Message to Ilford

eddym · Mar 20, 2007

Now if we could just get a Warmtone version of Galerie! Graded instead of MG, in other words.

lightranger · Mar 21, 2007

I would switch to Ilford MG 1V FB as my standard paper but it has some real draw backs when it comes to selenium toning (1:20) and localized bleaching with potassium ferracyanide. It is next to impossible to get Ilford papers to respond to these chemicals. Kodak and Forte papers were excellent in this area. I would like to see Ilford be the leader and main supplier of traditional darkroom materials in the future. They have great product consistency and quality control much like Kodak. I wish they would modify their papers to over come these limitations and truly create the finest silver based paper ever made.

Robert T. McCarthy · Apr 8, 2007

Too bad Forte' Warmtone is gone...

naaldvoerder · Apr 8, 2007

Robert T. McCarthy said:
Too bad Forte' Warmtone is gone...

Ilford Warmtone FB on a neutral white base would be an excelent (and very popular) replacement.

Jaap Jan

Schlapp · Apr 8, 2007

Dear Simon,
Please just keep making film and paper. Anything you can make and make for a profit so that we can keep shootin and printin will be fine by me.
A

Keith Tapscott. · Apr 8, 2007

Simon R Galley said:
Dear All,

Just to let you know I have read it...

Simon ILFORD photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

I can understand the wish for the Multigrade Warmtone emulsion to be made available on the same paper base tint as the regular Multigrade IV FB, but why not offer this as a Multigrade "Fine-Art" paper and keep the current range of papers as they are? That way, we`ll be spoilt for choice.

hansformat · Jun 24, 2008

Any progress on Cooltone Fiber paper?

In one of the earlier replies on this thread Ilford said they were deep in R&D on a CoolTone Fiber paper.

Any progress?

Asking because I have recently come back to the darkroom after probably 4 years absence and my favorite paper, Forte PolyGrade V, is no longer available. I am trying to work with Ilford MG IV but it just isn't working for me very well in comparison to the Forte.

I'm not knocking Ilford...I love their committment to the market and I think the products are all of very high quality...and I go out of my way to buy their chemicals (even their Selenium now)...but this paper is not really a cooltone paper and I think the issues with using it along with Tri-X are real. I have been able to now get some good results, but when I compare vs. what I used to get with Forte, and remember that it seemed to take less effort with the Forte, well I am forever hopeful that someone will come out with a paper like that and I hope it will be Ilford.

MarcoGiardini · Jun 25, 2008

what about reducing the price of MULTIGRADE FB WARMTONE as well as the dedicated Warmtone paper developer?

thanks

Philippe Grunchec · Jun 25, 2008

@ hansformat: why don't you try Varycon (Fotokemika)? It is very cheap, has a lot of silver and on triple weight paper!

hansformat · Jun 25, 2008

I am actually interested in the Fotokemica Varycon paper ... but I thought this was slightly warm tone. Is it cool/cold?

eclarke · Jun 25, 2008

rusty71 said:
I for one, would be really sad to see Ilford MG warm tone changed. We've seen all of AGFA's warm tone papers disappear, particularly Portriga Rapid, and kodak dumped Ektalure. Ilford's offering is exactly what a warmtone paper should be-warm! In fact I remember when it first came out, and a lot of us complained the base was TOO white. Ilford responded by removing the optical brighteners or at least toning them down. I recall washing it for hours to leech out some of the brightener. The regular MGIV tones very well in selenium to a cool color, and MG warmtone splits very nicely in Selenium.
I respect other's opinion, but if you want a neutral or cool tone paper, chlorobromide emulsions are just not your cup of tea. I really like the natural baryta base. It gives images a classic 1930's look.

I am actually HAPPIER than a clam with the warmtone..don't change it!! I would love Delta 400 in sheet sizes 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10..Thanks, Ilford..Evan Clarke

eclarke · Jun 25, 2008

Actually, I would slit my wrists if the warmtone was changed...EC

herb · Jun 25, 2008

Ilford and film sizes

It would seem to me that if there is a demand for say Delta 400 in 5x7 sheet sizes, and there were buyers willing to buy 500 sheets each, how many buyers would Ilford need to make it worth their while?

we certainly appreciate that Harman Ilford (Ilford Harman?) is in business, never mind all the requests that are not backed up with cash.

Simon could persuade his comany to set up a list as to what it would take to produce a particular product in a particular size, cash up front before they make it, and there you are.

I have asked Kodak to do just that for TMY-2. They said they would get back to me, but I would entertain Delta 400 instead.

Philippe Grunchec · Jun 26, 2008

@ hansformat: yes, Varycon (or its Adox equivalent) is on the cold side!

2F/2F · Jun 26, 2008

Give me Delta 3200 in 4x5 and I will be a happy camper!

hansformat · Jun 26, 2008

OK thanks for this input.

I have ordered some of the Fotokemica Varycon and some of the Slavich Unibrom Double Weight (grades 2 and 3) from FreeStyle.

Hopefully one of these will be in tune with my taste like Forte was.

Barry S · Jun 26, 2008

Not sure this request is going anywhere, but I would primarily shoot Delta 400 in 4x5 and 8x10 if it was available. I would be fine fine with a once/year special order.

Trevor Crone · Jun 26, 2008

Barry S said:
Not sure this request is going anywhere, but I would primarily shoot Delta 400 in 4x5 and 8x10 if it was available. I would be fine fine with a once/year special order.

I'll go along with this too. Especially if Delta 400/5x4 was in some kind of readyload/quickload system. However HP5+ is such a fine product it probably will never happen.

Chazzy · Jun 26, 2008

2F/2F said:
Give me Delta 3200 in 4x5 and I will be a happy camper!

That would certainly be interesting for hand-held 4x5 use.

Martin Aislabie · Jun 26, 2008

I would like to see HP5 in Readyloads or the Fuji equivalent
May be there is a real market for it now Kodak has dropped it
I use HP5 in DDS and have persistent problems with tiny dust particles
If Ilford were to move into the market - I would buy it
I can see there would need to be a price premium for it - to make Ilfords efforts worth their while - but in the UK 5x4 HP5 is pretty cheap (IMO)
Anyone else interested in 5x4 HP5 Readyloads?

Martin

Bob F. · Jun 26, 2008

All of these ideas have been put forward in other threads and the bottom line is that none of them are going to happen. Do a search and I'm pretty sure you will find replies from Simon Galley on all of these ideas in the past.

Ilford have looked at them all and sadly there just isn't sufficient market for them to recover the costs and/or they will end up with large stocks having to be destroyed and recycled before they can be sold.

Sad, but that's the reality we are in. Still, it never hurts to ask...

Cheers, Bob.

butterflydream · Jun 26, 2008

I desperately want any BW in 220 roll film.

2F/2F · Jun 26, 2008

Tri-X 320 in 220 is available, Ernie. Not Ilford, but it's something. I am totally on board with you. I find 120 to be a huge waste of time while shooting and processing. You have to change the film twice as often while shooting, and you have to process twice as many times after a 120 shoot than you do after a 220 shoot (with the same number of frames having been shot).

Also, Bob. I think we all know none of this is going to happen. It's nice to dream, though.

Martin; absolutely. But Fuji has their own black and white film, so I can't see them licensing the use of a Quickload design to Ilford. This means that we have to spend a bunch of time and money learning the Fuji films for those shoots when we want to use Quickloads. I have not done this yet, but I probably will soon. I am loath to change anything, as I love Ilford FP4 and HP5 so much, but you gots to do what you gots to do. Unfortunately, this means I will probably switch to Fuji entirely for 4x5.

Bob F. · Jun 26, 2008

butterflydream said:
I desperately want any BW in 220 roll film.

Me too but... they looked at that too and concluded that the resulting film would be too expensive to be viable . As far as I know the only 220 b&w is Kodak Tri-X.

butterflydream · Jun 26, 2008

Yes, I know.

http://www.film220.com/Ilford_FR.html

Do you know who is selling (international online shop) 220 TX?

Message to Ilford

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