Are bags inside of Photo Paper boxes completely light tight?

[fschifano]

Assuming that the bag hasn't been compromised, and that you had the top folded over while it was out, there will be no problem. The bags themselves are completely opaque. They can, and do develop pinholes and other tears through wear or abuse and these obviously are not suitable for storing unexposed papers. Don't be under any illusions whatsoever that the boxes are light tight. They are not. The cardboard boxes are there to prevent the plastic bags from suffering damage. The only cardboard boxes I know that are supposed to be light tight are the boxes in which sheet films are packaged. These are of a different design and consist of three parts that go together to make a light trap. I am not totally convinced that they are completely light tight because the film itself is packed in an opaque black plastic bag inside the light trap box.

 

[pentaxuser]

Ilford do pack 5x7 paper in bags only, but it is double bagged.

If this is happening in the U.K. it is news to me. Ilford prides itself on the construction of its boxes and said as much when someone complained that Kentmere boxes weren't as robust.

So whereever you are, you can buy 5x7 in double bags but no boxes? If Ilford do this or are planning to do this in the U.K. then this will be a serious retrograde step and I for one would do what I could to switch to another maker.

pentaxuser

 

[Bob-D659]

Well it is Ilford MGIV pearl finish, made in England by HARMAN technology Limited, with a web address of www.ilford.com!!! Purchased in Canada. This was before Ilford had a Canadian distributor and this package would have been imported by the US distributor.

 

[pentaxuser]

I have no doubt that a double bag containing Ilford paper existed and was sold. I am simply questioning whether it arrived that way from Ilford itself. It just seems incredible that Ilford should despatch its paper this way to one of its major markets which is a long way away and yet box its paper for its home market where the protection of a box might be less important.

Ilford prides itself on its boxes' design and strength, even taking the trouble to invite photographers to submit photos which are then printed on the boxes. The boxes are an integral part of the Ilford brand. On the last tour of the factory in Oct 2008 we were taken round the sheet packing area and watched the operators bag the sheets and place in boxes. No mention was made of double bagging minus boxes for the N American market and there was no sign of this happening. Nor on the 2006 tour either.

I can't help but think this was a maverick packaging and one which wouldn't have earned the approval of Ilford. Maybe others who had your experience of seeing double bagging without any box or outer packaging will chime in. The 25 sheet packages admittedly aren't in boxes but are in stiff cardboard Ilford envelopes which are meant to provide the same kind of protection as do the boxes i.e. the bag is replaced into the envelope each time a sheet is extracted.

If this is what you refer to as a double bag then I have misunderstood you and I apologise.

pentaxuser

 

[mooseontheloose]

I also have a package of the bagged 5x7 (bought in Canada). For a long time I refused to buy it thinking it had been pulled from the box and relabelled, but after a while I realized it's quite common to find it packaged this way in this size. I've found it in every store I've shopped in here in Canada. It looks official. There is no cardboard on the outside whatsoever -- it's just the black bag, with the Ilford sticker on top. I like using 5x7 for work prints so in the end I just gave up and bought the package (5x7, 100 sheets, pearl).

 

[pentaxuser]

Amazing! "Over to you Mr Galley", me thinks for an explanation. If I had seen such a thing advertised on e-bay for instance my first thought would have been SCAM

pentaxuser

 

[EASmithV]

Yes, the material they are made of is completely light proof.

 

[MattKing]

The "bag only" packaging is, if I understand it correctly, directed to those dealers who sell frequently into the school market - at the beginning of each term they bring in quantities of supplies that are priced a bit lower, but sell out quickly.

For those of us who already have boxes we can re-use, they are great. For schools that manage the paper supply for their students, I expect they are also great.

Matt