ILFORD Photo Request APUG Feedback On 120 Film

Maine-iac · Dec 21, 2005

L Gebhardt said:
A generic wrapper and putting the film id on the end wrappers should be fine.

How about a self adhesive end wrapper so we don't need to lick it - like Fuji has?

How about a cleaner ripping tape to hold the film to the paper, also similar to Fuji?

Film ID on the end is good. I agree about the self-adhesive wrapper and the ripping tape, similar to Fuji. I don't use red window cameras, so the wrapper part is not really a concern.

Papa Tango · Dec 24, 2005

Them "Pros" is where?

Hey Ajuk, I would posit that there are more film-based professional photographers represented here in APUG than in any other online forum or listserv group.

Second, the commercial pros are not likely to be future of whether Ilford makes it in the long term, and especially not in the BW based media. It is the amateur, hobbiest, semi-pro, and professional that is involved in fine arts and interpretive photography that will determine the need for 120 anything. Our slick new cousin digital is taking that prosumer market by storm for commercial work.

This is the proper group to ask.

Papa Tango · Dec 24, 2005

Unfortunately, I dont get it. After all of this discussion, I really have not gotten any feel as to why its so exhorbitantly expensive to print numbers that can be seen on the backing, and to print on the ends of the leader what film it is. Just pass any perceived costs on to us. Its not like this thing we are doing here is not expensive in any terms. Whats a few pennies more (and why is it a few pennies more?) to keep doing what already works and slightly improve on the process?

resummerfield · Jan 3, 2006

My vote is for a generic wrapper with numbers and a printed closure.

Baxter Bradford · Jan 4, 2006

An experience over the recent holiday reinforced the need for the foil wrapper to clearly distinguish film type.

I was shooting roll film in low light and pulled out 2 rolls of Fuji tranny film from the bag. They had the same colour wrapper, however one was Provia 100F the other was Velvia 100F. With their way of omitting ink to write the lettering, I thought that I was very lucky to notice the difference.

It would have a greater impact to confuse FP4 with HP5!

Fintan · Jan 4, 2006

Pragmatist said:
Unfortunately, I dont get it. After all of this discussion, I really have not gotten any feel as to why its so exhorbitantly expensive to print numbers that can be seen on the backing, and to print on the ends of the leader what film it is. Just pass any perceived costs on to us. Its not like this thing we are doing here is not expensive in any terms. Whats a few pennies more (and why is it a few pennies more?) to keep doing what already works and slightly improve on the process?

If the number printing is being reviewed and a change to the production is proposed its surely prudent for Ilford to look at the whole process to see if any other changes can or should be made.

light leak · Jan 5, 2006

Simon,
This is just a theory, but perhaps you could use a red backing with green numbering ( or something similar ). The contrast of the two should make the numbers "pop", even if printed a little lighter, when viewed through the red window. This would also make the roll easily identifiable (branding) as Ilford film. Unless, of course, someone is already doing this. Again, this is just a theory.

Brac · Jan 5, 2006

Red & green might pose problems for people who are colour blind? I can't understand why Ilford can't go back to the backing papers they were using a few years ago with black numerals on white. Or going back a bit further what was wrong with black numerals on yellow or red backing papers - everybody seemed to use those at one time. Answering my own question - probably cost more I guess.

Reinhold · Jan 6, 2006

Remember: some cameras have green windows, so green lettering will be a disaster on green window cameras...

I'm in the process of building a couple of 6x14 panorama cameras which will have green windows so I can shoot Maco IR film. ( A red window transmits...guess what...Red light, a green window blocks...guess what...Red light.)

Black print on a white background has the highest contrast regardless of window color...

NikoSperi · Jan 6, 2006

Baxter Bradford said:
It would have a greater impact to confuse FP4 with HP5!

Done that, been there, got the t-shirt... one hell of a push, but in my case it was FP4 instead of Delta 3200 pushed one stop! A little more radical than your Provia vs Velvia mixup!
In short, I agree wrappers must clearly label film type. Backing paper can be generic. Glue tab should indicate film type, and I'll vote for the peppermint flavored lick'em stick'em type!

fwp · Jan 6, 2006

Reinhold said:
Remember: some cameras have green windows, so green lettering will be a disaster on green window cameras...

I'm in the process of building a couple of 6x14 panorama cameras which will have green windows so I can shoot Maco IR film. ( A red window transmits...guess what...Red light, a green window blocks...guess what...Red light.)

Black print on a white background has the highest contrast regardless of window color...

If the window was green would the numbers then be a light green against a dark background?? I'm not sure of a solution for people blind to the color of the window.

ILFORD Photo Request APUG Feedback On 120 Film

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