Interesting HP5 with 72 Exp a roll

captain ZZM · Jun 8, 2017

About 2013 l got a roll old special HP5 and l checked the history about the film, it has an ultra-thin base and 72 Exp - I have never seen any other manufacturers have launched similar film have 72exp.
When May 2017 l used this roll in my trip to Japan, since 36 exp the counter no longer to work because the film too long. After came home l used D76 to processing the film and finally l got a lot of rough images, it expired too long time.
The ultra-thin base very soft and the words on the negative are written：ILFORD FILM and SAFETY FILM.
What an interesting film, l want to know why they no longer production the long film.

klaus3428 · Jun 8, 2017

This film was aimed at high-speed motor driven film SLRs, primarily Nikon, I believe.

railwayman3 · Jun 8, 2017

At one of the Ilford factory visits Simon referred to this film. Apparently there were a number of issues, such as damage to motor drives through the film base (polyester) being too strong to tear if anything went wrong in the drive, together with difficulties in labs handling the double-length films. At the time Ilford also sold a special tank with a reel long enough for the 72 exp, and a loading device.

Kodachromeguy · Jun 8, 2017

I remember that you could buy a special back for the Leica R4 to use the 72-exposure films. But did other brands need the different backs? - I just can't remember. The exposure counter was probably not an issue on most manual cameras; you reached 36 and just kept taking and winding, but you needed to count manually. And I do remember the developing tank reels with enough space for the 72-exp rolls. It sounds like a good idea but maybe beset with too many technical issues.

trendland · Jun 8, 2017

klaus3428 said:
This film was aimed at high-speed motor driven film SLRs, primarily Nikon, I believe.

Remember this film very well. It was sold
not very long.3/4 Year after I bought the first it was discontinued.
As you may see the basis is more stable in comparison to normal films.
Because it is a kinda acetate base.

with regards

BainDarret · Jun 8, 2017

I had one of those reels. It is now cut in half and the halves are used as spacers in my stainless steel tanks to stop the other reels from pistoning.

The biggest problem that I found with the 72 exposure film was the excessive curl of the film that just couldn't be tamed.
The fact that the film counters on 35mm cameras "only" go to 36 was another annoyance.

trendland · Jun 8, 2017

captain ZZM said:
About 2013 l got a roll old special HP5 and l checked the history about the film, it has an ultra-thin base and 72 Exp - I have never seen any other manufacturers have launched similar film have 72exp.
When May 2017 l used this roll in my trip to Japan, since 36 exp the counter no longer to work because the film too long. After came home l used D76 to processing the film and finally l got a lot of rough images, it expired too long time.
The ultra-thin base very soft and the words on the negative are written：ILFORD FILM and SAFETY FILM.
What an interesting film, l want to know why they no longer production the long film.

To this time the film was introduced by
Ilford the technique from slr cameras changes very quick.
First consumer cameras with autofocus started. First cameras with build in Motor
Drives came out (1,5 frames/sec.).
To these cameras the film (and possible other experimental thinn base films)
could have got bigger demand.

But the ironic in history : Explizit these consumer cameras could'nt handle 72
exposures. Theoretically a simple electronic set up should be manage the
problem. But in the Year 1978-1979 ???
So this was the end - after exposure 38
cameras of that time began to rewind this phantastic film.

The demand from press photographers
was not so big as Ilford sugessted.
I doubt a little in reliability problems.
But press photographers hate one issue
much more than not to be the fastest :
Technical Problems !!

The technical problem with this film was
a rare problem to not many photographers.
But this was enough to a bad image of this film.
Sad about ...........

with regards

Catsby · Jun 10, 2017

I shoot half frame to get 72 exposures out of every roll

trendland · Jun 10, 2017

Catsby said:
I shoot half frame to get 72 exposures out of every roll

144 frames .......
you should not manage

with regards

choiliefan · Jun 10, 2017

A roll of that would be killer in a spring-wound 3/4-frame Robot.

Interesting HP5 with 72 Exp a roll

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