Less Curl in New Ilford Film Production?

[craigclu]

I recently broke into a new brick of 120 HP5+. I noticed that it laid more nicely in my scanner film holders and then, when getting into the darkroom with these same negatives, they seem to be especially flat in the carriers.

My habit is to freeze my film, transferring a brick or so at a time to the fridge to feed from for current use. I'm wondering if I'm adding some stress to the film by freezing it that shows up as more curl (both directions)? I had such a large quantity accumulated, that I've made myself use up all of the odds and ends from bags, containers and freezer before getting into the newer stuff. It makes me wonder if the long-term storage is what sets the film or if they have made some changes in the current production? My general film handling and chemistry has been consistent for a number of years so I'm quite certain that isn't a factor. Has anyone else noticed any differences in their more current Ilford film purchases?

 

[Harry Lime]

I noticed that recently my Delta3200 in both 120 and 135 was drying as flat as a pancake. For some reason I don't recall it doing that in the past, but I'm not going to complain! ;-)


HL

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear All,

No changes have been made in film production, so cannot be us !

Simon ILFORD photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

 

[Sal Santamaura]

Could this be related to change of seasons? End of low-humidity indoor winter conditions that lead to curl, replaced by high-humidity summer. The latter means drying takes substantially longer, which leaves both film and fiber-based prints much flatter.

 

[z3guy]

Yes, I think Sal has the answer! Here in New England, in the dead of winter, fiber base prints sometimes almost curl up into paper tubes. The humidity indoors is so low film curls more too(not to mention the extra static to attract dust to negatives you are trying to print!)

Paul D.

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear All,

Could well be RH related

Simon. ILFORD photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I live in an area of extreme change between summer and winter. Often time summer RH approaches 100%, while in the winter it's bone dry with indoor RH at about 20%.
I solved the indoor problem of film drying with a steam humidifier in the closet in which I dry film. To dry paper flatter in the winter I don't have a steam humidifier big enough to saturate the room where my screens are, but I'm working on that too.
I don't know if this is the problem from the original post or not, but RH definitely affects how film and paper dries, in a huge way.
- Thomas