True IR film from Ilford

[steven_e007]

OK, I'll chip in, too. I'd love to see a special run. I believe it is more a case of sensitising an existing emulsion, rather than the massive (and none viable) R & D investment required for a completely new film. Surely a good opportunity to suck it and see?

The film I miss most is actually Konicas IR film. This wasn't so much an extreme IR emulsion like HIE - but was very smooth and very fine grained. It did amazing things to skin tones and was a surreal portrait film.

Truth is, some digital cameras can do IR with the appropriate filter - the rest can do it with the IR coating srubbed off the sensor or the IR filter taken out. There is a lot of IR stuff from the digital guys on Flickr. I'd love to see something they can't do... like an ultra fine grain film in 4 X 5 and 120... say an IR sensitised Delta 100? No grain, silky smooth tones and IR sensitivity? Gorgeous!

But, if Ilford introduced anything at all that is new, in any format - I'd immediately buy a brick of the stuff as a show of solidarity.

 

[bsdunek]

I to would buy an Ilford IR film. I have used a lot of EFKE, and am sad to see them ending production. Ilford, I love you to pick up IR production.

 

[Scott Gibson]

$20.00 a roll? HIE cost more than that retail when it was discontinued. If such a film came back into production I would expect it to come back for far higher, twice perhaps three times the cost of the past. If photographers baulk at the price the question needs to be asked, how much are the images your producing with the medium worth? I know its not what people want to hear and sorry to be a Buzz Kill but I'm being as realistic as possible.

Wow, was HIE really $20 a roll? It was discontinued before I returned to shooting film so I don't know, but I was under the impression it was retailing for more like $14-15 US. Either way, I think we all are aware of the massive investment of money and R&D that would be needed to bring such a film to the market, and consequently, the unlikelihood of seeing a "true IR" film from Ilford. I'm just saying, it would be nice

I wonder what Ilford SFX would look like without an antihalation layer. Could be interesting, and possibly easier to produce than a true IR film? Just food for thought!

 

[Roger Cole]

I keep hearing that but with no evidence. Would there need to be "massive R&D?" The IR sensitizing dyes are pretty well known, aren't they? I know there's always SOME R&D for a new film and testing to match it to the coating machinery and such, but Simon even said here on APUG that Ilford could "easily" make an IR film if the demand was there.

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

If you want SFX without the antihalation layer, you can roll your own. Unload it from the cassette in complete darkness, wash it, dry it and re-load it in a bulk loader. Not saying this is EASY, but if you want it bad enough, voila.

 

[steven_e007]

But wouldn't washing a film before exposing it also remove a lot of other good things, like the sensitization dyes and the substances that boost sensitivity?

 

[cgross]

I'll add another vote for 4x5 and 120 formats!!!

 

[polyglot]

But wouldn't washing a film before exposing it also remove a lot of other good things, like the sensitization dyes and the substances that boost sensitivity?

Sensitization dyes work during exposure not development. Washing them out is fine as long as you've already exposed the film.

 

[Shmoo]

It looks like there's some Rollei IR film available at B&H.

 

[L Gebhardt]

Sensitization dyes work during exposure not development. Washing them out is fine as long as you've already exposed the film.

But you want to remove the antihalation dyes before shooting too.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Not just 4x5. Get some 5x7, too. I'd shoot it. I couldn't buy up five million sheets, but I'd buy a pack and shoot it happily.

 

[polyglot]

But you want to remove the antihalation dyes before shooting too.

Fair enough. Since I shoot moderately large (6x7, 4x5) films, the halation effects in Aura just look like softness rather than glow so I'd prefer to go without.