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View Full Version : Ilford HP-5 4x5 with wrong dimensions



Frank Petronio
3-Oct-2007, 07:58
Earlier this year I took delivery of three boxes of mispackaged HP-5 -- the middle box had been inverted so it didn't form the tradtional double light-tight seal. No problems with the film but it was disconcerting to think that they would let that slip by. I wrote to Ilford and they asked for the batch numbers, but later in the Summer I got another batch of film with the same funky packaging.

But this is even stranger... when I was loading film into holders from the latest batch, I noticed the end of the film hit the holder a little different... but I shot it anyway and it was fine -- except Ilford cut the film about 6mm shorter on the long end!

It worked fine but....

I might have to go back to Tri-X, which had its own issues... I want to support Ilford but damn, that is just plain lousy quality control.

PViapiano
3-Oct-2007, 08:31
What issues have you had with the Tri-X, Frank?

Ralph Barker
3-Oct-2007, 10:36
Ilford (Harman) will often replace film at no charge when there is a manufacturing error. The elves that used to jump into the boxes to verify dimensions and such all went to work for Keebler during Ilford's receivorship. ;)

Michael Alpert
3-Oct-2007, 12:34
I want to support Ilford but damn, that is just plain lousy quality control.

Frank,

I am sorry that you are having problems with HP-5. This year, I have gone through many many boxes of 5x7 HP-5 without any problems at all. So I think you've just had very bad luck. I would not hesitate to support Ilford. They are about the only company interested in the future of b&w film; and, in my experience at least, their quality control is fine.

tim atherton
3-Oct-2007, 12:46
unfortunately this kind of problem seems to have been occurring more frequently in the last year or so, which makes me wonder what it's indicative off?

I had a problem with thumb prints and marks on 8x10 FP4 (which was never properly addressed by Ilford - their rep just never got back to me)

And following that, I got a number of comments from others with similar (and different) problems - including both the problems Frank mentions

a. Film improperly boxed from the manufacturer

b. Film cut to incorrect size

I must say, before the Ilford shakeup I used their products for years and never came across any of these kinds of problems at all

David A. Goldfarb
3-Oct-2007, 12:54
Maybe it's indicative of the fact that they've been offering sheet film in more sizes lately, so now there is a greater probability of error from resetting equipment than there used to be.

Either that or you ordered 4x5" and accidentally received a box of 5x4" that was designated for the British market.

Morten
3-Oct-2007, 13:04
....
Either that or you ordered 4x5" and accidentally received a box of 5x4" that was designated for the British market.

:eek: The Brits are a odd kind.....

Morten :-)

Frank Petronio
3-Oct-2007, 13:27
The reason I switched to HP-5 was to support Illford, which appeared to be making a commitment to B&W photography. Now I am not sure what I'll buy next.

I never had a QC problem with Kodak film, ever, in over 20 years. As for Tri-X, my only issue with it is that I can never figure out the diference between Tri-X Pro and regualr Tri-X (when I used roll film) and how Kodak would often make changes to its characteristics without warning.

BrianShaw
3-Oct-2007, 14:22
Either that or you ordered 4x5" and accidentally received a box of 5x4" that was designated for the British market.

I actually make a point of keeping both sizes - 4x5 and 5x4 - on hand at all times; the 4x5 gets used for vertical shots (portrait orientation), the 5x4 is for horizonatal shots (landscape orientation).

Ralph Barker
3-Oct-2007, 14:34
Smart move, Brian. I do the same, as well as having both 8x10 and 10x8.

Ash
3-Oct-2007, 14:36
Okay I'm in the UK, so I SHOULD understand this, but what's the difference?!

brandonjscott
3-Oct-2007, 14:58
Ash,

There is no difference. The British refer to film and paper sizes by the long dimension first and the Americans refer to film and paper sizes by using the short dimension first.

UK -> USA
10X8 8X10
5X4 -> 4X5

Same stuff, same size, it's semantics I suppose.

David A. Goldfarb
3-Oct-2007, 15:07
On one the film is emulsion side up when the notches are in the upper right hand corner, and on the other the film is emulsion side up when the notches are in the lower left hand corner.

Morten
3-Oct-2007, 15:36
On one the film is emulsion side up when the notches are in the upper right hand corner, and on the other the film is emulsion side up when the notches are in the lower left hand corner.

:rolleyes:

Toyon
3-Oct-2007, 16:25
I have had zero problems with Ilford. However, I've had problems with Efke 25 in 4x5. Freestyle gave me a refund. A second box I ordered later fit, but just barely. Not tight enough to buckle, but just barely able to fit.

walter23
3-Oct-2007, 16:37
Reminds me, I need to pick up a new box of HP5+ soon.

If the problem gets resolved, no big deal, right?

Andrew O'Neill
3-Oct-2007, 19:27
A friend of mine found a finger print on his HP5 8x10 neg and he is positive it is not his...
I personally have never had any problems other than a small clipping of film about 8 inches x1/2 inch mixed in with 8x10 film...

tim atherton
3-Oct-2007, 19:37
A friend of mine found a finger print on his HP5 8x10 neg and he is positive it is not his...

that was precisely my problem with FP4 8x10 - fingerprints on the film that I know for a fact (having lifted and done enough fingerprint comparisons at one time) wasn't mine...

Andrew O'Neill
3-Oct-2007, 21:27
Finger prints are pretty bizarre. Finger prints from me during handling isn't.
It had to have been someone at Ilford. Do they actually physically come in contact with film when it is being coated?? Odd...maybe they have a bunch of people sitting in a dark room sorting film into stacks of 25 and sticking them into their respective packaging...:)

Frank Petronio
3-Oct-2007, 21:38
Would 9x12 cm be shorter than 4x5 inches yet about the same width to fit nicely into a holder? I wonder if that is what I got mixed into the 4x5 box?