Are We Really Stuck With Ilford MGFB? Where Are the Magic Papers of the Past?

[GregY]

I'll add...if we don't buy Ilford & Foma paper.... there will be no Ilford or Foma paper.....

 

[DREW WILEY]

Seems people who shoot themselves in one foot, are the type most apt to shoot themselves in the other foot too.

 

[GregY]

Seems people who shoot themselves in one foot, are the type most apt to shoot themselves in the other foot too.

Say what ?? Can you say that in plain language Drew?

 

[DREW WILEY]

People get mad for some reason or another at one brand of film or paper, so boycott it, and then inevitably sooner or later get mad at another brand too. There aren't many choices left anymore; we only have two feet ourselves.

 

[JMB]

Seems people who shoot themselves in one foot, are the type most apt to shoot themselves in the other foot too.

Well, these last two posts are very defeatist, passive, and I think naive ways of looking at things --and hardly the proper capitalist spirit! Lord, what seller would not like a niche of passive, desperate buyers who will pay any price for even what turns out to be an inferior product. (I am referring to Ilford, not Foma. The Foma graded paper is rather nice). It certainly seems to me that those who continued purchasing Ilford papers when Ilford's prices began to escalate without looking for alternatives certainly shot themselves not in one foot, nor two feet, but in the head when Ilford realized that it could get away with price gouging. Mine was the right response: buy from another manufacturer. And of course I don't see at all how I shot myself in either foot. I paid a fraction of Ilford's price for a superior paper, and I am still printing on graded paper because I purchased a near lifetime supply. And what's more, Slavich still makes its excellent graded papers. Can't say that for Ilford. So one can buy Ilford at a ridiculous price, and guess what, still "not get Ilford" if you prize graded paper. So I do not see how supporting a price gouging manufacturer would have helped me at all. By turning to Slavich instead I helped to ensure the availability of a fine graded paper at a marvelous price! Get your nerve up; that's how capitalism is supposed to work. The right response to Ilford now is "keep it."

 

[stevenje]

People get mad for some reason or another at one brand of film or paper, so boycott it, and then inevitably sooner or later get mad at another brand too. There aren't many choices left anymore; we only have two feet ourselves.

Personally I am glad we have any choices at all. Imagine if we had no choices. Then what? Be thankful at some point and just go with the flow.

 

[Craig]

Before you accuse Ilford of "price gouging", you might want to look at their financial statements. They are a barely profitable company, and lost a fair bit of money during covid.

I'm glad Slavich works for you, but I have zero interest in graded paper. VC opens up far more possibilities to produce the image I want than graded can. The other thing to keep in mind is that Ilford QC is top notch, among the best in the world. Ilford works for me, I'm happy to buy it.

And like Greg above, I have zero intent to support a regime that suppresses human rights and criminalizes LGBTQ peoples existence for example.

 

[GregY]

Well, these last two posts are very defeatist, passive, and I think naive ways of looking at things --and hardly the proper capitalist spirit! Lord, what seller would not like a niche of passive, desperate buyers who will pay any price for even what turns out to be an inferior product. (I am referring to Ilford, not Foma. The Foma graded paper is rather nice). It certainly seems to me that those who continued purchasing Ilford papers when Ilford's prices began to escalate without looking for alternatives certainly shot themselves not in one foot, nor two feet, but in the head when Ilford realized that it could get away with price gouging. Mine was the right response: buy from another manufacturer. And of course I don't see at all how I shot myself in either foot. I paid a fraction of Ilford's price for a superior paper, and I am still printing on graded paper because I purchased a near lifetime supply. And what's more, Slavich still makes its excellent graded papers. Can't say that for Ilford. So one can buy Ilford at a ridiculous price, and guess what, still "not get Ilford" if you prize graded paper. So I do not see how supporting a price gouging manufacturer would have helped me at all. By turning to Slavich instead I helped to ensure the availability of a fine graded paper at a marvelous price! Get your nerve up; that's how capitalism is supposed to work. The right response to Ilford now is "keep it."

I think you're on your own here JMB....

 

[JMB]

I think you're on your own here JMB....

Yes. But then so was Van Gogh. Crowd thinking is almost never the way to go.

Well, as I said in the beginning, I am bewildered (and I still am bewildered) why people don't print on Slavich at least instead of Ilford. And this was another way of saying that I am bewildered and still bewildered by those who embrace VC papers. Show me a guy who prints on VC papers, and I will show you a guy who .... well, never mind. As far as I can tell there is a real enough edge with graded papers (acutance, sharpness, and subtle tonality). But sure, its a matter of taste, but discriminating taste, I can't help but think.