Ilford Hp5 bulk roll

echard · Jul 11, 2016

Hi, over a month ago I ordered a bulk roll of Hp5 from BH photo. It's my first time bulk loading in years. Problem was, when I opened the box, the film was just loosely enclosed in the black bag. No tape or extra light proofing. Is that normal? My roll got hit with enough light that It's ruined. I used to load Tri X rolls and I was accustomed to the tin can and then a well sealed black bag.

Just trying to figure this out before I drop some more money on another roll.

Thanks!
Echard

RSalles · Jul 11, 2016

Echard,

That's why I always unload bulk roll film in the dark. It can or can not come with a stripe of tape sealing the black bag. Better safe then sorry,

Cheers,

Renato

pentaxuser · Jul 11, 2016

There was a thread on this in the last week or so. Do a search and you will see Ilford's response. There is no plan as far as I know to put Ilford bulk rolls into a tin but there will be a notice on the box not to open except in total darkness.

In effect you have already figured it out as you now know how Ilford bulk rolls are packaged. Depending on how tightly wound the roll was, you may only have lost a few inches or a foot or so, of the roll.

pentaxuser

AgX · Jul 11, 2016

Isn't there a warning to only open the box in the dark?

(When I started photography and the same time bulkloading the Ilford long rolls were loosely packed in a black bag and then in a can that was sealed with adhesive tape. The latter alone could be interpreted as warning for opening in light. But I don't remember any explicite warning.)

pentaxuser · Jul 11, 2016

Good point Agx

AgX said:
Isn't there a warning to only open the box in the dark?

Good point. I now think I recall that it was Kentmere bulk roll that was the subject of the thread and that I think I recall that Ilford said there there was a warning on the HP+ box

pentaxuser

markbarendt · Jul 11, 2016

It is normal. The tin can isn't needed to protect the film.

We all make mistakes on par with this.

Down Under · Jul 12, 2016

This is very serious! Consult a lawyer immediately!

Trask · Jul 12, 2016

ozmoose said:
This is very serious! Consult a lawyer immediately!

Run out of empathy? Come on, give the guy a break...

Truzi · Jul 12, 2016

It's easy to say that someone should know better, but the first time I dealt with a bulk roll I wasn't sure if there was a can inside the bag either. I didn't take it out, but slipped my hand in. Luckily I didn't ruin any, it was microfilm - very slow.

I really didn't know what it should feel like, through the bag, if it was just bare film.

Gerald C Koch · Jul 12, 2016

Photons travel in straight lines, they cannot turn corners. Therefore folding the bag over is sufficient. And yes this mode of packaging is the norm.

As far as opening the box without reading any cautions on the label, I will refrain from any comments.

AgX · Jul 12, 2016

Keep in mind that within those type-136 cardboard boxes also a plastic cannister hides.
Furthermore, a sealed tin can yields climate protection, a plain bag even from plastic needs to be folded carefully to do so.

When I first saw those new cardboard boxes with bulk-film, I expected the old can inside it.
I might have opened it in daylight too.

The old sealed tin cans partially had no warning, here the seal must have been sufficient to make people alert.

markbarendt · Jul 12, 2016

AgX said:
Keep in mind that within those type-136 cardboard boxes also a plastic cannister hides.
Furthermore, a sealed tin can yields climate protection, a plain bag even from plastic needs to be folded carefully to do so.

When I first saw those new cardboard boxes with bulk-film, I expected the old can inside it.
I might have opened it in daylight too.

The old sealed tin cans partially had no warning, here the seal must have been sufficient to make people alert.

A "seal" has to be broken to get into the paper boxes too, like the cans the boxes won't open without the seal being cut. I haven't seen a plastic canister inside Ilford's bulk film boxes.

echard · Jul 12, 2016

Thanks for the help. I just wanted to make sure this was the norm before I ordered another roll...and opened it in the dark.

bdial · Jul 12, 2016

Before you give up entirely on the roll you have, it would be worthwhile testing it. Certainly the first few layers are toast. The rest will have some fogging on the edge, but it likely will not intrude on the picture area. As I recall, this was the recent experience for the poster in the referenced thread.

AgX · Jul 14, 2016

This thread from June handles this (Ilford) topic even more explicitely including reply from Harman:

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

Down Under · Jul 15, 2016

Trask is correct. On second reading, my offhand remark wasn't quite as humorous and light-hearted as it had been intended.

Echard, my apology to you for the comment. I hope you will accept it, and I also hope at least some of your bulk roll will be salvageable.

Ilford Hp5 bulk roll

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