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Ferrania films


jc_braconi

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WELL DONE JC !!! For many Italians Ferrania is a brand that represents our most significant heritage in the photo industry (Rectaflex was a a naive dream, known only to historicians... Durst is "from the Deutsch side of Italy".... Manfrotto is still thriving, but many Italians even don'tknow how a value brand it is) : Ferrania films and their honest inexpensive cameras meant PHOTO for thousands and thousands of people now over their fifties... :o ; the closing of the former 3M factory was a sad event, and is appreciable that someone tries to make the plant and machinery still working (they made photo paper too, but machinery has gone away....for what I know)

 

Frankly, I don't know if they will succeed, but the feel, locally, is that is a serious and corageous tentative.

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I can understand the emotional side of this enterprise, particularly for Italian film and for cine film users. I can wholly understand the idea for those markets but for the rest of us, I am just not sure about it. I think there are possibly more film makers in the market at present than the quite limited market can support. There are significant shortages, in particular 127 B&W, for which only short dated Efke has been available for some time. However, there are still a reasonably wide range of 135 and 120 films for B&W, IR, colour negative and reversal available, so I am far from convinced there is room for yet another.

 

The only film I would really love to see re-introduced is Kodachrome, with E14 processing.

 

Wilson

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in particular 127 B&W,

Wilson

 

Which they have specifically said they are planning on producing :D

 

I agree, the big coating machine is not suitable IMHO for modern, flexible, smaller scale production. The alternative to start again with a new machine would be next to impossible to fund. To even think of making the base themselves is surely folly, but for sum requested I'm in for the ride, as I said elsewhere: I've spent more on dafter things.

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"we have recovered what is probably the only working machine on the planet that can package 127 film, and in fact, we are already in the process of making it operational."

Dispatches from the LRF-The L.R.F.

 

Are they, Maco, hoping to start using Ferrania's machine ?

 

That's not a "clever" question I can'tfind a quote from Maco how they can do it.

 

Edit: found a quote in German so apologies for the translation:The production takes place in Europe, with one of the world's leading companies for the B & W film production. Since our production contract contains a confidentiality clause, we ask for your understanding that we can not mention the name of the company.

 

We also have a master role RPX 100 can cut the roll film type 127 in 46mm, which is packaged and presented in the first half of 2014.

 

The deadline has gone, perhaps they should visit kickstarter and put in some $ .

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Chris,

 

From my last talk with Maco, the delay was getting the backing papers printed and cut. I suspect they are using the machinery brought from Croatia that used to be at Efke, who rolled the films under their own brand and Rollei.

 

Wilson

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Wilson, appreciated, Ferrania are not alone on the planet then :D

 

I know backing paper is an issue, Ilford have stated that is one of the sticking points for 220, the minimum order, and cost of, the backing paper would price the 220 out of proportion to 120.

I may have to buy a 127 now after threatening to buy a 16mm Bolex to support the cause.

 

Given the size of the big coating machine they will have to cut every possible format to make it worthwhile, unless someone decides a movie or six in B/W film is cool.

 

My other concern is this initial reliance on E6. I know they have the skill to produce it but scaling it up on the big machine is high risk they mate end up having to offer processing as well a la Kodachrome. Of course from my narrow western perspective I don't see the global market.

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