The History of Ilford: 1987 | This Old Camera Episode 26

[@davidcollins1853]

I worked in the darkroom for my college newspaper in the 80's. I encouraged them to buy Freestyle brand B&W film. I'm sure it was Ilford. Loved the grain and contrast. Developed in both D-76, and Microfine. Great video.

[@SinaFarhat]

Nice! Its very interesting to get an idea of the past and seeing what things used to cost. Have a good week!

[@AzrielKnight]

Thank you Sina

[@TobyGobi]

When I started photography in the 1960’s, it was Kodak only. When I restarted in 2012 after a 25+ year absence, I researched film, paper, and chemicals and it’s been all Ilford!

[@AzrielKnight]

I really do respect Ilford despite shooting Fujifilm and developing with Kodak developer.

[@rodzalez3549]

What made you stop photography?

[@TobyGobi]

@@rodzalez3549 worked 10 hours a day, 6-7 days a week and raised a family.

[@PaulSafford]

Love these history lessons. Your reserved excitement for the technology of photography is both inspiring and calming. If you had one hour session I’d gladly listen on the couch as a therapy.😂

[@AzrielKnight]

lol, thanks. Not sure you'd say that if you saw the outtakes ;)

[@liveinaweorg]

Agreed! Spent the weekend talking with two of their fabulous staff, one who has been at Ilford (Harman) for over 30 years. Fascinating insights. Enjoyed this A.

[@AzrielKnight]

Oh very cool! And thanks :)

[@cameraman655]

Oh, wow…Freestyle…😊On of my main sources for Fujichrome and Ilford back in the 80s and 90s, glad to hear that they are still around. If I start shooting film again, I know where I am going first.

[@shred3005]

It’s a few years after then that I bought my Meopta Opemus 6 enlarger and started processing and printing my own B&W and of course the film , paper and chemicals I used were all Ilford. Ilford produced a lot of booklets for their different products and processes making is easy for a novice to get good information to make the most of their products and avoid mistakes. They made it an easy, reliable way to get into B&W

[@cdl0]

This is a really well produced, well researched video. It is outstanding work.

[@AzrielKnight]

Thank you :)

[@aag24]

I think because Ilford was a U.K. company, it had an even bigger presence in the U.K. Or maybe Kodak didn’t have as big a presence here in the U.K. I seem to remember Fujifilm and Konica for colour films were bigger than in the USA. There was also the original Kemtmere (pre Ilford takeover) which was made by hand by a man in a small factory in rural Somerset (or wherever!). [also we had access to Russian and East European cameras etc. It was definitely different over the Atlantic here! I guess we were poorer than the US!)

[@gelderlandproduction]

I absolutely love these history lessons. Thanks for the efforts. 🙂

[@AzrielKnight]

You're very welcome :)

[@AlexOnStreets]

You're the best at this. Keep it up please!

[@AzrielKnight]

Thanks Alex, I'm on vacation for now but if you join my newsletter you'll be notified of new videos, azriel-knight.mailchimpsites.com/

[@Richard-mz7qu]

Outstanding! Great content and information. Ilford is the only film I have used in 30 years. My Nikon FE and Nikon 50mm f/1.4 have been together since the late 80s, same with the Nikon F3HP. Enough about me. You have a great channel, thank you for all the effort you put into your videos.

[@AzrielKnight]

Thanks! I miss my Nikon FE :)

[@mnoliberal7335]

There will always be an Ilford.

[@theblackandwhitefilmproject]

Great research as usual! I only use HP5+ and I am very aware that if something happened to Ilford that would the end of my film photography.They are the most important link. Cheers!

[@b6983832]

It is just my personal preference, but I have always liked FP4+ more than HP5+. Of course, both films are great.

[@theblackandwhitefilmproject]

@@b6983832 Yes both are great films. I use HP5+ because I mainly do landscapes often in marginal light or mist/light rain and my cameras are not waterproof. I have one loaded at 400 ISO and the other at 800 ISO & use the 800 when light is more marginal. I am often not able to change lenses or film because of the moisture so this works better for me. FP4 is better for brighter conditions and really can't be pushed more than 400 ISO. I also like the rawness of the images I get rather than super sharp which IMO is too close to digital. Cheers and regards.

[@RuinMusic]

where did you get the magazine scans? would really like to look through darkroom and creative camera technique issues

[@CalumetVideo]

I try and buy Kodak Tri-X and Ilford films and paper. However, I want to support the film that will be around for the long haul. I think supporting Ilford is probably the best company to buy from if we want to see film thrive into the decades to come. I know that Kodak has ramped up their manufacturing, but they make me wonder if they will be in this for the long haul, especially when they said that they would make film until at least 2028.

[@AzrielKnight]

Interesting take. I think that if Kodak went belly up I still wouldn't switch back to HP5....maybe Delta?

[@rpdee7344]

10/20/23 I am a big fan of Ilford products and film, paper. Ilford for me goes back further with 120 and 135mm film to the early 70s, I prefered the snappy prints and sharpness of the negatives & prints compared to Kodak products. In my home darkroom the 8x10 photo print RC multi-contrast coated papers were compatible in pricing to any Kodak products. Long live Ilford products.

[@thomasfeimer1706]

Ilford and Kodak were really (excuse the bad pun) black and white in these days. Ilford was a niche company specializing in black and white film, paper, and chemistry products aimed at pros and serious amateurs. Kodak was all things to all types photographers. Fuji wasn't quite there (they were never much about darkroom products, at least in the U.S.), but it was sure getting close. Agfa, Konica, and everyone else were kind of hanging on in between. The "big news" in black and white was still the Kodak Tmax films, introduced a year before. I call it "big news" because their release got the major photo mags to actually talk about black and white - something it seems like they hardly ever did in this era.

[@yanthemonser]

while other companies are fighting with each other to make better color film, Ilford perfecting the black and white

[@jean-claudemuller3199]

In 1975 Ilford UK and Lumière F joined to the big Ilford company of the 80's soon owned by the Swiss Chemicals company CIBA inventor of the Cibachrome color process. in the 80's films were made in UK, B&W papers in Lyon France and Cibachrome papers in Marly Switzerland This company got bankrupted in 2013 Former B&W photography activity has then been acquired by Harman

[@chrismccartney8668]

Do you remember the Technicolor Colour Print Advwertising Technicolour is a Tate and Lyle Offer of FREE FILM For Our purchasers of Tate and Lyle Sugar via a voucher of packsof Tate and Lyle Sugar . My cousin got all my auntie collecting vouchers meaning the post man asked why he had sacks of films