Kentmere 100 or 400

Rick-in-LB

Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2008
Messages
57
Location
Long Beach C
Format
35mm
Has anyone tried Kentmere film in 400 or 100. I am looking for some times to start with. I have a project due and was planning on trying them. Maybe I will just stick to the common type film until I get some times. So just wondering about the times. Inside the box it only shows Ilford chemical times.
 

srs5694

Member
Joined
May 18, 2005
Messages
2,718
Location
Woonsocket,
Format
35mm
I have no times, but in these situations what I do is to go to the Massive Dev Chart. Sometimes they've got times in more developers (in this case it looks like they don't, though). If I can't find times for the developer I want to use, I start searching the chart for films with similar development times in the chemicals for which I do have times and use those films as a basis for a guess. For instance, Kentmere 400 has times of 16:30 in ID-11 1+1 and 8:00 in Ilfotec HC 1+31. So looking for films with similar times in those developers, I find that Adox CHM 400 pushed to 800 and HP5+ pushed to 800 both have 16:30 times in ID-11 1+1; and FP4+ and Ilford Pan 100 (both at box speed) both have times of 8:00 in Ilfotec HC 1+31. If I wanted to develop in XTOL 1+1, I'd then look up those films, and get times of 14:15, 14:15, 10:00, and no listing, respectively. I'd tend to trust the 14:15 times more than the 10:00 time, since two films produced this result and because they were both fast films. Personally, I'd probably hedge my bets and try 13:00 or so as a first attempt, using a roll of non-critical shots to see how it goes.

Best of luck!
 

Thomas Bertilsson

Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2003
Messages
15,708
Location
Switzerland
Format
Multi Format
You have to try the film for yourself and see how you need to process it. The Massive Development Chart is not reliable - to you! It might get you a starting point, but you still have to test for yourself to reach a point where your negatives print the way you want them to print (and print with ease to look good).

You can get a starting point by winging it. Whatever chemistry you're using, start at the times you develop other ISO 100 and 400 films (except Foma, which seem to need less development time across the board by about 30%, so if that's what you use, increase by about 25%). Then make a judgement of film speed (shadow detail) by bracketing one roll +2 to -1 stop. Find your film speed after you process your first film. Then shoot an entire roll at that speed, cut the film in thirds and increase/decrease development until you have good density in the negs (from shadow detail to midtones to highlights). Then using the film for a while will help you tweak your processing to control your midtones and highlights in different lighting scenarios. You have to do this testing for optimum results.

All of the variations involved (your metering, your meter, weather conditions, even pH of your water) mean that the Massive Development Chart will not help you much.
Link here to 100 ISO film
Link here to 400 ISO film
 

JMC1969

Subscriber
Joined
Apr 7, 2008
Messages
630
Location
Jacksonville
Format
Multi Format
Hi Rick, So far we have been developing these films with pretty good results using the HP5 and FP4 times. We are a last surviving lab in our city and we develop in deep tank using Kodak Tmax RS. We have had no troubles with "blooming" in the edge numbers while using these times, but have not actually run any through test rolls ourselves.

I started a thread about these films back in January that you might find to be a good read. (there was a url link here which no longer exists)
 
OP
OP

Rick-in-LB

Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2008
Messages
57
Location
Long Beach C
Format
35mm
Thanks for the info! I guess I will try it and develope it when I do some of my rolls tomorrow. I figure I just shoot a roll to get the hang of it. I saw it at Freestyle and just had to try it.
 

steven_e007

Member
Joined
Mar 13, 2007
Messages
826
Location
Shropshire,
Format
Multi Format
Excuse my ignogerance... but what is Kentmere film????

Kentmere only made paper in recent history - and now they've been taken over by Ilford the paper is all made in the Ilford factory.

I've been on the Ilford and Kentmere sites but can see no mention of film...

I notice all these posts are from the US. Is this a different Kentemere or something? Or a bit of brand re-badging?

I'm confused!
 

Thomas Bertilsson

Member
Joined
Jan 21, 2003
Messages
15,708
Location
Switzerland
Format
Multi Format
Steve, there are threads about it here on APUG. Best way to find them is to use Google Search:
Site:www.apug.org + Kentmere film

That should get you started. They are films made by Ilford/Harman - according to them they are unique emulsions specifically for Kentmere. This is in tune with their complete withdrawal from doing any re-branded OEM film at all (like they did in the past with Jessops, Freestyle, and probably others that I don't know of).
 

PHOTOTONE

Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2006
Messages
2,412
Location
Van Buren, A
Format
Large Format
Kentmere is a low-cost 35mm only range of 2 films designed to compete in the private-label student film markets. It competes with films sold by Freestyle and Ultrafine. It is a first quality film line, though. Nothing like emulsion flaws, etc. to worry about.

Since Harman owns the Kentmere name now, they could put it (the name) on hockey pucks if they wanted to.
 

wogster

Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
1,272
Location
Bruce Penins
Format
35mm

Lots of companies use different brands in different price categories, for example Cadillac had Chevrolet ...... maybe that's not such a good example

A better one is Hexanon and Hexar, Konica had two lens lines, back in the 1970's Hexanon were wonderful high quality lenses, easily equivalent to Canon's L series today. They also had the more budget minded Hexar line. Maybe that's what Ilford plans for Kentmere films.....
 

ChrisPlatt

Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2005
Messages
191
Location
NYC
Format
35mm
I am interested in the 35mm Kentmere 100 or 400 films
Has anyone tried them yet? If so what are they like?

TIA,
Chris
 

ChrisPlatt

Member
Joined
Nov 26, 2005
Messages
191
Location
NYC
Format
35mm
Tom Kershaw said:
I haven't, although the new Kentmere films don't appear to be available yet in the UK.
Click to expand...

They have been available here in USA for the better part of a year,
yet I haven't seen a single review from someone who actually used them.

Chris
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…