Sheet Film

OT: how do you change sheet film? I mean what changing bag/tent you use?
 
Adox is (or was last time I bought some) significantly cheaper, and a nicer emulsion than most Ilford films for my taste. The only issue is there are occasional flaws in the emulsion which can be anywhere in the frame, which is annoying (I bank on 1 in 25 having a flaw)
 
Those prices for quarter plate film, 20"x16" etc are quite expensive as their special production runs that Ilford do every year so that Ultra Large Format users and those using cameras taking obsolete/uncommon sheet film sizes can get hold of some film and with no minimum order value. The only standard LF sizes produced by Ilford are 5"x4" and 10"x8" and possibly 7"x5". At least Ilford do it, the minimum order price by Kodak for a custom size is something like $10,000. If you look at the standard sizes the price is much less.

As said Adox do produce their CHS100, 50 and 25 films in most of those sizes as well though.

EDIT: Looking around it does seem that Ilford also produce a limited range of other sizes for FP4+ and HP5+ as well as 5x4 and 10x8.
 
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Happy_medium said:
Am I right in thinking, that Ilford film prices are particularly expensive, compared to Adox? :eek:
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Adox and some other European brands like Efke are certainly cheaper than Ilford, plus there are Chinese brands such as Shanghai who also do sheet film and who are probably cheaper still. Ilford's prices have gone up quite a bit over the past 3 or 4 years, but their argument seems to be that there has to be a worthwhile return for them to produce a product and there is no point going bust by undercharging.

The Ilford annual ULF run is a classic example of this in that they will make a variety of sizes available once a year, even if there is only an order for one box, but they can't be expected to stock it regularly. You can see from the link that some of the prices are scarily expensive, but at least you still have that chance.

http://www.ag-photographic.co.uk/unusual--ultra-large-format-sheet-film-29-c.asp
 
Adox and some other European brands like Efke are certainly cheaper than Ilford, plus there are Chinese brands such as Shanghai who also do sheet film and who are probably cheaper still. Ilford's prices have gone up quite a bit over the past 3 or 4 years, but their argument seems to be that there has to be a worthwhile return for them to produce a product and there is no point going bust by undercharging.
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I don't quite understand that philosophy. Surely that would mean that they have an even smaller cut of the already small market! :eek:

How long can they last like this hmmm.

I think I'll stick to medium format. I like the flexibility and portability :)
 
Happy_medium said:
I don't quite understand that philosophy. Surely that would mean that they have an even smaller cut of the already small market! :eek:

How long can they last like this hmmm.

I think I'll stick to medium format. I like the flexibility and portability :)
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People will buy Ilford in preference to cheaper brands due to its quality and reliability (i.e no dud sheets in a pack), plus other less obvious factors such as reciprocity failure which can be quite horrendous on some cheaper emulsions. The situation is the same with medium format, only at least with sheet film you don't have the additional problem of the film curling. (y)
 
+1

Hmmm. I'm easily swayed!


What square sizes are available? I shoot on a TLR so I'd like to continue square, otherwise it's another learning curve having to learn rectangles all over again.

But it's expensive overall I guess? Camera? Lenses? Developing equipment and larger enlarger - size for everything?
 
If that's the price of half-plate, what is the price of whole-plate!

I guess you aren't bracketing exposures :)
 
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