Ilford making it easier for new users to understand their film packages

cmacd123 · May 23, 2018

Seems that Ilford is phasing in a new style of Package, with the end flaps given over to a summary of the length and speed of the film rather than the actual type. I guess that may make it harder if you stock both HP5 and Delta 400 in your camera bag. On the positive side it should flush the retail channel of old stock film.

https://www.ilfordphoto.com/new-film-packaging/

faberryman · May 23, 2018

I don't remember this question on the recent Ilford survey.

AgX · May 23, 2018

cmacd123 said:
with the end flaps given over to a summary of the length and speed of the film rather than the actual type.

It seems though, that one flap has speed and exposure, and the other flap the type of film.

faberryman · May 23, 2018

AgX said:
It seems though, that one flap has speed and exposure, and the other flap the type of film.

I thought the boxes on the left were the new, and the boxes on the right were the old, so I am now confused. I don't use box ends anyway, so I'm still safe.

AgX · May 23, 2018

All boxes are new, see the black stripe.

Agulliver · May 23, 2018

I don't recall ever seeing an Ilford film box with the black border on the bottom so those are likely both the new design. Nothing against it and it might help those new to film.

faberryman · May 23, 2018

AgX said:
All boxes are new, see the black stripe.

Didn't notice that. I have obviously been bulk loading too long.

BradS · May 23, 2018

That's kinda cool. Thank you Ilford ! not jonly for the fabulous films but also for these additional little "niceties". Well done.

warden · May 23, 2018

For those interested, there was a recent three part podcast from Sunny 16 Podcast that featured a lengthy tour of Ilford, interviewing employees and discussing Ilford's products and their business. Lots of technical and business stuff.

https://sunny16.podbean.com/e/ep-100-hitting-a-hundred-with-ilford-photo-part-1/

AgX · May 23, 2018

Where there film boxes before that got hints at social media?

faberryman · May 23, 2018

Agulliver said:
Nothing against it and it might help those new to film.

Now let's hope they just remember to change their ISO dial. Which brings up a question, where there ever ISO dials on film cameras? All my film cameras have ASA dials.

Oren Grad · May 23, 2018

faberryman said:
Which brings up a question, where there ever ISO dials on film cameras? All my film cameras have ASA dials.

Most - perhaps all - AF film SLRs are marked "ISO" rather than ASA. Probably most or all late-model motorized non-AF SLRs too (e.g., Canon T90). Even a few late cameras with traditional designs that have the film speed setting coaxial with the shutter speed dial or the rewind lever - for example, Nikon FM3A, Contax S2.

Prest_400 · May 23, 2018

I really liked the classic all white, the black stripe at the bottom reminds me of Kodak. Interesting to see moved details and simplification that cleans up the design. They got rid of the "ironic pixelation" in the Plus!

faberryman · May 23, 2018

It must have been a really slow day around the office when they decided to change the packaging.

Willyekerslike · May 23, 2018

I am all for it, anything that lets a newby identify the film more easily. After all it must be quite taxing remembering that FP4 Plus is 125 asa (iso) and HP5 Plus is 400 asa (iso). Now can we please go back to the different coloured tops for the different type of films because the boxes will not fit the bandalero in my bag and I am sick of having to open each tube until I find the film I want.

faberryman · May 23, 2018

Willyekerslike said:
I am all for it, anything that lets a newby identify the film more easily. After all it must be quite taxing remembering that FP4 Plus is 125 asa (iso) and HP5 Plus is 400 asa (iso). Now can we please go back to the different coloured tops for the different type of films because the boxes will not fit the bandalero in my bag and I am sick of having to open each tube until I find the film I want.

A film bandolero. As Obi Wan would say, now that's a name I haven't heard in a long, long time.

cmacd123 · May 23, 2018

Willyekerslike said:
Now can we please go back to the different coloured tops for the different type of films because the boxes will not fit the bandalero in my bag

those were quite handy, BUT I don't think the cans with the coloured tops are light tight.

NedL · May 23, 2018

Some people tear those off and put them in the little slot on the back of their SLR, right? So this makes good sense.

Steve Roberts · May 23, 2018

I'm not sure that these changes will help anyone identify what type of film they have. If they couldn't glean that basic information from the old packaging, maybe they shouldn't be allowed out on their own!
However, the occasional refreshing of packaging of any product is usually seen as a positive move as long as it doesn't diverge too radically from that with which committed customers identify (which I don't think this change does).

Steve

sepiareverb · May 23, 2018

Willyekerslike said:
...Now can we please go back to the different coloured tops for the different type of films...

+1

I do miss that.

mshchem · May 24, 2018

Looks great . Ilford still gives you a box with every roll of film,nice. I always use the end flaps . Looks less confusing, the icon of the film on the "new" end flap might be more helpful if you don't know English ?

Europan · May 24, 2018

Unfortunately they still haven’t improved on the typographic catastrophical ILFORD. That too tight letter-spacing, since decades, is just an insult to the eye, especially the I and the L sticking together. One should’t have chosen a font sans serifs in the first place.

I l f o r d

Kodak went in the same direction with a horrible graphic scheme. I am sorry, it looks simply dumb.

pentaxuser · May 24, 2018

cmacd123 said:
those were quite handy, BUT I don't think the cans with the coloured tops are light tight.

Are you saying that the coloured tops are not light tight but the black tops are? Clearly the white translucent Fuji cans were never light tight but the solid coloured one used by Ilford look to be impenetrable to light to me. It may be you are saying it is you who is the source of the information but if not then what's the source? Thanks .

pentaxuser

faberryman · May 24, 2018

cmacd123 said:
those were quite handy, BUT I don't think the cans with the coloured tops are light tight.

Fortunately, the film cassettes are.

AgX · May 24, 2018

cmacd123 said:
those were quite handy, BUT I don't think the cans with the coloured tops are light tight.

Is there a requirement for them to be so?

(Special films aside.)

Ilford making it easier for new users to understand their film packages

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