Film from Italy -- Ferrania starting production 2014

[MattKing]

Sal nails it.

Good faith positive thinking, although admirable in itself, will have absolutely nothing to do with the final outcome. While it might feel good to believe otherwise, the reality is that forces far more powerful than all of us adding a few extra rolls per year will end up determining EK/KA's film future.

Go Ferrania...

Ken

Those "forces far more powerful than all of us" are way more likely to consider doing something we might like (e.g. build a smaller, more flexible coating line that also does colour) if we and a fair number of others do add those few extra rolls per year.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

That's an interesting post, Matt.

When exactly was the last time a fully dedicated commercial-size film coating line was built from scratch? And by whom?

Everything I've heard about has been either overly huge and apparently couldn't be downsized enough, or was originally part of someone's R&D operations and was repurposed, or was hopelessly antique and running until it quite literally fell apart, or has already been scrapped.

I seem to remember reading that Kentmere, sometime before the Harman acquisition, had either a new, or an expansion of an existing, line constructed. But I don't know its eventual fate, although I could make a guess.

Do you know something the rest of us don't?

:w00t:

Ken

 

[MattKing]

That's an interesting post, Matt.

When exactly was the last time a fully dedicated commercial-size film coating line was built from scratch? And by whom?

Everything I've heard about has been either overly huge and apparently couldn't be downsized enough, or was originally part of someone's R&D operations and was repurposed, or was hopelessly antique and running until it quite literally fell apart, or has already been scrapped.

I seem to remember reading that Kentmere, sometime before the Harman acquisition, had either a new, or an expansion of an existing, line constructed. But I don't know its eventual fate, although I could make a guess.

Do you know something the rest of us don't?

:w00t:

Ken

The last one to come on line was most likely Harman's, which I understand to be relatively new.

Its non-photographic coating capabilities are probably crucial to its viability.

 

[rwhb12]

After a very interesting factory visit to Ilford, I can say that much of their equipment was brought up from the old London site - including the massive coating machine, which has a building all to itself and that they had just spent a whole year re wiring a 35mm cartridge making machine they rescued I think from Agfa plant. The sprit in the place was fantastic. The machine rolling films was I think from the 1950's and under constant repair, but magic to just stand and watch it.

They deserve to win. My only negative was the use of imports from other countries when items are still made in the UK, with tri acetate etc from Germany. But a seriously impressive setup.

russ

 

[PKM-25]

Sal nails it.

Good faith positive thinking, although admirable in itself, will have absolutely nothing to do with the final outcome. While it might feel good to believe otherwise, the reality is that forces far more powerful than all of us adding a few extra rolls per year will end up determining EK/KA's film future.

Go Ferrania...

Go Film?

Sorry Ken, obviously I have offended you as you have not replied to my PM's. I guess I should have stuck to my guns of walking away from this site and using it as a read only. I thought I could just ignore the industry part and use the more important sections but I see industry posts now popping up in other sections so this infill is now unavoidable it would seem. I even tried to make people laugh as the posts racked up at a ratio of 10:1 over the more knowledge based aspects of the site.

It's one thing to get frustrated at negative posts....it's another when I start to second guess significant aspects of my life such as my career, methods of moving it forward.....because of the Internet.

Three strikes, I'm out. You, Rattymouse, Xmas, etc win...

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

Sorry Ken, obviously I have offended you as you have not replied to my PM's.

Nah... Not even close. I thought those posts were hilarious.

I haven't responded here by PM because I thought you were gone again and wouldn't see it. I was going to use the private email address, but those longer, more thoughful emails need to wait until the evening when I'm not working and have more time. Unfortunately, last evening I couldn't get to it.

These daytime APUG posts are just drive-by quickies I use as mental pauses while tracing through oceans of software source code.

OK, fair enough. Go Film...



Ken

 

[wblynch]

If you're referring to Kodak's current color negative films...

There's Fujifilm too. And Fujifilm is no longer dependent on MP film production.

And there is always Lucky lurking in the background. Who knows, they could turn their color machines back on and make 1990's "Kodak" films again.

But I am excited to see what Ferrania brings forth.

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

And there is always Lucky lurking in the background. Who knows, they could turn their color machines back on and make 1990's "Kodak" films again.

Ufff! I wished that was the case. China Lucky benefited from Kodak "know-how" a few years ago and their Colour New 100 has a pastel feel to it. I like it. Still have some expired rolls that I use to give away.

 

[RattyMouse]

The best color print films ever made are still available today. If we buy them they will stay.

That worked real well for Reala 100.

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

Let's have some drum roll...

...for the next announcement:

Film Ferrania to start production on the following formats:

135
120
16mm
Super8

[h=2]What film formats will you produce?[/h]To begin, we will manufacture 35mm and 120 still formats, as well as Super 8 and 16mm cine formats.
These four films are just the start. We are, in fact, designing our new factory to be flexible enough to produce almost any film format ever created. We will be looking to you, the users, to decide what's next.

---

From their FAQ: Dead Link Removed

A bit more: http://petapixel.com/2014/08/27/ita...rania-start-manufacturing-film-mid-september/

Nothing better than good news!

 

[StoneNYC]

Let's have some drum roll...

...for the next announcement:

Film Ferrania to start production on the following formats:

135
120
16mm
Super8


From their FAQ: Dead Link Removed

A bit more: http://petapixel.com/2014/08/27/ita...rania-start-manufacturing-film-mid-september/

Nothing better than good news!

Awesome news!! Maybe I'll buy some of that 16mm too and run it through my grandfathers old kodak wind up camera

So glad they decided to also make 120 right off! Smart move!

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

"There's something of visionary and beautiful in all of this, and certainly could only be born from a great love for the visual arts. Maybe because a film and a photo are not only the images that come to our eyes but includes the emotions, the difficulties, the errors, limitations, imperfections, every effort to overcome them, and the greatest satisfaction in this."

— Massimo Rossi, discussion post on the return of Ferrania film, FILM Ferrania website, August 18, 2014

"Well said! I've gone back to using film almost exclusively, especially for personal and editorial work, after years of shooting only digital. There's a soul in analog photos that is impossible to duplicate, no matter how many photoshop filters you use."

— Aezreth, follow-up to the above post, FILM Ferrania website, August 27, 2014

 

[Roger Cole]

Woo-hoo! Happy dance!

If the price is no more than Fuji (or even "not that much more" if it meets the following) and the contrast and saturation are more akin to Astia or E100G than to Provia or Velvia I'll REALLY celebrate!

You folks who shoot movie film - I salute you. I remember wanting a Super 8 camera as a kid, so I looked into film now, and decided it's just prohibitively expensive for the amount of run time, especially given the quality of Super 8 (and the cost would go up tremendously for 16mm) versus digital video. So - sigh - I probably won't bother with that, but I'm very glad it's available for those keeping it alive!

 

[Xmas]

HiRoger

Some of the small 16mm still compacts use standard cine perforation

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

I had one in my hand Sunday week.

I need to put something in Ricardos coffee.

Noel

 

[Roger Cole]

Well that's cool that people are keeping those alive but I really don't have need to go out and find one and buy it. If I DID want a frame half the size of 35mm I'd get a Pen F or other half frame - much easier to deal with the film.

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

I need to put something in Ricardos coffee.

LOL

 

[Xmas]

HiRoger

My sympathies too but the people who use them need double or single perf 16mm film and Ferrani are certainly doing double perf.

So they are dancing in street too.

And I need to stay away from the shop selling it.

Now all we need is for Stone to get them to do 4x5, which would need a different base.

Id like mono 35mm 400 or 1000 foot cans... there are at least two suppliers today but...

Noel

 

[Xmas]

LOL

If I tell you where the 16mm camera is you'd be sorry.

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

If I tell you where the 16mm camera is you'd be sorry.

Charlie?

 

[Xmas]

Jeremy - the mad hatter stall

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

Right.

 

[Roger Cole]

HiRoger

My sympathies too but the people who use them need double or single perf 16mm film and Ferrani are certainly doing double perf.

So they are dancing in street too.

And I need to stay away from the shop selling it.

Now all we need is for Stone to get them to do 4x5, which would need a different base.

Id like mono 35mm 400 or 1000 foot cans... there are at least two suppliers today but...

Noel

I'd love it in 4x5 too, especially if it's less expensive than Provia.

Sheet film is the exception to my "within reason of market prices for other films is fine" feeling. Color sheet film is just ridiculous. Whenever my lenses suit I use a rollfilm back when shooting color on my view camera. 6x7 is large enough, I still have movements, and both film and processing costs (since I no longer do my own color) plummet. But my shortest lens for my 4x5 is 90mm which becomes a normal on 6x7 so if I need a wide angle I either shoot sheets or am out of luck.

 

[Xmas]

I'd love it in 4x5 too, especially if it's less expensive than Provia.

Sheet film is the exception to my "within reason of market prices for other films is fine" feeling. Color sheet film is just ridiculous. Whenever my lenses suit I use a rollfilm back when shooting color on my view camera. 6x7 is large enough, I still have movements, and both film and processing costs (since I no longer do my own color) plummet. But my shortest lens for my 4x5 is 90mm which becomes a normal on 6x7 so if I need a wide angle I either shoot sheets or am out of luck.

HiRoger

I use 90 on 67 as well slightly wider than normal.
But you can get 6x9 backs and I think people 'make' 6x17 (17) backs at home for panoramic shots pretty nice with your 90mm.
With a flat bed you can gilee print 6x17.
I have to make do with cine or ex-survelliance film.
The ten on 120 is as far as I go, 4x5 is expensive.

Noel

 

[Roger Cole]

Given the speed I shoot with 4x5 I find black and white about plenty affordable enough but color is another story.

 

[Henning Serger]

Hello friends,

just a little bit more information:
Dead Link Removed

I've visited Film Ferrania at the end of last year, and visited their L.R.F., too. Quite impressive. A report about my factory visit was published in edition I.2014 of the PhotoKlassik ( www.photoklassik.de ).
In the short video from 1:55 min. on you see the small coating machine on the left side. That is the coater which will be used for their future production.

Best regards,
Henning