Hello Helge,
that is the easiest thing to recognize: Each 120 manufacturer has his own, very specific/individual 120 confectioning/converting. Spools, backing paper, lettering, end seals, additional features (especially Fujifilms superior easy loading system, easy end seal and unique barcode system) are all very different.
Therefore you can easily see whether a 120 film is converted by Kodak, Ilford, Fujifilm, Foma, ADOX or Shanghai.
ADOX is working on generally bringing 120 format back, and then in improved quality. I've talked to their engineers at my last factory visit there.
When they will have finished their work (which will still take some time), also HR-50 and SCALA 50 will be available in 120.
1) The Wikipedia list has some mistakes: Aviphot Pan 400 is long gone. Last coating run was in 2008. In 2013 the last film of it left Agfa and Agfa listed it on their homepage as discontinued. And some time later also this discontinuation notice vanished.
2) Yes ISO 200/24° is too optimistic if you want real shadow detail and refer to the ISO norm. Agfa's aerial films are measured at Zone III instead of Zone I for light sensitivity/speed. So if you want sufficient shadow detail, you have to give them about two stops more light.
Best regards,
Henning
Thank you Henning. Always a pleasure when you drop by the forum.
Regarding Rollei Infrared 400 (supposedly done by Ilford), I ran a roll through my Ikonta yesterday and surprisingly it doesn't appear very fast. Not as fast as Rollei Retro 400s at all. Only a three or four frames came out usable because I had been liberal with exposure and used bulb fill.
It's not impossible that I did something wrong in development, but I doubt it. Most of the negative are mostly thing with a hint of flat. Hinting at underexposure and perhaps the Massiv Dev recipe is wrong or out of date, giving it too little time.
I saw this curve in another thread on here:
https://www.photrio.com/forum/threa...heliopan-filter-for-rollei-ir-400-iso.118567/
The guy posting it questions it's validity, but still it seems there is something to it.
Apparently it originates from Digital Truth. But I can't seem to find it in their collection of articles on IR film, which are now of varying quality anyway:
https://www.digitaltruth.com/articles.php
The curve of IR 400 and R400s seems to mirror each other closely in the chart, only with significantly slower speed.
It's not just my sentiment and the above image, but also something that pops up again in other threads and articles on the film, when you do a search. IE. people being surprised at the slowness of the film.
Strange to have a film that is supposedly markedly slower at IR than the others in the roster, and then call it Infrared specifically.
Is Infrared 400 really Retro 400s, or something else?
It does in fact seem slower than even Retro 80s or HR-50.
I'd probably consider rating it EV 6 - 10 if I shoot it again.
Tremendously good news that HR-50 is going to be available in 120!
Best IR film on the market and, best QC and packing.
And about the confectioning characteristic of each manufacturer, I've been looking for those too... And I find it's not so clear.
Infrared 400 for instance, doesn't at all look like Ilfords usual packing job, even if they are said to be the confectioner.
Fujis loading system I'm not too enamoured with. Having the paper leader engage with the spool in that hard way is a terrible idea for a number of reasons.
I can see how I might help beginners though.
The sticker end seal I can take or leave really.
