XP2! Who'd be interested??!

[craigmagee]

I was thinking the other day, it'd be great if Ilford did XP2 in 4x5. So was wondering how many people would also be interested before I send them an email to see what needs to be done to convince them to do a run.

I used to use it a lot in my 35mm days and think it would be amazing in 4x5. Also it means I only have to give the lab one box of film to lose... I mean process

[David Rees]

I use it as my only B&W film in 35mm and 120; I'd definitely be interested in it becoming available in 5x4.

[acs]

It'll be interesting to see the replies but it does seem an odd choice to go after, unless you think Ilford would be more open to doing something.

[IanG]

I used a lot of XP1 then XP2 for shooting Rock concerts it pushes to 1600/3200 EI extremely well with finer grain than conventional films. However I never liked it for conventional work, its tonality is bland, at lest it's better than Agfs's old offering Variopan.

It was once available in 5x4 but it was dropped due to very low sales somewhere around 10+ years ago. As C41 LF processing has dropped to an extremely low level compared to when it was available, and both Kodak & Fiji are rationalising their C41 & E6 film ranges there's no chance it'll ever be reintroduced.

Ian

[craigmagee]

Well I actually preferred Fujis 400cn but as there is no way Fuji are going to entertain making any in 4x5 I thought Ilford might do one run like the ULF stuff!

I think LF C41 processing is actually going to pick up, if it isnt already. All the new LF color stuff I see around the net is shot on neg rather than pos it seems, so with students becoming fans of film I recon it could be on for a resurgance..

[IanG]

Fuji can't sell it if Ilford don't make it

Ian

[craigmagee]

I knew someone would point that out

It is different though, honest :p

If anyone's interested there is someone on the bay selling some Kodak t400cn in 4x5.
10 years out of date but sure it'll still be fine to use.
I never liked that film though, and found the portra version worse!

[IanG]

Ilford have made a few Fuji products over the years, inc the high speed B&W film and probably the B&W papers. However they have always been made to Fuji specifications and aren't just re-badged products.

This was why the Fuji B&W films weren't officially imported into the UK for many years, it was only because of companies importing from elsewhere that Fuji began selling them here themselves.

The Kodak 400CN is a fairly useless emulsion as it's designed for printing onto the long gone Kodak RA-4 process B&W papers via a colour head, or colour paper balanced to give a near B&W as possible. It's very poor for use with normal B&W papers.

It might surprise a few if I tell you I saw fresh Ilford Dia Positive film 35mm 36ex 100 EI last month in the Turkish Ilford importers shop, an E6 colour film which had made in Italy on the side of the box

Ian

[mark e mark]

Would they do this as a one off each year like their ULF sheet production? Yes I would be interested.

[IanG]

No chance, LF users wouldn't use it, getting it processed is expensive and in many areas it's hard to even get 120 processed let alone LF. Outside the UK I can't use 120 C41 or E6 as processing is almost non existent.

Ian

[craigmagee]

Someone want to close this thread as it's pretty redundant it seems!

Just to say though I use a great lab in Liverpool called MPS that charges me less than £2 a sheet for anything! 120 is about £3.30 a roll! So its not a problem for me to use XP2!!!!