Making B&W film.

[lee_crump]

I have recently begun enjoying chemical photography. However it

worries me that the chemical photography market place is slowly

drying up like a watering hole on a hot African savanna. I frequently

see posts about someone thawing a multi-decade old roll of film that

will never be made again and capturing some mind numbingly great

images. Is my perception correct that we are looking at shrinking

selection of films as time goes on? (apply slap to back of my head

now if appropriate)

 

I have seen several sources of mix it yourself photography chemicals.

(digitaltruth.com etc)These sources will long ensure that we will

have access to our favorite processing chemistry. However, I have

never seen any discussion of the feasability of do it your self film.

(CAUTION: do not damage your keyboard during this current uproarious

fit of laughter!)

 

But seriously; Is it feasable to make your own film?

[andre_noble4]

Making the film is easy. You still have to source out the cutting of the sprocket holes to children in China - it's quite tedious.

[randall ellis]

There are a lot of Cassandras out there predicting the downfall of film, but I would not worry about it overly. Digital technology has changed the customer base and film producers are adjusting to the new levels of demand. There are no valid indications that film will completely dissapear in the forseable future so I would not worry about it that much - there is actualy a nice selection of film out there right now and quite a large number of people are just now trying out wet darkroom processes for the first time.

 

Let the doomsayers in the sandwich boards wander around and feel empowered by their apparent Oracle-like ability to predict the future as they see it and worry about making your own film if it actualy comes to that. In the meantime, look up the various historical processes that led up to the development (ouch!) of film and you will see that making your own emulsions is quite straight forward.

 

- Randy

[conrad_hoffman]

Film, in one form or another, will be available for a good long time. I wouldn't worry too much. OTOH, the advanced amateur can certainly make film and plates. I believe Ron Mowery is giving a class on it for Photographers Formulary this summer.

[discpad]

Lee, if you have a large format camera, you can easily coat your own glass or metal plates for it.

 

In any case, you'll be pleased to know that digital motion picture distribution isn't working all too well; so, since there will be film distribution to your local cinema, film of some sort will still be made.

 

Also, as stated above, China, Eastern Europe, and (probably India) have film manufacturing plants, where environmental regs and labor are less expensive.

[rowland_mowrey]

Lee;

 

I just posted an update regarding my Workshop on Emulsion Making and Coating.

 

It is in the Alternative Photography forum.

 

Ron Mowrey

[marc_leest1]

It happens that Ilford can't follow the orders at the moment. They are producing at 100% capacity -probably because Agfa papers + film and Kodak B+W papers are out of production. If you know that Kentmere is constructing a brand new production line for their papers and that Rollei is marketing film under thier own name, I wouldn't worry.

[rowland_mowrey]

Marc;

 

You are only partially right. Ilford and Kentmere are currently producing to fill an empty pipeline vacated by Kodak and Agfa, and also to supply panic buying by a lot of nervous customers.

 

However, the fact remains that sales of B&W materials and reversal color materials are going down at a very high rate. Therefore when supply = demand, at some near future time, Kentmere and Ilford will start to see a pinch again.

 

It is at that time that we will see the true nature of the market. And, you must understand that although Ilford is coating a lot of material, they are reducing research staff. That latter fact should tell you something about their long term expectations in the B&W market.

 

Ron Mowrey

[bob soltis]

In the last issue of Leica World, the managing director of Bon Image GmbH said Ilford's R &

D department was planning new black and white materials that might be availabe for

Photokina 2006.

 

Things may not be as bleak as they seem

[rowland_mowrey]

Well, three things strike me. Either the products were already developed and ready for release before the layoffs took place, or the person reporting this doesn't know everything going on at Ilford.

 

Or maybe my information is wrong.

 

Ron Mowrey

[terence_spross1]

I haven't checked out the Alternative Process forum yet but it seems to me that it makes sense to start with emultions striped film if you are not talking plates. Useless ends of 35mm motion picture film can have the emultion striped off providing a substrate to coat onto.

[andre_noble4]

We just have to make sure that Ron Mowrey is eating his brussel sprouts, drinking a glass of red wine a day, and getting plenty of rest.

 

He's got enough technical knowledge to start up color film production from scratch once Kodak and Fuji finaly call it quits.

[pics]

B+W film isn't going away in the immeadiate future, but further down the road I suspect it could get to the point where all you can purchase is some lousy 400 speed stuff made in East Jibib with pinholes or defects every other roll. Enjoy what is available now because when it is all said and done, we may very well be living in the glory days of B+W film photography. There are still large varieties if emulsions to choose from and they are the best ever made, but just because that's the case right now doesn't mean it will be so in the future. In the years to come, I would expect to see more products being dropped as well as more companies leaving the B+W industry all together.

[larrydressler]

Don't Worry Be Happy.

 

Shoot Foma, Forte and Lucky films.

 

Larry

[brenda_carpenter2]

As somebody who has been around a while, I don't worry too much about film not being available in the future. Back in the '70's acrylic paints were supposed to put artist's oil paints out of business. It didn't happen. When socks and sweaters began to be mass produced cheaply, I'm sure sales of knitting needles went down for a while, but now yarn and knitting needles make up a stong industry. Film will survive because it is an artistic medium and so many of us are willing to keep buying it.

[theamazingtr3v]

finding pre-punched non-coated 35mm rolls might be difficult.. butmaking your own large

format film, or plates anyway is very feasible, and many amateurs as well as professionals do

this today. not to mention historical photographer/chemists like ansel, who coated his own

plates claiming that nothing in mass production was worthy. he printed on oriental/seagull

paper,however, I believe. So not only is it feasible, but when you get good at it, its the way to

go.