Ilfochrome Process Control Picture

Stephen Frizza · Feb 23, 2010

Something we do on a daily basis at our lab is run ilfochrome process control strips and it occurred to me that probably very few people have seen these? and even less home users of ilfochrome actually use them. So I have posted a picture of an ilfochrome process control. By processing these calibrated strips and having them examined by a densitometer we can accurately make sure our chemistry is in peak condition to yield the optimum result. Sadly in the process of scanning the richness of the colour in these control strips is lost. but at least this image shows what one looks like. if anyone is interested in seeing one in real life. Don't hesitate to contact me.

Enjoy and long live ilfochrome.

~steve
The Lighthouse Lab

sandholm · Feb 23, 2010

Hi

That is really nice, never seen them. Thanks for sharing. Just to clarify, you have a special negative you use, or you buy these pre-exposed and then just develop them?

On the other hand, to get hold of Ilfochrome in Switzerland is a pain, right now I have been emailing with the retailer for over a week, and I still haven't seen any price list or what is available, to do that I have to have an account and even after given more or less all my details (except shoe size), I still haven't got an account or even a price list.

Somehow it feels like ilford really dont want to sell this product anymore (or there retailer dont want it...) To bad, I love Ilfochrome and would love to use it, but for that i need to get my hands on the product....

cheers

Stephen Frizza · Feb 23, 2010

We are a professional lab in sydney australia which hand prints ilfochrome murals.
these process control strips are made by the manufacturer of the materials so that labs like ours can maintain tight quality control over the process.

Tom Kershaw · Feb 23, 2010

sandholm said:
Hi

That is really nice, never seen them. Thanks for sharing. Just to clarify, you have a special negative you use, or you buy these pre-exposed and then just develop them?

On the other hand, to get hold of Ilfochrome in Switzerland is a pain, right now I have been emailing with the retailer for over a week, and I still haven't seen any price list or what is available, to do that I have to have an account and even after given more or less all my details (except shoe size), I still haven't got an account or even a price list.

Somehow it feels like ilford really dont want to sell this product anymore (or there retailer dont want it...) To bad, I love Ilfochrome and would love to use it, but for that i need to get my hands on the product....

cheers

Can you order Ilfochrome materials from Germany?

Tom

Steve Smith · Feb 23, 2010

Stephen Frizza said:
these process control strips are made by the manufacturer of the materials so that labs like ours can maintain tight quality control over the process.

So are they a pre-exposed strip to check your processing chemistry with or is it a positive you put in the enlarger for creating a test print?

Steve.

Stephen Frizza · Feb 23, 2010

Steve Smith said:
So are they a pre-exposed strip to check your processing chemistry with or is it a positive you put in the enlarger for creating a test print?

Steve.

They are pre exposed sheets of ilfochrome material which come with a reference strip processed at the manufacturing plant. The pre exposed sheets are then processed at the lab so they can compare them to the reference processed at the manufacturing plant and make sure the chemistry is running to the standard recommended by the makers of the material. Kodak, and Fuji also make such control strips see image attached for other strips for other materials.
All pro labs are meant to run these to make sure their chemistry is perfect.

sandholm · Feb 23, 2010

Tom Kershaw said:
Can you order Ilfochrome materials from Germany?

Tom

Well, i am not sure. My first intention where to order from Switzerland but if you know some shoppes in Germany that is good please send them to me. I know that fotoimpex do have ilfochrome but I dont know if they ship outside Germany.

cheers

kraker · Feb 24, 2010

sandholm said:
Well, i am not sure. My first intention where to order from Switzerland but if you know some shoppes in Germany that is good please send them to me. I know that fotoimpex do have ilfochrome but I dont know if they ship outside Germany.

cheers

I have previously ordered Ilfochrome paper and chemicals from fotomayr, they certainly ship outside Germany.

Oh, and Steve, thanks for sharing the process control picture.

Sysygy · Feb 24, 2010

Thank you for posting this. I enjoyed learning about this.

donbga · Feb 25, 2010

sandholm said:
Well, i am not sure. My first intention where to order from Switzerland but if you know some shoppes in Germany that is good please send them to me. I know that fotoimpex do have ilfochrome but I dont know if they ship outside Germany.

cheers

Process control strips aren't normal fair of most (probably all) retailers since they are very sensitive to storage conditions to insure quality and because the demand is so very low. You maybe able to special order them but be prepared for sticker shock.

Of course if you are processing 'one shot' the utility of these control strips is minimal, not to mention you need to know how to read these properly with a densitometer and record the data. Color negative materials require different densitometer filters than positive film material as well. So what sounds on the surface like a useful tool brings a certain amount of complexity and expense that the average home darkroom enthusiast may not benefit from.

Ilfochrome Process Control Picture

Stephen Frizza

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