Topic: Some news from Ferrania

[Urban Hafner]

I just received this newsletter from Ferrania and thought I'd pass it along. It's probably too early to tell if there is going to be film produced, but it is a good sign that a company is even considering this.

Hello and welcome to this mailing list.
Just a few words to thank everybody who subscribed, although no more than a single brand is shown at the moment on the Ferrania home page.
 
We think it is worth answering some questions that often arise on the discussion boards we are also following.
 
As you know, Ferrania discontinued its photographic products some years ago and after that some buildings and equipments were dismantled or sold because the destiny of film seemed to be compromised forever after introduction of digital. Obviously we dream to put the film in a new era where it can live in symbiosis with digital imaging technologies.
 
After more than one year of work, we are finally trying to start again with a small production of film. But rescaling a production workflow is not an easy process: some chemical products are not available anymore on the market, former Ferrania workers and engineers must be involved again in a completely new production workflow, etc.
 
We worked a lot on many of the above issues and now we are proud to say that the moment is arrived of really making film.
 
Right now there is a six month R&D project aiming to produce a first Jumbo of film. If during this period we are able to solve all the remaining technical issues and if the market gives us a reasonable preliminary feedback, we will be ready to go ahead and ship new film in the first quarter of 2014!
 
Ok, now the question is: what kind of film?
We think it is better to start revamping the very last produced emulsions. The first two that we will make are a color negative film derived from Ferrania Solaris FG-100 Plus (only for still photographs) and a professional color reversal film derived from Scotch Chrome 100.
 
And which formats?
We have the equipment to finish film in almost all photographic and motion picture formats: 110, 120, 126, 127, 135, 220, Super 8, Double 8, 16mm, 35mm and 70mm but at first we will put on line only the ones that are requested by the market.

More details are coming, please continue to follow us!

Cheers
 
The FILM Ferrania team

[astrobeck]

i SAW THIS TOO!
OOppps, I had cap locks on, but heck, it's worth shouting out right?!   

[Francois]

Now this is very cool!

I know the old Scotch Chrome was reputed very good for Xpro. It had character, something we sadly see less and less of...

[Alan]

wow this is indeed great news.

more light on the horizon regarding FILM

Subscribe to the mailing list here > http://www.filmferrania.it/

[Ezzie]

Good news indeed. Hope they are able to get this to work.

[Cadha13]

Some good news for a change. Time to "like" the heck out of that and create some buzz.

[Late Developer]

Despite owning and using 35mm and 120 slide projectors, starting up with an E6 film would seem to be a very brave move when many others are dropping slide film like a hot brick.  I hope theyn pull this move off and go from strength to strength.

[Alan]

Paul, there are 2 other slide films available, relatively new imo
although they are designed for cross-processing

AGFA Digibase CR200
Rollei Crossbird 200

[Alan]

Now this is very cool!

I know the old Scotch Chrome was reputed very good for Xpro. It had character, something we sadly see less and less of...

!

[tani.P]

I got that, too! Such great news. I half-feared E-6 would go extinct first, so this is just wonderful to hear. I wish them only good things. I'll definitely order some rolls whenever the time comes. I've never used Solaris before, either, so that's awesome.

[tkmedia]

I have never used any Ferrania branded film. But indeed have used their films as they were one of the largest in re-branded store films.

[John Robison]

They could probably make some people happy if they reintroduced the 110 and 126 cartridges. I know Lomography has 110 but prices seem a bit high. I think that a company would have to hit a $5 retail price for 24 exposure loads to get those cameras off of the shelf.

Especially they need to consider B&W as basic to reintroducing these sizes.

 It would also be great if they could look into reintroducing the cartridge's for Minolta 16 and Mamiya 16 cameras. There are just thousands of still working Minolta 16 camera models that could be revived if a ready source of NEW cartridges could be found.

The Mamiya 16 is less common but it's cartridge is a simple 3 piece construct and much harder to source used than Minolta carts are.

[Jack Johnson]

Does anyone have an example of FG-100 Plus?

I've said before that I'd be willing to trade bits of my anatomy for Ferrania in 120. Looks like I have a grave decision to make.

[AJShepherd]

I'd like to see 127 back, and it'd be nice to have 110 from a non-Lomo source.

[LEAFotography]

I'm excited by this news also!  I never used their film, though have a few old expired rolls picked up from various places still to use...signing up to show support and get further updates.

[tkmedia]

Looks like they are making Imation Scotch Chrome 100! which was previously available at 100, 640 and 800/3200 ISO film.

[Bryan]

Another FilmFerrania update:

http://www.wittnerkinotechnik.de/info/filmferrania/english.php

If you're not familiar with Wittner Cinetec they are based out of Germany and are one of the few suppliers of small format cine film still around today.  They have been working to keep color reversal cine film alive since Kodak discontinued it last year.  They have been using Fuji Velvia 50 and 100 and Agfa Aviphot Chrome 200 to make their own color reversal cine film.  They had the equipment manufactured to cut and perforate the film from other stocks.  It sounds like they will be working with FilmFerrania to market their cine films.  The above article is a tour they had of the factory.  It sounds like things are moving along, hopefully we will see something soon.