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Mark-NY
30th June 2010, 03:39 PM
I have been researching the Ilfochrome printing process and have come across this article (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/ilfochro.shtml) which I thought might be of interest to others here. It was published in 1998 and is a broad overview. Also the article references the Ilford manual: Ilfochrome / Cibachrome IIA which I will try to find.

Are there any other references on this process that would prove useful?

It has been MANY years since I have made a ciba print and then only at a very basic level. It would be interesting to know if making ciba prints is as straight forward as the article suggests and as I remember when one includes contrast control. There is not really any substantive discussion of contrast control in the article which I would imagine is probably the most difficult issue to address in this process.

[The number of those practicing this printing process seems to dwindling and there are now only a VERY few labs still offering ciba prints in the US. Just my opinion but judging by the final result, I would suggest that this is perhaps the best method of producing a color print. They have far more depth, vibrancy and color clarity - in both strong and subtle tones. Hopefully as people (re)discover film and analogue photography the awareness and use of this process increases. It would be a shame to lose it.]

Mike O'Pray
30th June 2010, 04:14 PM
Thanks Mark. I have a quite basic Ilfochrome manual which I inherited from the person I bought a lot of equipment from when setting up my darkroom. The process looks quite simple. In some ways more straightforward than RA4 from negs but the paper and chemicals now cost a fortune.

I'd hate to contemplate the cost of a set of even 5x7 prints from a roll of slides.

Mike

Mark-NY
30th June 2010, 04:43 PM
Mike -

I agree on the cost!! At this point, definitely not for "everyday" use as the cost of a 50 sheet box of paper and chemicals is enough to fund a whole lot of B+W photography, including travel. However, I don't seem to be able to take that many good photographs so it would last me quite a while. ;)

All that being said, if there is a special transparency I want to have a print of or want to give as a gift then a ciba print is really the way to go.

Dave miller
30th June 2010, 08:13 PM
It is a long time since I used the system but I recollect that it was easier than making RA4 colour prints due to the absence of filter adjustment, something that I was never very good at. That fact alone meant that the success rate was much higher so cost per "keeper" was comparable to RA4 processing.

Neil Smith
30th June 2010, 09:34 PM
I have been looking into using Ilfochrome, yes it is expensive but the quality is superb. I have been in conversation with Matt at AG who is going to be selling the paper and chemicals. At present I am waiting to here what prices will be, there is a small amount of info on the AG site and Matt will be adding the prices when he has them. He has spoken to some of the reps regarding Ilfochrome and knows a bit about the process and hopefully will contribute to this thread when he sees it.

Neil

Les McLean
30th June 2010, 10:22 PM
Mark, you may be interested in making Ilfochrome prints using a two bath black and white developer and regular black and white fixer, however you do need to use Ilfochrome bleach. Contrast is controlled by using ordinary hard and soft black and white developer by experimenting with time in each developer. I recall total development time of 3 minutes which I split and gave 90 seconds in each. It greatly reduces the chemical cost and is an enormous help in contrast control. I first did this about 25 years ago and the prints made have not faded or deteriorated in any way.

Mark-NY
2nd July 2010, 09:56 AM
Just ran across this book and thought I would add it in this thread for reference:

The Complete Guide to Cibachrome Printing
by Peter Krause and Henry A. Shull.
Published 1980 by Ziff-Davis Pub. Co. in New York

At this time it is readily available used from various online sellers.

marty
3rd July 2010, 12:24 AM
hello, there.
The Complete Guide to Cibachrome Printing
by Peter Krause and Henry A. Shull.
Published 1980 by Ziff-Davis Pub. Co. in New York

This book is a good source of info. It covers thoroughly from color theory to the practicalities of the process including the contrast masking. Though the materials described are now obsolete the content is still applicable to the current ones.

The process in itself is not more difficult than RA-4. The real challenge is contrast control, without the use of contrast masks is often impossible to get satisfactory results.

Mark, you may be interested in making Ilfochrome prints using a two bath black and white developer and regular black and white fixer, however you do need to use Ilfochrome bleach. Contrast is controlled by using ordinary hard and soft black and white developer by experimenting with time in each developer. I recall total development time of 3 minutes which I split and gave 90 seconds in each. It greatly reduces the chemical cost and is an enormous help in contrast control. I first did this about 25 years ago and the prints made have not faded or deteriorated in any way.

This looks quite interesting. Lots of experimenting involved (but, hey, this is part of the fun isn't it?;)) but surely worth to play with.

The real drawback, all in all, is the price. As said before not for everyday use. Otherwise worth for the really best shots.

M.

Mike O'Pray
3rd July 2010, 10:51 AM
The process in itself is not more difficult than RA-4. The real challenge is contrast control, without the use of contrast masks is often impossible to get satisfactory results.
M.

It appears as if David Kachel has a solution for this as well which doesn't involve contrast masks. Worth googling if you haven't already got his site on your favourites/bookmarks.

I have never tried his methods and I may have misunderstood what he is saying and its applicability here but may be worth a look.

Mike

marty
3rd July 2010, 03:22 PM
Thanks, Mike. I added it to my bookmarks. Lots of interesting stuff to read there.

M.

Matt5791
15th July 2010, 10:38 PM
We're about to start marketing Ilfochrome and I've been thinking about the price of this system - I dont think it is that expensive, and I'm not just saying this because we're about to start selling it. Firstly it's pointless comparing it to the cost of black and white and RA4 - it's apples and oranges. It has to be set apart on its own because there is simply nothing like it in existance. Second, take a look at the cost of producing some high end Inkjets on the best paper - Ilfochrome starts to look cheap. Third - Ilfochrome is the most complicated photographic material in the world to make with 17 layers coated in two passes.

Ilfochrome adds a huge amount of value, both monetary and in terms of sheer viewing pleasure. Taking all this into account I think it is extremely good value.

It's worth noting that sales of Ilfochrome are strong and not retracting.

Dave miller
16th July 2010, 07:52 AM
We're about to start marketing Ilfochrome and I've been thinking about the price of this system - I dont think it is that expensive, and I'm not just saying this because we're about to start selling it. Firstly it's pointless comparing it to the cost of black and white and RA4 - it's apples and oranges. It has to be set apart on its own because there is simply nothing like it in existance. Second, take a look at the cost of producing some high end Inkjets on the best paper - Ilfochrome starts to look cheap. Third - Ilfochrome is the most complicated photographic material in the world to make with 17 layers coated in two passes.

Ilfochrome adds a huge amount of value, both monetary and in terms of sheer viewing pleasure. Taking all this into account I think it is extremely good value.

It's worth noting that sales of Ilfochrome are strong and not retracting.

Good news that you have decided to stock this product. I think that the more widely available it is the more it will be used and sold.