Ilford pulling out of LF?

[Michael Ting]

At least that's what I hear from the national distributor of Ilford in Indonesia. No more HP5 in 4x5. I've only been able to get Delta 100 and Delta 400, and that's a 1999 expired film.

[Gary Smith]

Hi,

More likely the distrubtor is no longer stocking it. Here in Japan, the Ilford distributer is no longer selling sheet film, only 120 and 35mm sizes, but I have no trouble ordering FP4+ or FP5+ from the United States or Europe.

Since Ilford went through reorganization a few months ago, their distribution network seems to have been disrupted in many places. Hopefully that will change.

Hope it helps.

Gary

[mark blackman]

This was posted on the Large Format secion of the Ilford Forum on 19/9/5:

"This comment is meant to set the record straight regarding sheet film. ILFORD Photo / Harman Technology in the UK are the sole manufacturers of ILFORD monochrome products, and have no intention to discontinue sheet film. ILFORD Imaging USA Inc and ILFORD Imaging Canada Limited, the exclusive distributors of ILFORD monochrome products in North America, are dedicated to supply sheet film to the market as demand indicates. Local standard stock sizes are:

FP4 Plus 4x5 (25 sheets), 4x5 100 sheets 5x7 (25 sheets), 8x10 (25 sheets)HP5 Plus 4x5 (25 sheets) and 4x5 100 sheets with more limited inventory of 5x7 (25 sheets), 8x10 (25 sheets) and 11x14 (25 sheets)
Delta 100 Professional 8x10 (25 sheets) with more limited inventory of 4x5 (25 sheets), 4x5 (100 sheets)Ortho Plus 4x5 (25 sheets) with more limited inventory of 5x7 25 sheets), 8x10 (25 sheets)sizes shown in inches.

Concerning larger sizes, please refer to our postings in the PULPA section of these forums with regard to our intention to organize one or two custom runs per annum of ULF formats, a work still in progress.

We regret any confusion or added speculation arising from the delay in posting this message. ILFORD's traditional policy is one of not commenting on rumors, a position that has been and will continue to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis."

end quote.

Sounds like the Indonesian distributor is a liar.

[Pete Watkins]

"Sounds like the Indonesian distributer is a liar".
Trust Ilford Photo / Harman Technology if you must but no 11 x 14 appears to be available in the UK. The company have been happy to ignore the U.K. U.L.F. community fro some years now and I won't import Ilford film out of principle. Bergger has given me no problems in Pyrocat up to now and the company supports the U.K. market.

[Bob._3483]

If you read the PULPA thread mentioned in the Ilford announcement, you will see that they are about to start cutting ULF with one or two runs per year. Recall that Harman Technology is not Ilford as it was: the company is now run by its management, not by the pen-pushers appointed by the previous owners, a private investment company.

[Michael Ting]

many thanks for the information.

I find it hard to believe that you can't get 4x5 ilford films in Japan. It thought Japanese are one of the country with the largest large format photographer/capita ratio. Just as they probably is no.1 in terms of Ferrari/capita ratio. :)

[sugi_5981]

Michael,

I think you can still get the 4x5 sheet by contacting CAPA at Ps. Baru 021 3523953 with minimum order 10-15 boxes.

[Michael Ting]

really?
I know the CAPA store. I think they also gets their stock from the same distributor. Did you get any stock from them recently?

[Jim Chinn]

The Ilford forum post referenced said that an annual run depended on interest shown by the LF community to determine feasability of such an endeavor.

There is another thread in the PULPA forum asking for LF photographers to post their interest and preference in sizes. It is important if you have not already done so, to post in that thread.