Kentmere VC and Ilford

[Willie Jan]

Hi,

Is there any information available about the difference between the kentmere vc and ilford baryta based papers?
I know that ilford makes the kentmere paper, and in the past the kentmere above grade #3 did not do much.
I read somewhere that the current paper is different from the old one, is this true?

Thanks.

Willie Jan.

 

[BMbikerider]

I use both and prefer Kentmere. Kentmere is about 1 stop faster (at least) and about one grade harder without a filter so even more speed. On Grade 5 they are about equal.

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear Willie Jan,

KENTMERE FB and ILFORD FB papers ( and their RC brothers ) use completely different emulsions, but as your say are both coated at HARMAN Mobberley.

I have ( and do ) used both these papers ( although I print mostly on ILFORD Galerie ) I have no problem getting a step wedge to grade 5 on KENTMERE although the ILFORD is probably nearer a true grade 5.

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

 

[BMbikerider]

If all the factory work for Kentmere is done in Cheshire, the original Kentmere factory is in the village of Staveley in Cumbria what do they do? The place seemed to be open and working when I went past a couple of months ago.

 

[pentaxuser]

If all the factory work for Kentmere is done in Cheshire, the original Kentmere factory is in the village of Staveley in Cumbria what do they do? The place seemed to be open and working when I went past a couple of months ago.

It is Ilford's top secret establishment developing the Ilford version of Kodak HIE that everyone has been asking for and now you've blown the cover.

So Simon will soon have to tell us if there are any plans for another IR film to complement SFX

Of course some other company may have taken over the place and be doing something entirely different like making more Kendall mint cake I hope. The brown variety is very scarce

pentaxuser

 

[Simon R Galley]

The brown version of Kendal mint cake always reminded me of slush on the roads...when it used to snow in England....

KENTMERE was always two businesses, KENTMERE Packaging and KENTMERE Photogaphic HARMAN acquired KENTMERE Photographic, and the packaging company moved into the KENTMERE Photographic facility in Staveley.

I will update on IR when I have all the information that has been requested.

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

 

[pentaxuser]

The brown version of Kendal mint cake always reminded me of slush on the roads...when it used to snow in England....

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

The brown version is attractive to a Scotsman because it looks a bit like stuff called "tablet" or "Swiss Milk Toffee" depending on where in Scotland you are. Mint cake is of course quite different and IMHO better however.

Thanks for the report back announcement on IR on which I had no doubt anyway despite the apparent "hint".

pentaxuser

 

[AndreasT]

I would say technically speaking Ilford is much better. You get a true good hard grade 5. Which I find missing with Kentmere. I prefer the cooler colour of Kentmere for my own stuff. The speed of Kentmere is great. The soft curve being grade 0 and 00 is smooth with Kentmere. Ilford has those steps in the curve, but then again one really doesn't need such soft grades when enlarging.

 

[pentaxuser]

I would say technically speaking Ilford is much better. You get a true good hard grade 5. Which I find missing with Kentmere. .

Here's a thought. In the U.K. nearly every retailer sells Kentmere paper at a cheaper price than Ilford. There is presumably a quality difference(s) that results in this difference in sales price.

A smaller grade range might be the answer although the need to print at grade 5 should be rare. Clearly Ilford does not set out to produce a second tier(cheap and cheerful) sort of paper and yet unless the the price difference is simply retailer driven and not based on manufacturer price difference it has to be based on a "you only get something for something" rationale

Funny how a comment from a user of both as above sets up a train of thought

pentaxuser

 

[kevs]

If all the factory work for Kentmere is done in Cheshire, the original Kentmere factory is in the village of Staveley in Cumbria what do they do? The place seemed to be open and working when I went past a couple of months ago.

Sssshhhhhh... that's the cowshed where P.E. is tied to a coating machine secretly making Kodachrome for the U.S. Military...

Cheers,
kevs

 

[Willie Jan]

I almost never print on #5, read: i develop my negs in a proper way
but know from the past that after 3.5 it did not make any difference.

 

[AndreasT]

One rarely needs a grade 5 surely, maybe sometimes to be "artistic". The problem does arise when doing enlargements for others. I am always amazed at how many photographers and artists out there have the most terrible negatives.