Kentmere 100

Evening everyone,

 

My F2's and other film bodies have been calling my name lately so I ordered some Kentmere 100 film today. Just a half dozen rolls to see how I like it. Anything I should keep in mind or is it just simple film along the lines of Plus X, TMax and FP-4? What's a good developer for it?

 

Rick H.

Rick,

 

I've only shot one roll of it-in my case it came pre-loaded in an FM2n that I bought from a member here.

 

I just did straight HC110(B), but I suspect it would do just as well in D76. It's a pretty reasonably well behaved film that reminds me a lot of FP4+.

 

In fact, it's my understanding that Ilford makes Kentmere-if that's the case I wouldn't be terribly surprised to find that the emulsion starts life with a very similar formula to that of FP4+.

Interesting, I don't have any D-76 mixed up and as little film as I've been using this year I'd hate to do it now. I have an Ilford developer I've used on HP-5 so I may try the FP-4 listing for the Kentmere. Then I'm going to have to straighten up the darkroom so I can use. it. I find I'm really needing to get back to some of this as I've again gotten bored with digital. Maybe it's just too hot out.

 

Rick H.

Rick . . . Is your developer on this list?

 

Massive Dev Chart Film Development, Film Developing Database

I thought I heard that recent Kentmere was from a eastern European country, but I don't remember which one.

 

Does it say where it is made?

Reminds me, when I was young, my father had a story about a country named USA (no periods, so not U.S.A.) named so that they could say "Made in USA" on things. I never heard it from anyone else, though. This was at the time that there was film sold as "famous make" or "famous brand", which might have come from a film company named either "famous make" or "famous brand". The sold mail order with ads in the backs of magazines, so by the time it arrived, there wasn't much to do.

See:

 

https://kosmofoto.com/2017/08/all-the-35mm-films-you-can-still-buy-part-3-kentmere-to-rollei/

 

In the article, it says "

Kentmere 400 is another cheap film Ilford produces under the Kentmere brand."

 

So, I figure the film is made in the UK.

The repackaged films sometimes change over time, while not changing the name.

 

They should still say "Made in" some country, though. I am not so sure of the rules,

is the film is made in one country, and spooled in another, which goes on the box?

I use Kentmere RC Paper for test prints. The sticker on the box says manufactured by Harman Technology England. Seeing that it's the parent company for Ilford too I think you can use Ilford development charts for the film. I wish these companies weren't so tight-lipped all the time. I understand its business, but :(

I used a bulk roll of Kentmere 100 a couple of years ago and I liked the results I got processing in Kodak's HC110 dilution H for 8' at 68F. Agitated five inversions every 30".

 

I develop Kentmere 100 in Rodinal - 1 + 50 for 15 minutes at 20 degrees Celsius.

It might be Svema that someone told me made the current Kentmere films, but then there is some suggestion that Svema film is also made by Ilford.

 

Or maybe Ilford is running the Svema factory? It seems that the old Svema shut down some years ago,

 

I now have a roll of Astrum film, which seems to be produced in the factory that once was Svema.

I haven't tried using it yet.

 

Interesting, I notice that Ostrum also sells a color infrared film, but maybe not here.

Hmmm.....

 

Kentmere 100 35mm

Ed I have Ilfosol 3 so I'll start with that since I have it. It's worked well on HP-5 so I'll shoot a roll of the Kentmere and see what I get.

 

Rick H.

Interesting, but it doesn't say that it is made in the same factories, but does say

"same high quality processes".

 

If they said that it was exactly the same as other Ilford films, but cost much less, than

why would anyone buy the other films?

 

I have some 120 film that only says "Ilford" on the sticky tab at the end of the roll.

Not on the paper itself, or the sticky tab at the beginning.

Nearby store sells Kentmere 100 for $3.87, FP4 for $6.47 and Astrum 100 for $6.99

It doesn't concern me who makes it - Kentmere 100 is fine for the sort of photography I do.

It doesn't concern me who makes it - Kentmere 100 is fine for the sort of photography I do.

 

Oh, yes.

 

And if I didn't have so much recently, or not so recently, expired film I would probably buy some.

Hello everyone. The Kentmere 35mm films have been around since at least 2015. . that is the year a fire took my house, cameras, film & developers out. I found Kentmere films on line & re-stocked with their 100 & 400 materials (35mm). My "stash" of 510-Pyro also was vaporized, so Obsidian Aqua (OA) was brewed up.

I find the Kentmere films excellent in the OA, with full shadow detail & controlled highlites with my "normal" developing. 1.25ml or OA, 5g of Arm L& Hammer Washing Soda supply the carbonate & 16m on the clock. A Nikor 450ml tank is used for either size film, with spacers to keep each roll in the tank center. If (2) 35mm films are run, the quanity of OA & carbonate is doubled. A thinner spacer is used to keep the reels off the tank bottom.

Yes, they are made in England by Harmon Tech. Open the box and in the fine print is the data for any of the Ilford labeled developers.

Current pricing on Ebay is between $6-8 for

(site is having a snit today...just chop's me off). between $6-8 for the 36 exposure rolls. The 400 material is excellent for all about shooting (scenic get a bit grainy!), and the 100 material holds it's own with some of the T grain films.

Shortly after posting (2015) my first Kentmere works, Larry Dressler (where are you ?) informed me that Ultrafine Xtreme films were rebadged Kentmere products. Always the experimenter, I ordered a mix of the Ultrafine Xtreme (UFX) films. All work showed that Larry's info was correct. A really cool finding was that UFX emulsions were available for my 120 cameras. These days I use mostly the UFX products for reasons of cost, since I "usually" order in sets of 40, each emulsion & format. Current Ebay pricing shows the Kentmere films between $6-8, while the UFX 35mm films are right at $4.80 each (pack of 10) delivered in the US.

I have also experimented with different pyro staining developers since 2015 and now use the "original" OA formula, plus the Pyrocat series of HD, HDC & MC formulas. I DIY and mix all formulas in the Glycol for long term keeping. 100ml per mix is very easy to do, one does not need a liter sitting about.

Last, a sample of the UFX 400 material in 120 format. Development is right on with the 35mm materials. Currently I only use a T grain film in my 6x9 folders. This film gets 510-Pyro development (still have about 60ml left), since some monster prints have emerged from this format. Enjoy, Bill

System did it again!

Kentmere films are older than 2015, but they might have been different films with the same name.

 

I had two rolls (100 and 400) in 2011, because I was already ordering something and could easily add them on.

 

Not that Kodak and others don't reuse the same name for a different film way too often.

We’ll see how it works this weekend, half a dozen rolls arrived his week. Then I’ll be printing in the darkroom. Can’t wait. My RB is calling my name too.

 

Rick H.