Ilford launches Kentmere 200

[p.giannakis]

Looks like ilford launched the 200iso sibling of their Kentmere line.

Kentmere 200 35mm

Kentmere PAN 200 is an ISO 200 black & white film, with enhanced contrast suitable for most shooting applications and conditions Fine grain and good sharpness Broad tonal range with clean shadows and high contrast Medium speed ISO 200 Black & White processing Available in 24 exp, 36 exp, 35mm...

www.ilfordphoto.com

 

[seany65]

I've just been looking at the links in the other thread about this film. It seems that the sample images on Ilford's site aren't all that good. To me they seem rather more grainy than I expected and on the other two websites that mention it, the samples look less grainy.

 

[p.giannakis]

I've just been looking at the links in the other thread about this film. It seems that the sample images on Ilford's site aren't all that good. To me they seem rather more grainy than I expected and on the other two websites that mention it, the samples look less grainy.

I've only used the 400 version and i was ok with the grain - i can't imagine the 200 being worse in some way. I didnt like its contrast thought. In bright sunlight blacks were beginning to block out and whites were becoming borderline washed out. Maybe the HC110 is not the right developer for it but I am not buying it again. APX 400 and Foma 400 are more interesting film in my view.

I would like to like the 200 thought. I would like to see how it looks like pushed to 400.

 

[lukx]

I've only used the 400 version and i was ok with the grain - i can't imagine the 200 being worse in some way. I didnt like its contrast thought. In bright sunlight blacks were beginning to block out and whites were becoming borderline washed out. Maybe the HC110 is not the right developer for it but I am not buying it again. APX 400 and Foma 400 are more interesting film in my view.

I would like to like the 200 thought. I would like to see how it looks like pushed to 400.

Aren’t APX400 and Kentmere 400 considered to be the same emulsion?

 

[trix4ever]

As we have 2 threads about this, could one of the moderators combine the two? Please.

 

[valdas]

Aren’t APX400 and Kentmere 400 considered to be the same emulsion?

This, and I think Rollei RPX400 as well.

 

[p.giannakis]

Aren’t APX400 and Kentmere 400 considered to be the same emulsion?

This, and I think Rollei RPX400 as well.

Nope. Ilford has repeatedly denied rebadging their products. They have however confirmed that they manufacture films for others. So it might have been made by Ilford (I don't know) at the specifications asked by Agfa but it is none of the products Ilford/Kentmere sells under the Harman umbrella.

 

[p.giannakis]

As we have 2 threads about this, could one of the moderators combine the two? Please.

Apologies. Somehow I missed that.

 

[valdas]

Nope. Ilford has repeatedly denied rebadging their products. They have however confirmed that they manufacture films for others. So it might have been made by Ilford (I don't know) at the specifications asked by Agfa but it is none of the products Ilford/Kentmere sells under the Harman umbrella.

So if it is manufactured by Ilford but cut and packaged by others (e.g. Rollei), isn’t it the “same emulsion”. I guess they could manufacture to a bit different specs and that’s why it is “not the same”, but still…

 

[p.giannakis]

So if it is manufactured by Ilford but cut and packaged by others (e.g. Rollei), isn’t it the “same emulsion”. I guess they could manufacture to a bit different specs and that’s why it is “not the same”, but still…

No, that is not how it works. There are patents involved, they cannot do that. They submit specifications and Ilford makes it. Just like Sony making sensors for Nikon - Nikon says what they want and Sony makes it.

 

[Freakscene]

Nope. Ilford has repeatedly denied rebadging their products. They have however confirmed that they manufacture films for others. So it might have been made by Ilford (I don't know) at the specifications asked by Agfa but it is none of the products Ilford/Kentmere sells under the Harman umbrella.

It is very simple. These days, if it says it is made in the UK, it is made by Ilford - they have the only coating plant in the UK. Like Fuji Acros II- it might say it is Fuji, but it says made in the UK, so Ilford is involved. If it says a different place/country, it is not Ilford.

And as for “is it the same?” careful sensitometry can tell you. I used to do gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of emulsions, but the days of being funded by publications to do that are over, and I don’t work with that equipment anymore.

 

[Freakscene]

No, that is not how it works. There are patents involved, they cannot do that. They submit specifications and Ilford makes it. Just like Sony making sensors for Nikon - Nikon says what they want and Sony makes it.

I don’t think there are any patents that are still valid that apply to any film. It is more a matter of corporate policy and trade secrets. If Ilford says they don’t rebrand their films, we are fairly safe in assuming that is correct. But it is also possible that RPX 400 is very similar to Kentmere 400 but not the same.

 

[valdas]

No, that is not how it works. There are patents involved, they cannot do that. They submit specifications and Ilford makes it. Just like Sony making sensors for Nikon - Nikon says what they want and Sony makes it.

Well, I get it is “not the same” in legal terms. But if specs are close enough and it is made by Ilford this “not the same” is just a small technicality. From what I saw as test shots they are really hard to tell apart, so it terms of choice I would only care about the price.

 

[valdas]

I don’t think there are any patents that are still valid that apply to any film. It is more a matter of corporate. policy and trade secrets. If Ilford says they don’t rebrand their films, we are fairly safe in assuming that is correct. But it is also possible that RPX 400 is very similar to Kentmere 400 but not the same.

 

[oldwino]

A very good overview of the new film, with a comparison with FP4 as well.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

Thanks for posting about this! 🙂
I just ordered 3 rolls in 35mm...

Chris

 

[Mark240590]

Without trying to be a killjoy. I just can’t work it out. Maybe for MF & above but I can’t think of a single instance when I’ve looked at the weather outside and said. Ah it’s a 200 speed day. Between 100 & 400 I think it was fairly well covered.

I remain open to be impressed with it but I’m not holding my breath.

I would have been more impressed with a native 800 film. However, you’d assume that wouldn’t make good business sense since it’ll encroach on HP5 & Delta3200 territory.

 

[Coldkennels]

Nope. Ilford has repeatedly denied rebadging their products.

From what I've heard, this only applies to Ilford's products - not the Kentmere brand. I've seen that repeated a few times across the internet, and sure enough, it's mentioned on here, too.

From Let us talk about Kentmere 400 again? :

When I asked about this Ilford staff were very careful to say that they no longer supply Ilford film for repackaging. I took this to mean Ilford labelled films, not necessarily Kentmere film made by Ilford, but I've spent too much time in courts lately and might be hyper-sensitive to these kinds of semantics.

Another thing supporting the "Kentmere stuff ends up in other boxes under other brands" is "Kosmo Photo Agent Shadow", a 400 speed film that shares dev times with Kentmere 400.

Short of Marty getting out the fancy tools, the easiest way to solve this would be to shoot both films side-by-side with matching lenses and dev them together. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised at all if they were identical film stocks.

...on a related note, it'll be interesting to see if AGFA or Rollei miraculously come out with a new 200-speed film in a year or two.