New55 film please

[DrTang]

Face up to it: you'll never use it.

I used to use it a lot - not as an end product, but for checking exposure, etc

the only reason I stopped was I stopped shooting 4x5.. but I kept right on with the pack film for my RB or hassy (yes..I know that wasn't p/n)

but I really don't care if it's PN or not.. the N was just a bonus for me

but 6 bucks to test exposure? meh

[Brian C. Miller]

but 6 bucks to test exposure? meh

I looked at the Kickstarter page, and I have no idea where the $6 figure originates.

$75 pledge = 1 box, containing 5 sheets, 75 / 5 = $15 per sheet. (Add another $50 for a t-shirt.)

So $2, basically the same price as sheet film, is nuts. Lab development (locally, 4x5 b&w) is $2.75. Plus getting there and picking it back up.

That's why I think that if there was a little gizmo to do a fast field development test without mucking about with a dark bag, that would be great. Maybe it could be CatLabs' next project.

[Corran]

It's right on the bottom of the Kickstarter, in the FAQ.

Assuming this campaign is successful, will the cost per sheet reduce once you are set up to sell independently?

The money pledged from Backers in this Kickstarter campaign is going primarily to manufacturing capacity. After a successful campaign, our goal would be to get the market price of New55 FILM down as far as component costs permit. Our goal is as low as $6 per sheet. (Scale economies can potentially improve things from there.)

[koh303]

I looked at the Kickstarter page, and I have no idea where the $6 figure originates.

$75 pledge = 1 box, containing 5 sheets, 75 / 5 = $15 per sheet. (Add another $50 for a t-shirt.)

So $2, basically the same price as sheet film, is nuts. Lab development (locally, 4x5 b&w) is $2.75. Plus getting there and picking it back up.

That's why I think that if there was a little gizmo to do a fast field development test without mucking about with a dark bag, that would be great. Maybe it could be CatLabs' next project.

Wait, whaaat?
Oh you mean like the daylight tank but for 4X5?

[Brian C. Miller]

Wait, whaaat?
Oh you mean like the daylight tank but for 4X5?

A daylight tank that I don't need a darkbag to transfer the film into it, and for just one sheet which will be examined and then tossed. So it doesn't matter if the film is scratched, just that it's developed and given a stop bath.

I'm guessing something rectangular, at least twice as long as a filmholder, holding the filmholder like a pinhole camera. Pull the darkslide up a little, and then a lever manipulates the flap open, and another lever pries the film out. The film falls down below into a cavity. A tube, affixed to a spout on the bottom, is used for filling and dumping the chemicals. With the tube up, it's in the fill position. With the tube down, it acts as the drain. Fill, swish, drain, fill, swish, drain, done. Remove holder, grab the negative. Major screwups, that would be evident with a Polaroid, would be evident with the negative.

To make a prototype for myself, I would start with an Ilford pinhole camera. It's made of plastic, so chemicals wouldn't hurt it, and I can go mad with my Dremel setup. I would modify a film holder so it's really easy to get the film out by just sliding it down. A box of plastic would cover the pinhole camera body and be the tank. I would have two levers or plungers (something!) to open the flap and get the film out.

Fortunately for me, I have enough Fujifilm 100C45 for a while, so I won't tear into my pinhole camera. For now... (mad scientist smiley here)

[koh303]

Thats a grand idea, but i suspect the market for such a product is by far smaller at best then worst case scenario of new55....