Ilford Photo

Formed from humble beginnings in 1879, when Alfred Hugh Harman began making Gelatine dry plates in the basement of his house in Ilford, United Kingdom, the Ilford name has remained one of the oldest and most established in the photographic industry.Ilford Photo has since then been a pioneer within the analog photography world, and has rightly deserved its prominent position on the market. 

Ilford Photo is probably one of the most classical brands when it comes to analog photographical products. Ilford photo’s black and white films are loved worldwide by its customers.

Today their range of products includes all you need for analog photography. Everything from the classical film Pan F, single use cameras, pop up darkrooms, analog paper for enlargements and chemicals to develop your film and paper.We can guarantee you that you will find products that are suitable for you and your purpose.

Analog photography refers to photography using an analog camera and film. A roll of film is loaded into the camera and that is when the magic slowly starts to happen as soon as you start clicking.  When the light interacts with the chemicals in the film and an image is being created. 

Analog photography also known as film photography is a collative-name for photography that uses chemical processes to capture an image. Usually on paper or film. These methods were used in centuries before the world invented digital photography.

Film from Ilford Photo – a comprehensive range of black & white films.

Most Ilford films fall into two distinct ranges: PLUS films (FP4 PLUS, HP5 PLUS and PAN F PLUS) and delta professional films (DELTA 100, DELTA 400 and DELTA 3200). 

Delta professional films use the latest film emulsion technology which gives them the advantage of a lower grain to speed ratio. This means that you get less grain at the equivalent speed when compared to PLUS films presenting a marginally cleaner, sharper look. 

However, PLUS films, which use an established emulsion technology, have more exposure latitude than DELTA films. This makes them better for push and pull processing. They are also less sensitive to over processing making them ideal for people getting started in film photography. 

There is no right or wrong choice when choosing between delta professional and PLUS films. Both are professional quality ranges with the fundamental differences down to the available speeds, exposure latitude and the look of the grain structure. 

Under the film range plus we have Pan F Plus, FP4 Plus and the classic HP5 Plus. For the Delta series we have Delta 100 Professional and Delta 3200 Professional. Under the specialist XP2 Super 400, which can be processed with C41, SFX 200 and Ortho Copy Plus. Finally we have the Kentmere series which consists of Kentmere 100 and 400. 

A wide range of photographic paper 

Ilford Photo offers an extensive range of black & white photographic paper. Papers all have different characteristics and purposes. This guide will walk you through the terminology and choices available to help you pick the perfect paper for darkroom printing. 

Paper base 

The majority of Ilford papers cover two different base types. Resin Coated (RC) and Fibre Base (FB). RC paper is sealed between layers of polyethylene with the emulsion and a ‘super-coating’ on top. This makes them typically more robust and therefore quicker and easier to handle during the printing process. FB paper has a layer of baryta (barium sulphate) applied to the paper base which is then coated with emulsion. These papers have a hand-crafted look and feel and a heavier weight which can result in prints of superb quality with deep blacks that make prints look richer and add depth. 

Paper grade 
Ilford Multigrade papers are variable contrast papers designed to be used in conjunction with Multigrade filters or an enlarger with a colour head. This allows the full range of contrast (00 soft through to 5 hard) to be attained from negatives. If Ilford Multigrade variable contrast paper is used without any filters it equates to approximately grades 2-3. Fixed grade papers are designed for use without filters and therefore avoid the added cost of buying filter kits. Graded papers were traditionally very popular but have largely been replaced by variable contrast papers. As such the ILFORD range only includes grades 2 and 3. 

Paper rolls 
Photographic paper rolls are manufactured with the emulsion side winding facing IN or OUT. In general, widths of 50.8cm or less have the emulsion facing out (EO) while wider rolls typically have the emulsion facing in (EI). 

Paper surface 

The surface of the paper will help determine the final look and feel of the print. 

Glossy: a smooth surface that can boost contrast and make blacks pop and whites shine bright. 
Pearl: a subtle pearlescent finish that helps images look sharp and clear with added depth. 
Satin: a smooth finish without the shine of gloss or pearl but all the contrast. 
Lustre: smooth, subtle sheen that doesn’t detract from the image. 
Matt: a smooth, clean and natural looking surface without the shine of gloss. Perfect for lighting conditions when reflections may impact the viewing experience. 
Semi-matt: a smooth and natural looking finish with similar qualities and attributes to most matte surfaces.

 

Image tone 

Many Ilford papers have a choice of tone covering cool, neutral and warm tones. Images can also be toned using chemistry as part of the printing process with FB papers being particularly suited to this. 

The paper assortment is divided in three ranges 

Multigrade RC 

Multigrade IV RC Deluxe
Multigrade RC Warmtone

Multigrade FB 

Multigrade FB Cooltone
Multigrade FB Warmtone 
Multigrade Art 300 
Harman Direct Positive 

LAB Papers 

Galerie Digital Silver RC
Multigrade RC Express