I am a dust magnet and I want to shoot B&W. Fuji quickloads are a godsend for colour work but they don't offer much in the way of B&W. Kodak seems to offer a resonable selection of B&W in Readyloads, but previous posters have panned their holders du to light leaks. In the smaller formats I tend to shoot Ilford. Does anyone know if Ilford plans on producing their film in a similar format?

-- Edward Kimball (edward.kimball@ns.sympatico.ca), June 07, 2001

Answers

Aren't the new Readyloads supposed to fit in the Fuji Quickload holder? At least, that's what I gathered from A brochure from Calumet. Cheers, DJ.

-- N Dhananjay (ndhanu@umich.edu), June 07, 2001.

Kodak has just introduced a new Readyload system including a new holder, so previous posts are probably not applicable. The "reasonable selection of B&W" is currently TMax 100.

Paul Butzi has reviewed the new single-sheet Readyloads: http://www.butzi.net/

Why not ask Ilford? This might encourage them to offer a similar product.

-- Michael S. Briggs (MichaelBriggs@msfc.nasa.gov), June 07, 2001.

N,

NO, the new single sheet Kodak Readyloads are NOT compatible with the Fuji Quickload holder. In the initial press releases and product announcements, Kodak claimed compatibilty with the Fuji Quickload holders, but all such references have been removed from their web site. There is the possibility that the new Kodak single sheet Readyload holder, when it becomes available, might be compatible with the Fuji Quickload packets. However, in a recent phone call to Kodak, I was told that the holder design is still being finalized and it is not a done deal that the production version, when it ships, will accept the Fuji packets. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

On a related note, I have used some of the new single sheet Reayloads in a late model (Version IIII) double sheet Readyload holder (the one with the black pressure plate). Based on my VERY limited experience so far, I have not had any problem with this combination. So, if you have one of these recent double sheet Readyload holders, you should be able to start shooting immediately without waiting for the new holder to ship.

Kerry

-- Kerry Thalmann (largeformat@thalmann.com), June 08, 2001.

Yes Kodak has a reasonable selection of B&W films in Readyload: Tmax 100

Fuji is supposedly offering a new film ACROS 100 in Quickload. Supposedly betterthan the old Neopan 80.

I have yet to see the ACROS or the TMAX 100 Readyloads in any local shops.

-- Ellis Vener Photography (evphoto@heartstone.com), June 08, 2001.

> ACROS 100 in Quickload

Fuji's web site doesn't mention Acros 100 in any sheetfilm format. One can only hope.

-- John Hicks (jbh@magicnet.net), June 08, 2001.

Yes, one does hope, if for no other reason than keeping competitive pressure on Kodak to continue TMX Readyload availability.

-- Sal Santamaura (bc_hill@qwestinternet.net), June 09, 2001.

I have managed to buy two boxes of fuji quickload neopan 80 and been very happy with it. I am using polaroid 545 holder with this film and suffered not problem so far. The instructions on the box are in Japanese so I asked my Japanese friend to translate them but the chemicals aren't available in Melbourne Australia where I live. So I used Xtol and Jobo CPA2 for 6 minutes @ 20 degrees and the negs are perfect!.If you can buy this film then I believe you will be happy too. No more dusts and fingerprints pre-exposure!

-- Renee Galang (r.galang@chisholm.vic.edu.au), June 12, 2001.