sfx on the way back!

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saw this on another site and lifted the text from ilford site...

ILFORD SFX 200 RETURNS!
26th January 2007

ILFORD SFX 200 film returns to the range
HARMAN technology has received thousands of requests from customers to return the ILFORD SFX 200 film to the ILFORD Photo film range.

We are pleased to announce that the product will be relaunched Worldwide during March 2007 in 135 - 36 exp cassettes and in the 120 format, in addition a special pack containing 3 x ILFORD SFX 200 135 - 36 and a COKIN "P" SFX filter will be made available. ILFORD SFX 200 will become a ‘MOD’ MANUFACTURE ON DEMAND item, where the film is manufactured on an approximately annual basis to ensure the highest quality of manufacture.

Availability in individual markets is dependent on shipping times, but is likely to be in early March for the UK, mid March for European and Nordic markets, April for North America and May for the Far East, Australia and New Zealand.

HARMAN technology Limited Marketing Director Howard Hopwood announced

"ILFORD SFX 200 is a great film that allows film photographers an even more expressive outlet for their creativity. It has a loyal following in many markets and is used for a huge range of applications, architectural photography being one of the most popular.

For HARMAN technology this finally completes the task of returning to the range specialist products that were discontinued during the administration of the previous organisation ILFORD Imaging UK Limited, and is a further commitment from HARMAN technology to provide creative photographers and printers around the World the largest range of quality products for analogue monochrome photography."
 
Ths is a brief part of the Ilford technical blurb (from www.ilford.com, there is a lot of useful info on the site).
"...COMING MARCH 2007!! ILFORD SFX 200 RETURNS. SFX 200 is a medium speed black and white camera film for creative photography. It has extended red sensitivity and is especially suited for use with a filter to create special effects. By using the ILFORD SFX filter skies can be rendered almost black and most green vegetation almost white. Its unusual tonal rendition ensures interesting results for a range of subjects, including portraits, landscapes, townscapes and architecture..."
 
erikhaugsby said:
It is Ilford Infrared film. A decent writeup is here.
Click to expand...

I do not believe it's a true infrared film, but one that, with a deep red filter, sort of imitates an infrared look.

I personally found it too grainy and not enough of an effect to justify the cost or grain but it seems many others like it. Though even with the "announcement" I'll believe it when I see it.
 
Rich,
Well, none of the IR films commonly used are "true" IR. Even 900nm, which is where HIE goes, is still near IR.

SFX is obviously a lot less than 900nm in sensitivity. It goes to about...maybe 750, like the old Konica stuff. The effect is still quite distinct. The Maco and Rollei stuff goes to 820 but it's an awfully steep drop after that.

allan
 
I used it. My photos were horrid, but the one I liked had a sharpness to it that hurt my eyes. It's the best print I've ever seen.

The good thing about it is that without the red filter you can use it as another regular B&W film. And it's an ISO 200 film, which makes it a bit easier (on us, with center-weighed meters) to set exposure compensations of any kind.

That really was good news! 🙂 Thanks for posting it, joe!
 
Its unusual tonal rendition ensures interesting results for a range of subjects, including portraits, landscapes, townscapes and architecture..."
Click to expand...

I have seen variour IR shots of landscapes, a lone tree as a focal point or like object in a landscape...... how do folks use IR film? What subjects are you shooting with it?
 
This is very good news for me, I will buy a supply of 120 to last me a year. I found it to give nice and sometimes subtle effects with a grain structure very like HP5+. It allows a range of effects which tend to be stronger than normal, with fairly standard orange and red filters. I find that outright IR is a little too "other-worldly" for my tastes. (I thought that it was only a little dearer than ordinary film, last time it was available).
I use it in my landscape photography only.
It's a gem, try some.

Edit: attached straight scan of SFX neg, light red (25A) filter.
Yup, the lone tree in late autumn. The tree is quite dark with a few leaves and lots of red berries. SFX from 18 months in the freezer. Nice moods.
 

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I think the UK police us it in their speed cameras, not roadster friendly...

But it is likely to be in production for a while, not a flash in the (gatso) pan.

Noel
 
Is it only me that never really liked the stuff? I found it far too grainy and very fussy about exposure. I never really got much of an IR effect but may have not been using a strong enough filter. From what Simon Galley of Ilford has said over at APUG this won't be the only product produced in small batches to meet a specialist demand.
 
markinlondon said:
Is it only me that never really liked the stuff? I found it far too grainy and very fussy about exposure. I never really got much of an IR effect but may have not been using a strong enough filter. From what Simon Galley of Ilford has said over at APUG this won't be the only product produced in small batches to meet a specialist demand.
Click to expand...

Nope. See my post above. When I want infrared look I shoot my Sony F717. It can be found used for only $200 USD or so now and it is fantastic for infrared.

(samples:

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=212258388&size=o

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=202940858&size=o

)

In terms of the latter part of your post I remember reading that this was the plan for SFX and some other more specialized products and that they would do a single large run once a year or so based on perceived and/or direct demand, and then that'd be it for the year until the next year (perhaps). I wonder how this is different? I mean it's postured and worded to sound like some triumphant return but that could be all marketing fluff. I sincerely hope not as I love Ilford film and products in general and hope this is a sign of some foundational stability and turn-around but I do not hold out much strong optimism of that.

In the meantime I begin to learn to appreciate Neopan B&W films more and more just in case I can no longer get Delta 100 and FP4+ some day....
 
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