Freestyle announces "Silver Collection" paper and film

[ath]

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/silver-collection-by-arista.php

 

[dmdair]

Cool, Always love having more choice in the film and paper market!

 

[ntenny]

Interesting; "manufactured in the UK" would seem to imply Ilford, who as we know don't supply their stuff for rebranding. Have they changed their policy, or is it perhaps coated to order with a different emulsion, or...?

Availability in MF and sheets suggests that it isn't the same as the Kentmere films, which was my first thought.

-NT

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

Ilford does not rebrand their own prodcuts, but they will custom coat to customer specifications. So they're making it for Freestyle, but they're not selling Delta 100 or FP4+ with a different label.

 

[Pioneer]

This is Great!

Another film to choose from. This is terrific news!

 

[arealitystudios]

Very interesting. I like the name.

Here is hoping the price point is indeed a value. I've had a lot of luck in the past using the re-branded Freestyle films. Back in the day I used their "Arista II" film quite a lot and I continue to use the Arista.Edu film to this day.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

How the participating members in the manufacturing and supply chain can make this happen isn't the issue. That they CAN make it happen at all is what's important.

One of my biggest fears in this shrinking market was for the loss of the "value" film and paper users. You know, the student or fixed-income retiree who loves the medium but literally doesn't have the means to match the inevitable price increases that go with that shrinking market. Losing those users would be/is catastrophic.

Hopefully this type of offering can help to preserve that valuable chunk of market share, and the overall additional demand it creates.

This is really good news.

Ken

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I remember ove 10 years ago that Freestyle sold film and paper from the UK and from my tests on Arista film and paper, it was Ilford fp4 film and Ilford MG RC paper. I miss the "cold stored" expired film.

 

[NedL]

It's just great news in this day and age that there is a new choice in films and papers being added rather than another one disappearing.

 

[fotch]

Interesting. I can hardly wait to learn more and perhaps order some.

 

[Roger Cole]

Great news, and pretty much has to be coated by Ilford unless there's another in the UK we don't know about.

 

[Roger Cole]

Another question would be if this will affect the availability of the EDU.Ultra rebranded Foma. While I'd love to have Arista prices with Ilford QC the Foma has its own old style charm as well. Of course it's available as Foma but the price isn't nearly as attractive.

 

[mgb74]

"Arista prices with Ilford QC"

That's it in a nutshell. You can build a technique around almost any decent emulsion, but it's tough to manage inconsistent quality.

 

[Roger Cole]

I have actually not had problems with the Arista branded Foma, but I have heard from plenty of people who have. Apparently their QC isn't nearly so bad as the late lamented Efke's, but certainly isn't that of Ilford either.

Interesting that they describe the graded RC as being "very neutral to cold." How the heck can it be "very neutral?" Semantics aside, it would be nice to have a truly cold tone VC FB paper. Slavic is available again in the US but that's graded. Ilford has MC Cooltone, but that's RC only and not available in sizes larger than 11x14. This doesn't look like it will help that but we can continue to hope. I love Ilford MGWT FB and warm tone papers in general for some things, but not everything. Some photos are just better cool. Right now that means MGIV FB and selenium for me, though I've heard Kentmere VCFB is cooler.

 

[chip j]

Seems to me that "RC" and "Fine Art" don't go together.

 

[Roger Cole]

Ah, that's the argument, and I don't usually make prints for framing and display on RC either, but I'm tempted in 16x20. That's getting up to where damp FB paper is very easily damaged in handling even if you are careful, and the fact is a print on a good modern RC paper, once mounted under glass, can be hard to tell from FB.

 

[dr5chrome]

About the film: The film is Kentmere film. This is ILFORDs 're-branding' line:
http://www.dr5.com/blackandwhiteslide/rpx100dev1.html
http://www.dr5.com/blackandwhiteslide/rpx400dev1.html

This was MACO/ROLLEIs short lived RPX.

For negative processing, use it as you have used Kentmere.

I suppose the paper is also Kentmere paper.

dw

 

[mgb74]

About the film: The film is Kentmere film. This is ILFORDs 're-branding' line:
http://www.dr5.com/blackandwhiteslide/rpx100dev1.html
http://www.dr5.com/blackandwhiteslide/rpx400dev1.html

This was MACO/ROLLEIs short lived RPX.

For negative processing, use it as you have used Kentmere.

I suppose the paper is also Kentmere paper.

dw

You mention (at those links) "as sharp as HP5 but not as versatile". Could you expand on the "not as versatile"?

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

So we're celebrating a relabeling of stuff we could already get anyway?

 

[Barry S]

So we're celebrating a relabeling of stuff we could already get anyway?

Remind me again--where can I get Kentmere sheet film at bargain prices?

 

[ntenny]

So we're celebrating a relabeling of stuff we could already get anyway?

If it's the Kentmere material, I think the availability in larger formats is actually new.

-NT

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Remind me again--where can I get Kentmere sheet film at bargain prices?

So we have the prices?

 

[Chris Lange]

So we have the prices?

I think he's saying that you can't get Kentmere sheet film, period. I'm anxious to find out the cost too.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

I think he's saying that you can't get Kentmere sheet film, period. I'm anxious to find out the cost too.

True enough. Wonder if it will be similarly priced to Arista EDU stuff. Frankly B&H prices for Ilford 4x5 is not bad and the savings vs Arista is not enough for me based on the quality.

 

[Chris Lange]

Agreed, I liked the Legacy and Arista Premium (fuji and kodak relabels) a lot, but the only experience I've ever had with Foma films has resulted in short striated scratches in the emulsion (it was Foma 200 Creative in 120), and swore I'd never use Foma film again. That said, I LOVE the Foma papers, especially the Fomatone MG.