Low quantity ULF order

[Colin Graham]

There is a thread on APUG (http://www.apug.org/forums/forum146/37599-ilford-ulf-make-poor-level-orders.html) about unexpectedly low levels for the ilford ULF order. If you have a horse in this race, you may want to check in and give Simon Galley some feedback. (moderators, I hope this is ok, seems important.)

[Bobf]

New info from Ilford. They have extended the order time until 30th March and will make whatever is ordered in the stated sizes - no minimum quantity: http://www.apug.org/forums/forum146/37663-current-ilford-ulf-make-solution.html#post445520

Cheers, Bob.

[Ron Marshall]

Now there is a great company: No minimum order, for all of the various sizes.

Although I don't use anything ULF, I'll still say a big thank-you to Ilford.

[Oren Grad]

:) :) :) :)

[Christopher Perez]

Just placed a call to my distributor. Whole Plate in FP4+ should look simply drop dead gorgeous!

My continued thanks to Ilford for their support of our fine community of practitioners.

[Sal Santamaura]

Here's what I just posted in the APUG thread:

Why, in 2007, anyone exposing black and white film would purchase anything but an Ilford product for that purpose is beyond comprehension. Bravo ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited!!!!

[Geert]

Here's what I just posted in the APUG thread:

Why, in 2007, anyone exposing black and white film would purchase anything but an Ilford product for that purpose is beyond comprehension. Bravo ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited!!!!

The price, maybe?

G

[alec4444]

The price, maybe?

Ditto. For 11x14 Efke is roughly $4 / sheet (oh, and I like the film pretty well too). I might be willing to go up to $6 / sheet, but at $8 / sheet I begin thinking that I could take every shot twice on Efke film. I might try a box of FP4 for kicks, though. Perhaps I'll get addicted.

--A

[Sal Santamaura]

It's possible to know the price of everything and the value of nothing. I suspect many fail to recognize what we've got in Ilford and won't until it's gone.

[Diane Maher]

I am seriously considering adding to my order of 5x12 and whole plate film this year.

[John Bowen]

I am seriously considering adding to my order of 5x12 and whole plate film this year.

Well Diane,

Don't consider it for too long, the order has only been exteded unti March 31st.

[Rick Moore]

Here's what I just posted in the APUG thread:

Why, in 2007, anyone exposing black and white film would purchase anything but an Ilford product for that purpose is beyond comprehension. Bravo ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited!!!!

In my case, the answer to your question is quite simple. Ilford does not make a film that comes close to the combination of desirable characteristics found in Kodak TMax 400. Buying a film that does meet my needs make no sense to me. Since TMax 400 is readily available in the size I need, 8x10, it's what I buy.

This does not mean that Ilford's efforts to serve the large format community do not deserve praise. If they brought back Delta 400 in 8x10, I'd gladly buy it.

[Turner Reich]

Sal what about Kodak, don't you like Kodak film? Do you work for Ilford? The beyond comprehension statement and the !!!! is an extreme one. There are films as good or better and they are not as expensive and you can get them right away from Freestyle. I see that you live in California, do you not like Freestyle.

If everyone bought Ilford the other companies would die, you would not want that would you? I can not understand why you are so fanitical about Ilford products.

tr

[Rob_5419]

If everyone bought Ilford the other companies would die, you would not want that would you? I can not understand why you are so fanitical about Ilford products.



Ilfords films like Pan F+ for 6x12" format; FP4+ & HP5+ for 4x5" format and larger are very distinctive films with a specific type of tonal scale, unique to Ilford and not to Kodak. Whereas Kodak's films are fantastic to work with, the difference, other than the look of the film and its qualities, lies in company ethos. Perhaps you don't understand this: Ilford are a small company whose integrity has shown us through its original parent-demise a few years ago, how devoted a few members are, to serving the local community (employees) as well as their dedication to silver halide technology.

Everyone is hardly going to buy Ilford: Ilford is a black and white specialist silver halide outfit and not an industry of the giant stature that Kodak or Fuji has.

It also gets a bit tiring to have to suffix every post with "No, I don't have shares in Ilford and no, I'm not employed by Ilford either".

Guess that's a reflection of where this forum is heading and already I guess I'm finding it less attractive.

[Sal Santamaura]

Based on some responses, further clarification is necessary. First, I'm not a photographer by profession and work in an entirely unrelated field. Second, I have no connection with Kodak, Ilford, Freestyle or any photographic manufacturer, distributor or retailer.

I used Kodak film exclusively for many decades. At the beginning of last year, even though I'd already ordered a bunch of FP4 Plus in a non-standard size through Ilford's special order program, when the TMY arrangement surfaced I ordered more in that same size just to support Kodak. A year+ later, Kodak has yet to deliver, while the Ilford product arrived as promised last May.

I no longer purchase anything Kodak. In my opinion it's a company just milking film before exiting the market completely for digital. I won't help drag out its chemical imaging death throes.

I process FP4+ in Perceptol 1:3 in a Jobo. The resulting EI, measured with a Zone VI-modified Pentax digital spot meter and a calibrated densitometer, is 160. That's about 1 1/3 stops slower than TMY. Unless one is shooting in very low light conditions, the difference doesn't seem to matter very much.

By the way, Pan F Plus is not available in 6x12-inch or any other size sheets nor, according to Simon Galley, one of Ilford's directors, will it ever be.

In my estimation the number of photographers engaged in large format black and white photography is not sufficient to support multiple film manufacturers over the long term. This bodes ill for most such enterprises. Among those in the first tier of quality, I believe Ilford is the one most likely to survive through my actuarially probable lifetime. To support Ilford's continued viability, I have decided to use its black and white film exclusively and encourage others to do the same.

It might not be too many years before our choices in large format black and white camera negative materials are limited to Ilford and self-coating. Those who prefer the latter are advised to enroll in one of Ron Mowery's workshops while he's offering them. Personally, I have far too little discressionary time available to consider spending it on emulsion making; I don't even get enough opportunities for actual photography.

Good luck in the future being able to obtain Kodak black and white film.

[Rob_5419]

Well said Sal. The strategy that you have outlined, in supporting a particular film company which shows its integrity by sticking with a diminishing niche market is important. It does expose others' loyalties to major marketed brands like Kodak, and I guess, makes uncomfortable reading..




By the way, Pan F Plus is not available in 6x12-inch or any other size sheets nor, according to Simon Galley, one of Ilford's directors, will it ever be.


6x12 cm format ....just to clarify. I don't really need Pan F+ in anything other than 120 roll film ;)