Ilford slow film production info?

Simon R Galley · Apr 26, 2006

Dear Photo Engineer,

Will you be at the APUG Toronto conference, I would like to buy you a beer ( or two ) and have a chat if you are free.

Kind Regards

Simon.

titrisol · Apr 26, 2006

I think that was the impression we all had when they downsized David Carper
But he was in the US, and he was tech-support me guesses.

Photo Engineer said:
There is a big difference between Research and Development and R&D. These are 3 different distinct divisions in making a new film.

Research involves making fundamental discoveries in imaging science.

R&D is the process of turning these discoveries into usable marketable materials.

Development is the act of taking existing marketable materials and turning them into improved versions or variants, by known means.

It is my understanding that the Research and R&D emulsion arm of Ilford is virtually gone! This means that only Development remains, and that will limit the options coming out of Ilford to modifications of existing materials within known parameters. How far this can be taken is known only to them.

In other words, there are no more emulsion makers at Ilford except those in the plant making and maintaining current products or making modifications within certain limits to create variants on those products with improved characteristics.

PE

Photo Engineer · Apr 26, 2006

Simon R Galley said:
Dear Photo Engineer,

Will you be at the APUG Toronto conference, I would like to buy you a beer ( or two ) and have a chat if you are free.

Kind Regards

Simon.

Simon;

Thanks very much for the offer, but I will be at the ICIS conference in Rochester, and will be forced to miss the APUG conference.

Usually several Ilford people are there and Ilford is usually a sponsor, but this year I only see mention of Ilford Switzerland. (Rita Hofmann)

Will you or any of your people manage to be in Rochester for ICIS? I can buy them a beer then.

In any event, I would be happy to chat with you via e-mail or PM if you wish.

Regards.

PE

ajuk · May 4, 2006

Wouldn't a C41 ISO 100 film have finer grain than even Pan F?

Donald Qualls · May 4, 2006

ajuk said:
Wouldn't a C41 ISO 100 film have finer grain than even Pan F?

Maybe, but it wouldn't be as exciting to "real" B&W users -- just another film to hand over to the mini-lab.

With a genuine ISO 25 (say, the oft-hypothesized Delta 25), we'd get very fine grain, and the ability to control the characteristics to some extent in development. Perceptol vs. ID-11 vs. pyro sorts of choices...

Marco Gilardetti · May 5, 2006

Simon, what was the matter, though? Is Ilford still working on a ultra-slow film project? Can we be positive on the hope of seeing it released one of these days? Some foresight on the speed?

FilmIs4Ever · May 6, 2006

Another thing that'd be nice is if Ilford were to come out with its MP film again. I understand there were some technical difficulties with the perf sizes, but I've heard they far outdid Kodak's meager offering of B&W films, and the Ilford films were better to boot.

~Karl

ajuk · May 8, 2006

I am serprised they don't make a slow cromagenic film, then it wouldn't need to be so slow.

Personally I woud like to see continued development of existing products.

Mark Fisher · May 8, 2006

At the conference Simon mentioned that it would be a slow Delta based technology film. It is in the early stages of R&D and could not comment on a potential production date. He also mentioned that 35mm would be the first product and was very unsure whether 120 or LF would be produced due to the base difference. They sell a lot more 35mm than anything else by a fair margin.

Tom Kershaw · May 9, 2006

As someone who shoots 120 film, I'd certainly buy Delta 25. I wonder who those 35mm sales are to? Amongst active APUG members 120 seems just as (if not more) popular than 35mm.

Marco Gilardetti · May 9, 2006

I had the same impression. Weird.

rbarker · May 9, 2006

While I'd be interested in a super-fine grained film in a variety of formats, too, I think we need to be realistic about the R&D and production costs. Ilford needs to maintain profitability, and must concentrate of products that have the best potential for supporting that effort. A Delta 25 would, at best, be a specialty product, and would likely siphon sales from other films. Thus, from Ilford's perspective, recovering R&D costs would probably be a long process, and somewhat risky.

Let's not forget how close we came to losing Ilford altogether.

Tom Kershaw · May 9, 2006

Ralph, I agree with you. One thing we have to think about though is what would be the position of Pan F Plus if Ilford brought out a Delta 25 film?

rbarker · May 10, 2006

Tom Kershaw said:
. . . what would be the position of Pan F Plus if Ilford brought out a Delta 25 film?

My prognostication would be that the films would have very different characteristics and thus different appeals. Delta 25, presumably, would be a T-grained emulsion, compared to the traditional grain of Pan F+. Those who like the wonderfully creamy look of Pan F+ would still use that film, while those who like the more "technical" look of the Delta films would add Delta 25 to their kit. Nonetheless, Delta 25 might steal some sales volume from Pan F+ - a fact that I'm confident Ilford is considering.

Oh, to have Pan F+ in sheets! (#include discussion of base differences)

Marco Gilardetti · May 11, 2006

rbarker said:
My prognostication would be that the films would have very different characteristics and thus different appeals. Delta 25, presumably, would be a T-grained emulsion, compared to the traditional grain of Pan F+. Those who like the wonderfully creamy look of Pan F+ would still use that film, while those who like the more "technical" look of the Delta films would add Delta 25 to their kit.

As if I wrote it!

I, speaking for myself, am looking for a replacement for weird stuff like Technical Pan. A T-grained film would have little or no appeal to me. I wouldn't leave Pan-F for a T-grained emulsion.

Simon R Galley · May 17, 2006

Dear Tom,

Among APUG users I am sure roll and sheet are much more popular, but in volume terms they are both very small compared to miniature film ( 35mm ). Remember all the photo students in the World start on 35mm.

Simon ILFORD photo / HARMAN technology Limited

Tom Kershaw · May 17, 2006

Roughly what kind of percentage of your sales do you reckon photo students contribute? I got started in photography in 2003 when I started my A levels, but within 6 months or so I got into medium format and plan to go large format, probably in the next year or two. It strikes me from reading various APUG posts that a few of the under 25s on this board are making / have made very rapid progress towards 120 and LF.

Simon R Galley · May 18, 2006

Dear Tom,

It varies country to country but over 50% of sales are student related.

Simon.

Ilford slow film production info?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency