Nice article on state of film 2017

[Larry Cloetta]

I could not find that anyone had already linked to this article; apologies if it has been done.
The article is not just the writer's personal musings, or a collection of press releases, but the author interviewed people from several current mfg. of film and got some relatively unguarded responses.
In addition to the welcome, upbeat, tone there are some details here about the nuts and bolts of trying to compete in the current climate that I have not seen elsewhere.
Hoping someone else here might enjoy the read.

https://www.zorkiphoto.co.uk/2017/02/2017-the-year-that-film-returned/

 

[jbrubaker]

This is a well researched article. Thanks for posting the link. --- john.

 

[Finglas]

Very nice and really good in fact I have just read this - twice.

All the positive news is great, but I can't see Fujifilm re-releaseing
Reala or Sensia in 135 format, now that would really be something.
They're not interested.

The dearth of good 100asa in colour is a real loss to me.
Still, it is great that smaller companies are trying & I will try their film too.

 

[HHPhoto]

Very nice and really good in fact I have just read this - twice.

All the positive news is great, but I can't see Fujifilm re-releaseing
Reala or Sensia in 135 format, now that would really be something.
They're not interested.

I would not be surprised if Fujifilm will bring back certain films in the coming years.
As stronger the film revival will be, the greater the chance will be.
Fujifilm is a very very big company compared to Kodak, Ilford, Foma, Film Ferrnia etc.
They are like a huge oil tanker. Decisions and new strategic plans do need much more time in such a company.
I expect Fujifilm to re-introduce films in 3-5 years.

Cheers, Jan

 

[Finglas]

Jan,
I hope you are right.
The only reason for my pessimistic view - it from articles I read way back that showed they had a couple of very old men who had the skill set needed in those lines of film and no one else was being assigned to this line of film work.

Fujifilm could well bring in new lines of film - down the road, maybe not Reala.

 

[HHPhoto]

Hi,

in the past I often was dissappointed by the articles of Stephen Dowling (zorkiphoto).
Lots of wrong information and too much Lomo biased.
But this article is indeed a better one.

Nevertheless there are some mistakes in it:

- neither Agfa nor AgfaPhoto is producing reversal film anymore; Fujifilm is the only color reversal film manufacturer (AgfaPhoto CT Precisa is made by Fujifilm)

- the global film market is not only 1% of its record in 1999/2000 as said in the article, it is in the 2-3% range

- JCH Street Pan:
"it’s a traffic surveillance film made by Agfa in Belgium, but it was never available in rolls of 35mm before. Hunt funded the testing process, and then took the gamble of making the first batch of film with his money...."
That is wrong. That film, Agfa Aviphot Pan 400 / ASP 400S, was available in former times re-labeled by Maco / Rollei-Film and Compard for photographers. Nothing is new with this stuff. No tests needed. And Agfa stopped production of this film already nine years ago.
JCH Street Pan is only old film under a new name. At insane prices.

Cheers, Jan

 

[brbo]

Very nice and really good in fact I have just read this - twice.

All the positive news is great, but I can't see Fujifilm re-releaseing
Reala or Sensia in 135 format, now that would really be something.
They're not interested.

The dearth of good 100asa in colour is a real loss to me.
Still, it is great that smaller companies are trying & I will try their film too.

Portra 160 and Ektar 100 are great! Velvia 100 and Provia 100 as far from bad, too. I miss ISO 400 slide film and FP-100C.

 

[David Hughes]

Hi,

Considering what we all feared/thought when digital took off, I reckon we've a good range of film available even though it doesn't include our old favourites. OTOH, a lot of the poorer ones have gone too.

But I do miss that Agfa reversal B&W film.

Regards, David

 

[Skiff]

Hi,

Considering what we all feared/thought when digital took off, I reckon we've a good range of film available even though it doesn't include our old favourites. OTOH, a lot of the poorer ones have gone too.

Fortunately most of our "old favourites" are in production today.
And some of the discontinued favourites will be introduced again in the next years, from several manufacturers.
Ektachrome will just be the beginning!

But I do miss that Agfa reversal B&W film.

Why? There is an excellent successor: Adox Scala 160 BW.
It is based on the Agfa Scala 200X.
The Adox is excellent, so similar to the former Agfa that you will have problems to see the differences in a direct comparison.
Just try it, you will be very satiesfied!

The situation on the film market is improving, step-by-step.
Let's support our manufacturers by increasing our film demand!
Then the film revival will be the next big story of the coming years.
It is in our hands.

 

[David Hughes]

Thanks, didn't know about the Adox and will have to look into it.

Regards, David

 

[brbo]

There is also Fomapan 100 R and you can buy a kit to develop it at home.

 

[David Hughes]

Thanks, another for the list and looking nice but then I always did like B&W slides.

It also reminds me that looking at photo's on a monitor is just like a slide on a screen but not so big. Note how I fear I'm talking myself into digital...

Throw in Ilford's version* and that's 3 B&W slide films compared with the one years ago, but in those days we could buy a B&W reversal kit and it worked on most B&W films as they were all silver based with clear film.

Regards, David

* There's a PDF about it here:-

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/20114271220441194.pdf

 

[Skiff]

Thanks, another for the list and looking nice but then I always did like B&W slides.

There is also the BW reversal kit produced by German chemist and lab owner Klaus Wehner. Gives excellent quality with the Adox Scala 160 BW, Adox Silvermax, Adox CHS 100 II and Fomapan R.
It can be ordered directly here:
http://schwarz-weiss-dia.de/

It also reminds me that looking at photo's on a monitor is just like a slide on a screen but not so big. Note how I fear I'm talking myself into digital...

I have to disagree!
A slide on a lighttable, especially with an excellent slide loupe like the Schneider or Rodenstock loupes, is a league of its own.
It delivers much much better quality than any picture on a computer monitor.
With the slide you have
- the full resolution
- much better sharpness
- kind of 3d-look
- much better tonality (BW)
- real half tone reproduction
- higher contrast range
- much better brillance
- original colours.

A computer monitor is a very quality-limiting tool:
- the resolution of the original file is destroyed, with the most used 2k/4k monitors it is only 2MP / 8MP
- no real half tones because of the discrete LCD structure (which also leads to limited colour reproduction).

 

[borge]

Film is doing well... The same can't be said for the scanner industry.
Clumsy crappy scanners that requires tons of post-processing and fiddling, or, absurdly expensive scanners that gives good results (Plustek Opticfilm 120).

I want a modern Kodak Pakon F135+ at a decent price. That would seal the deal.
I love film, but the only thing that prevents me from using film full time is the scanning process, which I absolutely hate. The software is crappy, the scanners are generally unreliable and crappy, and it takes a ton of time for trial and error.

And the local labs are simply way too expensive.

 

[HHPhoto]

I want a modern Kodak Pakon F135+ at a decent price. That would seal the deal.
I love film, but the only thing that prevents me from using film full time is the scanning process, which I absolutely hate. The software is crappy, the scanners are generally unreliable and crappy, and it takes a ton of time for trial and error.

The wonderful thing with film is: You don't need scans.
It works perfectly without scans. Film delivered outstanding quality for about 100 years without any scans 🙂.

Just shoot reversal film (color and / or BW) and enjoy the results with a slide loupe on the light table or in projection.
That gives you much better quality at much lower costs compared to scans (scanning is always a quality reducing process).
Shoot, develop, enjoy. Simple and easy.

Or make prints in the darkroom (or let your lab make prints for you). Also much better quality than scans.
And doing it by themselve is also a lot of fun.

And the local labs are simply way too expensive.

Using an excellent mail order lab instead? In most countries there are mail order labs which offer excellent quality at reasonable prices.

Cheers, Jan

 

[roscoetuff]

borge: I'm gearing up to shoot my negatives with my Sony A7II... 'cause I don't see much encouragement on scanning and the word is that using a digital camera is much better, the files are smaller, and it "just works". Will let you know.

 

[Pioneer]

A Terrific Film

A Terrific Film

Hi,

in the past I often was dissappointed by the articles of Stephen Dowling (zorkiphoto).
Lots of wrong information and too much Lomo biased.
But this article is indeed a better one.

Nevertheless there are some mistakes in it:

- neither Agfa nor AgfaPhoto is producing reversal film anymore; Fujifilm is the only color reversal film manufacturer (AgfaPhoto CT Precisa is made by Fujifilm)

- the global film market is not only 1% of its record in 1999/2000 as said in the article, it is in the 2-3% range

- JCH Street Pan:
"it’s a traffic surveillance film made by Agfa in Belgium, but it was never available in rolls of 35mm before. Hunt funded the testing process, and then took the gamble of making the first batch of film with his money...."
That is wrong. That film, Agfa Aviphot Pan 400 / ASP 400S, was available in former times re-labeled by Maco / Rollei-Film and Compard for photographers. Nothing is new with this stuff. No tests needed. And Agfa stopped production of this film already nine years ago.
JCH Street Pan is only old film under a new name. At insane prices.

Cheers, Jan

I found the article to be a very good read. It is encouraging to see that film is being rediscovered by young people.

As for the slide film referenced in the article I assumed they were discussing the film being sold as Rollei Digibase CR200. I hope it isn't discontinued since I use a bit of it every now and again.

Sorry to disagree with your final remarks Jan but you really need to adjust your skirt. Your bias is showing again. 😀

JCH Street Pan 400 is a terrific film and I am really enjoying it in 35mm. I really don't care where it came from it has turned out to be a pretty good film regardless of its beginning. Though I have settled in on about 3 different developers, I am still playing with agitation routines and times.

However, it is really nice to know that the response from consumers was encouraging enough to justify a 2nd batch. I am coming due for another order in April or May, which appears to be perfect timing. This film when developed in Beutler 1:1:8 gives wonderful results, and it doesn't look bad in D23 either.

I will also be placing a pre-order for the upcoming 120 film as well.

Great news in the film world!

 

[David Hughes]

There is also the BW reversal kit produced by German chemist and lab owner Klaus Wehner. Gives excellent quality with the Adox Scala 160 BW, Adox Silvermax, Adox CHS 100 II and Fomapan R.
It can be ordered directly here:
http://schwarz-weiss-dia.de/



I have to disagree!
A slide on a lighttable, especially with an excellent slide loupe like the Schneider or Rodenstock loupes, is a league of its own.
It delivers much much better quality than any picture on a computer monitor.
With the slide you have
- the full resolution
- much better sharpness
- kind of 3d-look
- much better tonality (BW)
- real half tone reproduction
- higher contrast range
- much better brillance
- original colours.

A computer monitor is a very quality-limiting tool:
- the resolution of the original file is destroyed, with the most used 2k/4k monitors it is only 2MP / 8MP
- no real half tones because of the discrete LCD structure (which also leads to limited colour reproduction).

Hi,

Thanks for the link but I have to disagree about viewing because, as I see it, photographs are for sharing and few people notice much about them apart from the subject. Also you have to have very young eyes when using loupes, and a lot of other optical devices...

Regards, David

 

[DanskDynamit]

thanks for sharing, good read but I still can't understand why Japan Camera Hunter's film is on that list.
Lomography kept film alive, lets be honest.

 

[HHPhoto]

As for the slide film referenced in the article I assumed they were discussing the film being sold as Rollei Digibase CR200. I hope it isn't discontinued since I use a bit of it every now and again.

It is discontinued.
This film was produced in huge quantities in 2005 in the former Agfa plant in Leverkusen, Germany. And then all jumbo rolls were cold stored in the Agfa warehouse in Mortsel, Belgium.
This stock is now depleted. And Agfa in Belgium will not make this film again.

Sorry to disagree with your final remarks Jan but you really need to adjust your skirt. Your bias is showing again. 😀

I am not biased at all. In contrast to Bellamy Hunt and you lots of European photographers, including me, have used this film years ago when it was available in the market under different brand names.
And I have tested JCH Street Pan in the last months, too.
So I am talking from lots of experience.

Cheers, Jan