Hello APUG from FILM Ferrania

[Ian Grant]

It's good to see more potential film choices. There seems a high sense of realism, concentrating on colour materials and not competing in the B&W market.

It's also good to see participation in APUG right early before production re-starts, so welcome Dave.

Ian

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear Dave,

Good to have you on APUG, APUGGERS are a good bunch, passionate and fair....and of course crucially our customers.

The greatest good luck in all your endeavours.

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

 

[madgardener]

Like many others here on APUG, I want to extend a hearty welcome! and a big Thank You! for being here.

Now when is the world wide victory tour when we actually get to meet everybody that we have seen in the videos and read about?

 

[MattKrull]

Hi Dave,

I shoot very litte chrome, but I backed the KS campaign because I really want to see you guys succeed. Having a colour film company able to survive on low volumes is really important to the future of our art.

I want you to know that reading your responses here, the honesty about uncertainties and realities, is hugely comforting. I appreciate the business plan of targeting holes in current offerings instead of directly competing with entrentched players.

Glad to have you on the forum.
I am looking forward to shooting a couple of rolls of Italian chrome next year.

Matt

 

[Jotarok]

Hello Film Ferrania !
(sorry for my english, I'm from France)
First of all, your project is awesome, and I wanted to thank you for doing what you do ! (donated 50 dollars :3 )
Then, I have few questions :
- Are you planning on producing 24 or even (it would be incredible) 12 exposures 135 rolls ? Because it is now pretty difficult to find 24 exposures rolls and almost impossible to find 12 exp, and it is really difficult for me to shoot 36 photos with the same film, and with a unique sensibility.
- The most important thing : is the first batch packaging is going to be the one for normal films ? It's not that I don't find it good, but I'm just not a huge fan of the 1960s design, but I do prefer the packagings from the 80s and the 90s or even the ones with color stripes on it <3. For example, I'm a big fan of "labeauratoire", you can see some of his packagings on his blog http://labeauratoire.wordpress.com/ since his shop is currently closed. I would have an orgasm if there you collaborated with this guy !

Anyway,
Big thanks and from France

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I'd like to add how happy I am to see your presence here. I have not used more than ten rolls of chrome in my entire photography life, so I'm not a likely future customer, but I talk to many photographers all the time who might be, so I'll spread the good word and do my part.

I wish you the best of luck in your endeavor. It's a brave and admirable one.

 

[flavio81]

Hi Dave!

I'm extremely happy with the whole Ferrania project and now even more than you are here, alive and kicking, on APUG.

I would like to say a lot of things but don't know where to start. The videos put on the Ferrania web page are great, the last "grazie mille" video almost brings tears out of my eye.

Ok, i guess i'll make one request. My request is: TUNGSTEN BALANCED E-6 film please!!

It seems that after years of low sales, there are suddenly several options for tungsten films. CineStill, most notably. And Lomo recently released one as well, I believe.

Note that CineStill is not reversal film but negative film. Scotch (3M, Ferrania) used to make a 640T reversal film (ISO 640, tungsten) that, while grainy, it was sharp, with good colors, and very fast. Artists loved it. Somebody mentioned that you can use a normal daylight-balanced film and then use filtration, but as far as i know, this doesn't give as good results as using tungsten film. While using tungsten film in daylight using a correction filter does give excellent results. This is the reason most cine color films are tungsten balanced. Also, you lose two stops when filtering a daylight-balanced film. This was explicetly mentioned on a review of ScotchChrome 640T made by Popular Photography (if i recall correctly). They compared Scotch 640T to Ektachrome 160T and the Scotch product was superior for practical low-light purposes -if you don't mind the grain, of course.

So this means the 640T film was extremely fast. And it pushed correctly to ISO 1250. To be able to get tungsten-balanced ISO 1250 with a daylight-balanced film, you would need an ISO 5000 daylight-balanced film (!!) to compensate with the 2 stop loss of the blue filter...

Such a film, in 120 format size, would open a lot of possibilities for us medium format shooters. In 6x6 or 6x7 format the grain of the 640T would not be a problem at all. Even a pushable 320T film would be extremely useful, like the late Ektachrome 320T. Again, tell your engineers (Corrado) not to worry too much about grain. Grain used to be undesirable in film, but now in the digital era i think people have come to appreciate more the look of grainy-but-sharp film.

If Ferrania are to be the "color ilford", then a pushable 320T film could be the "color HP5+", that is, an extremely film that can be pushed and used in all kinds of situations; a bit grainy but very sharp, just like HP5+ is. Just make sure you bring your 85B filter!

In any case, warm welcome and greetings to Danilo, Corrado, Renzo, Daniele, Ezio, Marco S, Marco P, Nicola, and Dave Bias aka "The Mystery American" !!

 

[fotch]

Welcome to APUG and may the film gods be with you.

 

[Xmas]

Hi Dave!

I'm extremely happy with the whole Ferrania project and now even more than you are here, alive and kicking, on APUG.

I would like to say a lot of things but don't know where to start. The videos put on the Ferrania web page are great, the last "grazie mille" video almost brings tears out of my eye.

Ok, i guess i'll make one request. My request is: TUNGSTEN BALANCED E-6 film please!!



Note that CineStill is not reversal film but negative film. Scotch (3M, Ferrania) used to make a 640T reversal film (ISO 640, tungsten) that, while grainy, it was sharp, with good colors, and very fast. Artists loved it. Somebody mentioned that you can use a normal daylight-balanced film and then use filtration, but as far as i know, this doesn't give as good results as using tungsten film. While using tungsten film in daylight using a correction filter does give excellent results. This is the reason most cine color films are tungsten balanced. Also, you lose two stops when filtering a daylight-balanced film. This was explicetly mentioned on a review of ScotchChrome 640T made by Popular Photography (if i recall correctly). They compared Scotch 640T to Ektachrome 160T and the Scotch product was superior for practical low-light purposes -if you don't mind the grain, of course.

So this means the 640T film was extremely fast. And it pushed correctly to ISO 1250. To be able to get tungsten-balanced ISO 1250 with a daylight-balanced film, you would need an ISO 5000 daylight-balanced film (!!) to compensate with the 2 stop loss of the blue filter...

Such a film, in 120 format size, would open a lot of possibilities for us medium format shooters. In 6x6 or 6x7 format the grain of the 640T would not be a problem at all. Even a pushable 320T film would be extremely useful, like the late Ektachrome 320T. Again, tell your engineers (Corrado) not to worry too much about grain. Grain used to be undesirable in film, but now in the digital era i think people have come to appreciate more the look of grainy-but-sharp film.

If Ferrania are to be the "color ilford", then a pushable 320T film could be the "color HP5+", that is, an extremely film that can be pushed and used in all kinds of situations; a bit grainy but very sharp, just like HP5+ is. Just make sure you bring your 85B filter!

In any case, warm welcome and greetings to Danilo, Corrado, Renzo, Daniele, Ezio, Marco S, Marco P, Nicola, and Dave Bias aka "The Mystery American" !!

All your points are valid except it is very rare for tungsten lighting to be used here.

It is even difficult getting tungsten bulbs for an enlarger, which takes standard 60w screw, Pearl or plain.

They used to be in corner shop at end of street.

 

[flavio81]

All your points are valid except it is very rare for tungsten lighting to be used here.

Halogen lighting is used profusely indoors at most stores, at least where i live. And it's really ubiquitous at homes, as well as warm-tone fluorescent lighting, which resemble 2700°K or 3200°K temperature. (Of course, not always with good color rendering).

Concert lighting usually looks better with a tungsten balanced film. Even with LED concert lighting -- the stage lighting technicians usually go for warmer colors.

Video lighting, like the one used at weddings, is usually tungsten balanced. Unless they are using those cheapo LED panels that have horrible color rendering.

... and, tungsten film used at streets at night has its own look which i'd call very "cinematic".

 

[MattKrull]

All your points are valid except it is very rare for tungsten lighting to be used here.

It is even difficult getting tungsten bulbs for an enlarger, which takes standard 60w screw, Pearl or plain.

They used to be in corner shop at end of street.

(My) Ignorance #1:

I thought the tungsten balance was at the scene (aka white balance), not enlarger? Tungsten balanced film was for use under hot lights (ie movie sets & interviews). What part does an enlarger play in the slide film process?

(My) Ignorance #2:
Are tungsten lights still used by the 8mm and 16mm film crowd? I always considered 8mm to be home movie and 16mm documentary (with 35mm belonging to feature films and large budgets). I thought pretty much all the documentary work had or was moving over to using LED continuous lighting?
Anyone here still using Tungsten lights?

 

[chrisaisenbrey]

Congratulation to the successful kickstart of Ferrania!


When will there be a joined kickstart campaign of new55 and Ferrania for some new59 (color version of 55) ?…. I’m just dreaming….

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

Matt,
I think Xmas was referring there is very little tungsten lamps available today. As a result, there is a shortage of lamps for enlargers that used them.

They used to be in corner shop at end of street.

My corner shop still has them in screw and bayonet fitting. Let me know if you want some.

 

[MattKing]

I'd like to extend my welcome as well.

There is a new UK owned international company with a worldwide distribution network for photographic film and other products who might be willing to help with distribution.

I won't say their name, but I am sure you can guess who I am talking about

 

[cmacd123]

Apug is always a Torrent of ideas.

Pro Feature Movies shot on film Generally use a negative stock, as (up till this year) many copies of the finished product were needed. Almost all of those stocks are tungsten balanced, and cinematographers use a 85 filter to shoot in daylight. The 85 filter is a salmon colour and only has a slight exposure penalty. To use a daylight balanced stock under tungsten light requires a BLUE filter which soaks up several stops.

Halogen lights are balanced the same as plain incandescent lights for the most part. HMI lights used by some production firms are closer to daylight in balance, and so the 85 filter comes out to play.

Slide films of course don't allow for any manipulation of the colour balance after the fact so the photographer must know the light they are using. BUT AGAIN, having a tungsten balanced film with an 85 or 85B filter in light resembling daylight is far easier than having a daylight balanced film under 3200K lights.

 

[Chris Livsey]

I was wondering about papers too, although i dont currently use them myself, i would imagine that a separate coating facility would be required for paper would it not? From what i understand it cant be coated on the same machinery as the film.
How long did Ferrania make papers up to for interest?

FYI Ilford/Harman coat film and paper on the same machine, but not at the same time

 

[Nzoomed]

FYI Ilford/Harman coat film and paper on the same machine, but not at the same time

OK, thats interesting, i was pretty sure i read a post from Photo Engineer that said that coating the paper was more complex than film, as it made alot of paper dust which needed serious filtration etc, so it was all kept separate from the film coating facility.

 

[Chris Livsey]

OK, thats interesting, i was pretty sure i read a post from Photo Engineer that said that coating the paper was more complex than film, as it made alot of paper dust which needed serious filtration etc, so it was all kept separate from the film coating facility.

it certainly isn't a matter of just changing the roll, ISTR several operators taking a day or so to switch over. It was in that process on my visit.

 

[andrew.roos]

A warm welcome to APUG, Dave. It's great to have a Film Ferrania representative on the forum, and I hope your participation also brings value to you and your company. Congratulations on your successful KickStarter campaign, and we all look forward to seeing the first rolls of film emerge, phoenix-like, from your facility. All the best.

 

[georg16nik]

Hi Dave, good to see you on APUG.
warm welcome!

 

[FILM Ferrania]

Hi Simon and thanks for the welcome!

 

[Dr Croubie]

I thought pretty much all the documentary work had or was moving over to using LED continuous lighting?
Anyone here still using Tungsten lights?

Tungsten lights (as a technology) themselves aren't used much anymore, my Government lovingly banned their sale a few years ago. Now I don't know if I'll ever even be able to build a Dead Link Removed Amplifier without importing the bulbs (which kind of defeats the purpose of the lights being 'readily available').

But Tungsten as a colour temperature (~3000k) is certainly still around, I've got compact fluorescent and LEDs all through my house, the fluoros just say 'warm' but the LEDs specifically say '3000K' on them.
Taking pictures or movies in this light would also require a Tungsten-balanced film (or filter).

 

[FILM Ferrania]

- Are you planning on producing 24 or even (it would be incredible) 12 exposures 135 rolls ? Because it is now pretty difficult to find 24 exposures rolls and almost impossible to find 12 exp, and it is really difficult for me to shoot 36 photos with the same film, and with a unique sensibility.

As with all things we may eventually produce, it will depend on a wide variety of factors - but primarily on the general demand that we see directly through polls and other direct requests.
At this point in time, we think it will be better to make 36exp rolls and focus some energy on creating a bulk product so you can roll your own film in any number of exposures you wish.

- The most important thing : is the first batch packaging is going to be the one for normal films ? It's not that I don't find it good, but I'm just not a huge fan of the 1960s design, but I do prefer the packagings from the 80s and the 90s or even the ones with color stripes on it <3. For example, I'm a big fan of "labeauratoire", you can see some of his packagings on his blog http://labeauratoire.wordpress.com/ since his shop is currently closed. I would have an orgasm if there you collaborated with this guy !

The packaging for the Kickstarter batch is a one-time only design - completely unique and never to be replicated. We will be hiring professionals to create a new identity for the future.

-Dave

 

[Trond]

Welcome to APUG! Looking forward to my first 10 rolls of Ferrania Chrome!

This is explained a bit more thoroughly in other answers. The short answer is that we hope to be able to offer short-runs and special orders in a variety of formats, but not until capacity (and coating head size) permits.

Will you in the future be able to coat wider rolls than with your current small coating machine?

Trond

 

[FILM Ferrania]

Thanks again to everyone for the welcome messages and best wishes!

Keep those questions coming...