Film Ferrania - Developments from October 2023 onward

[flavio81]

Yes, like Lucky, Orwo and Harman colour film put price pressure on Portra and Ektar . All those new experimental films are priced higher (some even significantly higher) than lower end Kodak films (which, in addition, are technically much better).

I think you are not understanding it completely.

Harman Phoenix is still under an experimental phase, it is likely that they still haven't created a profit from their film.

Lucky Color Film is already cheaper than Kodak ColorPlus, at least in china.

People who want a color neg film can choose between Ektar, Portra, and the cheaper Gold and Colorplus. So, whoever is price conscious, can choose Colorplus, Lucky, etc.

However, people who want to shoot E6 film, only have Ektachrome and Provia available. There is no budget alternative. So there is a big oportunity to disrupt the market there. Color Slide film has a chance to become trendy again as soon as it gets down to reasonable prices.

30 years ago I used to buy Tura Chrome 100, E6 slide film, simply because it was significantly cheaper than buying Fuji Sensia, which itself was cheaper than Provia and Astia. Many years ago, Scotch Chrome 100 (made by Ferrania) was available to fill specifically that market need.

 

[loccdor]

All those new experimental films are priced higher

Phoenix was on sale for $8 for a 36 exposure roll the other day. And besides, they're still very early in their development of it compared to Kodak. We'll see what happens in time.

 

[Milpool]

Cheaper? You’ll be lucky if it isn’t more expensive. Where I am a roll of P30 is the most expensive B&W film you can buy, if that’s any indication.

So, lets stop dreaming and setting unrealistic expectations. We'll be very lucky if Ferrania slide film ever sees the light of day and extremely lucky if it's even 10% cheaper than Ektachrome.

 

[MattKing]

FWIW, I expect that Ferrania's finishing/confectioning capacity may be the largest reason to hope for Ferrania branded colour film.
Assuming they can convince one of the colour film manufacturers to sell them master rolls of something.

 

[Agulliver]

30 years ago I used to buy Tura Chrome 100, E6 slide film, simply because it was significantly cheaper than buying Fuji Sensia, which itself was cheaper than Provia and Astia. Many years ago, Scotch Chrome 100 (made by Ferrania) was available to fill specifically that market need.

Was Tura Chrome actually Ferrania Chrome/Scotch Chrome under another name? I shot a fair amount about 25 years ago before it disappeared and it was certainly acceptable.

What Film Ferrania is known to have is the ability to coat relatively simple B&W films very well and consistently. And potentially a great confectioning capacity. It seems doubtful that they are ready to coat C41 or E6 colour film. But they could obtain master rolls from another manufacturer and confection them. What will be important is the info given about any new colour film. Is it actually coated at the Ferrania campus or somewhere else? Will they actually tell us? The social media posts from them state that the B&W film will indeed be coated in Italy.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I'm okay with Ferrania confectioning for other manufacturers, as long as they don't brand them as their own... This would be a good way (perhaps) to make some much needed money.

 

[MattKing]

I don't know Andrew. If Eastman Kodak could do a huge run of 1990s vintage Elite Chrome solely for sale to Ferrania, I expect it would be popular
I doubt that Ferrania could raise the capital to order and pre-pay for it though.

 

[AnselMortensen]

ScotchChrome 1000 was a lot of fun.

 

[MattKing]

ScotchChrome 1000 was a lot of fun.

Yech -but to each their own.

 

[Milpool]

Let’s see what Drew Wiley has to say about that LOL

ScotchChrome 1000 was a lot of fun.

 

[polaromar]

FWIW, I expect that Ferrania's finishing/confectioning capacity may be the largest reason to hope for Ferrania branded colour film.
Assuming they can convince one of the colour film manufacturers to sell them master rolls of something.

I think this is actually the difference between now, and before. They're now under the same roof as the ORWO combo (Filmotec + InovisCoat), and thus have access to the Polaroid facilities at Monheim and the experience Filmotec/InovisCoat has in making color film. There's actually a chance of getting Ferrania branded color film.

Otherwise, I hope this happens. It's always good to have options in the market, and right now Ektachrome is the only slide film consistently available. Even if it is more expensive, I'd shoot it for fun still, just like how I prefer ORWO NC200 (in its many prototype guises) over Kodak Gold or ColorPlus. Being different, with character, has value in of itself.

The only concern I have is about how big the market actually is. CN is very popular but slide film seems to scare people, due to how much less forgiving in exposure it is.

 

[flavio81]

Was Tura Chrome actually Ferrania Chrome/Scotch Chrome under another name? I shot a fair amount about 25 years ago before it disappeared and it was certainly acceptable.

Tura Chrome was certainly Agfa Film. Tura (Tura AG) relabeled mostly Agfa film for private labels.

It seems doubtful that they are ready to coat C41 or E6 colour film. But they could obtain master rolls from another manufacturer and confection them.

Yes, however, if we're talking about slide film, then the options to confection E6 film are:

a. buying the slide film from Fuji or Kodak, which would make the product really expensive,
b. or the old Agfa Aviphot, which IMO is not a good film and i don't know if it's still available,
and:
c. make your own film !

Now, please recall that they do have the equipment for coating slide film and negative film. They have the chemists too. They have the formulas and process to coat E6 and C41 film on the very same machines they own. What they don't have is a recipe for an emulsion based on readily available (not "banned") chemical substances, so they need to re-engineer their color emulsions.

 

[MattKing]

ScotchChrome 1000 was a lot of fun.

Yech -but to each their own.