth in medium and large format film. In printing paper, RC paper sales are flat, but there is growth in fiber papers, which is where they've launched new products.

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I'm not at all surprised. The future of B&W imaging isn't in 'amateur products' like 35mm film and RC paper but rather, in products designed for the more committed photographers.

Most of the greatest pictures (since the 30s) have been taken on 35mm.

chip j said:

Most of the greatest pictures (since the 30s) have been taken on 35mm.

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35mm photography is the format most likely to go digital.

Prof_Pixel said:

35mm photography is the format most likely to go digital.

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The medium format film camera companies are all out of business,

djhurley92 said:

Yeah I know I did imply it was an unrealistic pipe dream. But I wasn't suggesting they'd design or manufacture it anyway.

Hassalblad have sold rebadged and minimally modified Fuji cameras, and most of Leica's cheaper digitals are rebadged Panasonics in a different shell with different firmware.

Ilford themselves buy their digital printers from Fuji, specially modified to print black and white only and to a considerably higher standard than otherwise. It would be theoretically possible to do the same with a camera, like how leica modified a normal colour sensor to produce the monochrom.

I was just saying it'd be cool, and a possible niche for them that would be immune to future declining film demand. I'm not at all deluding myself that it will happen though, don't worry!

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You are suggesting that the one successful B&W film maker, which is fully committed to analog - should go digital, ala on the lines of Kodak?

chip j said:

The medium format film camera companies are all out of business,

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So?

Their existing cameras will last a very long time and there's no shortage of spares. Lots of people use Graflex products and it's been gone for how long?

summicron1 said:

So?

Their existing cameras will last a very long time and there's no shortage of spares. Lots of people use Graflex products and it's been gone for how long?

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My point was that digital wiped out med format first.

I am all in favor of Ilford, and I do buy quite a bit of medium and large format film from them. Black and white is terrific, but I still like to shoot color as well so I continue to support Kodak and Fuji. I for one will be very, very disappointed if they fold entirely. I am still very much addicted to Fuji slide film and to Kodak Portra films.

IMHO there is still nothing quite like a well exposed medium format color slide. For the life of me I cannot understand how someone can claim that color digital is the way to go after looking at a medium format slide show.

Pioneer said:

IMHO there is still nothing quite like a well exposed medium format color slide. For the life of me I cannot understand how someone can claim that color digital is the way to go after looking at a medium format slide show.

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They probably havent looked at it. I only recently shot some colour slides in 120 and was blown away!

Prof_Pixel said:

I'm not at all surprised. The future of B&W imaging isn't in 'amateur products' like 35mm film and RC paper but rather, in products designed for the more committed photographers.

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I do not see 35mm and RC paper not being for the "more committed photographers".

analoguey said:

You are suggesting that the one successful B&W film maker, which is fully committed to analog - should go digital, ala on the lines of Kodak?

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Do not overlook that they offer products for digital photography since long time.

chip j said:

Most of the greatest pictures (since the 30s) have been taken on 35mm.

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Buwahahahahahahahaha!