It's a nice film, with good tonality, and it can be developed in just about anything. As far as I'm aware, the emulsion was developed for traffic cameras, as was Ilford SFX (originally SP 815 and SP 816). This also explains the polyester base, which runs the risk of light piping unless it is loaded in subdued light; I forget which of SP 815 and SP 816 was on polyester, but as I recall, that was the only difference between the two.
The IR claims are exaggerated. Yes, it's sensitized into the near IR, just as SFX is, which is not very far; and with a visually opaque filter (T50 = 695nm) you're looking at EI 3 or so. 'Ortho to IR' is patently nonsense, as ortho means 'sensitized to green but not red'.
The speed claims are also nonsense, but then Maco is always cavalier about the distinction between ISO and EI. True ISO runs from maybe 100-160 in something like D25 to maybe 500 or 650 in DDX. Otherwise you are either overexposing (bigger grain, lower sharpness) or pushing (empty shadows, more contrast).
In other words, it's a typical Maco product: very good indeed, but coming nowhere near the more exaggerated claims that are made for it.
Cheers,
R.
