Stunning service from ILFORD !!

BADGER.BRAD · Aug 19, 2017

I have to tell you about Ilford Photos customer service which has been stunning. I emailed them asking if any of their film was OK to use with My box Brownie (after a previous issue with the frame numbers not lining up using Kodaks own film) They then said the film markings may be a little difficult to see as they are quite faint but they would send me some film to experiment with, Today I had a package from them containing 1X ilford Delta 400 professional 2x FP4 PLUS 125 and 2x hp5 plus 400. I will now source all my film from them in the future. I am off to Whitby ( a coastal town in the UK) so will use some of it there. Has anyone any suggestions as to the best use of each type of film ?

Sim2 · Aug 19, 2017

That's soo cool! It's good to hear that Ilford's customer service is still exemplary, esp as their chap no longer frequents here anymore.
As to what types to use... not knowing the Brownie shutter speed/aperture, I'm guessing that they might be small so probably the 400 films would be good for outside, especially in the english summer!
I would 'ballpark' bright sunlight as 1/500 @ 5.6 on 100 iso, so you could ballpark from there. Enjoy the fish & chips

Thomas Bertilsson · Aug 19, 2017

That's very happy making to hear! I love Ilford and use mostly their film for everything. That's true for photo paper as well, and currently there's Ilfotec DD-X, Ilofrd Hypam fixer, and Harman Selenium toner in my chemistry cabinet. They really have a complete offering with steady supply and good prices. To hear that their customer support is exemplary is really wonderful.

pentaxuser · Aug 19, 2017

When you compare this with Kodak's apparent position on customer service, I am tempted to shout to Kodak: "What Ilford does to ensure customer loyalty is not rocket science, Kodak. Even if you are in some financial difficulty, the very worst thing you can do is to allow customers to even begin to harbour the perception of "Mean Spiritness" in anything you do.

What it costs to secure and keep a customer is small beer compared to what it takes to win one back"

pentaxuser

BAC1967 · Aug 19, 2017

400 film may be too fast for a Box Brownie for outdoors. Those cameras were designed for a much slower film. The shutter speed is around 1/50 and depending on the camera the iris is around f/11, f/16 and f/22. I usually shoot with an ISO 100 film when in box cameras.

Check out this site.
http://www.brownie-camera.com/tech.shtml

silveror0 · Aug 19, 2017

Here’s a great big “shoutout” for Ilford customer service. Not long ago I contacted them to ask if they had any 8x10 expired film that they had no use for, since I had been unsuccessful in all my efforts to get any from other possible sources. I explained that I was working on making a glass negative carrier for my 5x7 enlarger and needed some old film that could be used to make nearly opaque masks for a variety of formats, simply by grossly overexposing to room light and developing. They said they’d send me a partial 25-sheet box of FRESH FP4+ film with perhaps up to 15 sheets in it. When it arrived I counted 20 sheets (valued at nearly $100), far more than I needed, and would use the remainder for shooting “real” images. I’ll say it “ILFORD ROCKS!” The only non-Ilford products in my darkroom are Kodak’s HC-110 film developer, Photo Formulary’s Liquidol paper developer, and Edwal LFN wetting agent.

moto-uno · Aug 19, 2017

^ I'm less quick to bad mouth Kodak , as in the past year or so they have replaced 2 different 5 packs of 120 film
due to the numbering print through problem . Peter
ps: I love and use many Ilford films and paper.

railwayman3 · Aug 19, 2017

My experiences with Ilford have been the same, especially with their generosity with time, hospitality and books and samples on two factory visits a few years ago.

And their products are great quality....I remember, as a schoolboy and a newby to this photography hobby, I nearly gave up with hopeless results from cheapy film, until my Dad gave me a roll of HP3, (as it was then), saying "you'll be OK with this". He was right.

BainDarret · Aug 19, 2017

My first roll of B/W film was a roll FP3 back in the 60s and I've been happy using their film ever since.

Lately I've been using my father's Box Brownie number 2 model F with both HP5 and FP4. I work on the assumption that the shutter speed is 1/50 sec and the waterhouse stops are F/16, F/22 and F/32. I have used FP4 in bright sun at F/16 and have found the negatives to be quite printable with normal development. With HP5 I use the smallest aperture and, again, the negs were very printable. With the fast film you can use the camera in cloudy weather. The only time I encountered any overexposure was a shot over water in glaring sunlight. While the neg was quite dense it still quite usable. The big problem I encountered was the film was severely scratched with the first roll. I applied some metal polish to the rollers and a tiny, tiny amount of white lithium grease to the roller ends and the problem was fixed.

MattKing · Aug 20, 2017

I'm glad to see that Harman seem to be continuing the excellent service they have provided since they were created from the ashes of the old Ilford - despite the more recent change of ownership.
It was never clear to me what enquiry Badger Brad sent to Kodak Alaris, and what response he received. If he was a little bit closer, I'd pass on some older Kodak film (with older numbers on the backing paper) so he could try out some colour film in his up to 104 year old camera. Ilford, of course, isn't an option for colour.
I too would recommend the FP4, as it would be closer to the films available when the camera was new.
If you can find some older, "expired" Kodak Portra 160 it should be a gould choice for colour. The old NC or the old VC should both be functional.

Chris Livsey · Aug 21, 2017

Sim2 said:
That's soo cool! It's good to hear that Ilford's customer service is still exemplary, esp as their chap no longer frequents here anymore.

"Their chap" was Simon Galley and no longer frequents here as that poster (and no I have no inside information just covering the possibility he is here as an alter ego) as he left Ilford when the last takeover occurred so could of course no longer speak on their behalf on a public forum, just for clarity.

AgX · Aug 21, 2017

He was even one of the owners of Harman (Ilford Photo).

BMbikerider · Aug 21, 2017

Sim2 said:
That's soo cool! It's good to hear that Ilford's customer service is still exemplary, esp as their chap no longer frequents here anymore.
As to what types to use... not knowing the Brownie shutter speed/aperture, I'm guessing that they might be small so probably the 400 films would be good for outside, especially in the english summer!
I would 'ballpark' bright sunlight as 1/500 @ 5.6 on 100 iso, so you could ballpark from there. Enjoy the fish & chips

The originator will be using a box brownie, the max shutter speed will be around 1/25th 1/50th

benjiboy · Aug 21, 2017

Simon Galley left Ilford completely at the last buyout..

Doc W · Aug 21, 2017

I always get terrific responses from Ilford (including just a few weeks ago). They are on it, for sure.

Sim2 · Aug 29, 2017

Hi all, I was a bit hesitant about mentioning Simon Galley by name as I knew he had departed from Ilford as one of the selling owners and as far as I knew he is no longer a presence here. I had only very positive experiences with Ilford via Mr Galley through the private messages and am so pleased that the newer owners are following in the same spirit. Would be nice if they had a presence here again!
Hope the Brownie excursion and pics turned out good.

Stunning service from ILFORD !!

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