Kodak Infrared Film to be discontinued - May 07

[DrPablo]

Why hasn't Fuji ever filled this niche? Both for monochrome and false color IR film?

[Roger Hicks]

Why hasn't Fuji ever filled this niche? Both for monochrome and false color IR film?

Market too small?

Cheers,

R.

[AgX]

There once was a Soviet two-layer false-color film for aerial survey.

[AgX]

False color IR.
(Here in Germany `false color´ in relation with film is related to IR.)

[Brian Miller]

Why hasn't Fuji ever filled this niche?

There are already IR products on the market. There is Ilford SFX 200 and Maco/Rollei IR. Ilford only recently brought back their emulsion for a once-a-year film run, so the market is so minuscule that I can't imagine Fuji investing in the development. Also, for people to favor Fuji over Ilford or Maco would mean that the film would have to perform as well as Kodak's product. Kodak HIE is/was phenomenal for its sensitivity, so I imagine that reproducing it is not easy.

[DrPablo]

I ask just because Fuji is the only company other than Kodak with as comprehensive a product line. I guess EIR is a sort of novelty film, but Fuji is the only company that could put out an equivalent. As for an HIE equivalent, neither SFX nor the Rollei IR is anything close to HIE. I guess the Maco/Efke 820 is closer.

[htmlguru4242]

That's too bad, HIE was an interesting film. Kind of a pain to work with compared to Konica IR750 (which met its demise a few years back), but it was fast and sensitive to longer wavelengths.

If anyone hasn't tried HIE yet, grab a roll before it goes away and try it out; it's very different from anything else that's currently available.

[AgX]

I ask just because Fuji is the only company other than Kodak with as comprehensive a product line. I guess EIR is a sort of novelty film, but Fuji is the only company that could put out an equivalent. As for an HIE equivalent, neither SFX nor the Rollei IR is anything close to HIE. I guess the Maco/Efke 820 is closer.

I am not sure about the sensitations of all the BW IR film that were on the market 40 years or so back in time. From then on the HIE was (is) the most far reaching in sensitation.

Concerning the 2007 Maco IR 820 vs the Rollei IR. I know about the sensitation of the former only by an oral description of its values released by Maco. But any major differences seem rather to be down at log(sens) of -2.5 something.
So when comparing IR films by graphics it is always good to look not only at the wavelengths but at the the log values too.
Furthermore there are different types of graphics. The least you can learn from are those wedge spectras. The best is to keep within one manfacturer. But this makes comparing a bit dull…

Keep to photos. But then one would have to state lighting, type of vegetation (s. a post above).
Best would be several films on some (described) subject, same time.

[AgX]

Would someone be so nice and send me a pm telling me how I can edit those typing errors in my postings.

[colrehogan]

This is an interesting development. Thanks for posting it. I have used EIR and HIE quite a lot - and digital color IR just doesn't seem like the same 'false color' effect to me. I'll have to see about getting some more.