Film is alive and well in 2020, with a handful of new releases for the traditional photographers out there. Ilford is continually expanding its analog catalog, most recently with the launch of Ortho Plus Black-and-White Film, in 35mm and 120 roll sizes. Traditionally a specialized film, this orthochromatic film—meaning it’s only sensitive to blue and green light—gives dramatic and distinct looks for pictorial applications.
For decidedly less serious shooting, Ilford has also launched the Harman Reusable Camera, which comes with two rolls of 35mm Kentmere Pan 400 black-and-white film. Just as disposable cameras are coming back into style, recycling and reuse is equally in vogue… and this camera is the combination of both ethea: lo-fi, simple, and plastic just like a single-use camera, but designed for use again and again.
If you’re looking for some new films to try in your filmic quest, Yodica has introduced a variety of creative color negative films, including Sirio, which is a pre-exposed 400-speed film that provides a colorful gradient of bright, punchy green hues that slowly transition to a deep indigo color by the bottom of the frame. For those looking to experiment in black-and-white, Rollei has rolled out its Fantastic 5 black-and-white film bundle, which includes a single roll from five of its most popular black-and-white negative films, packaged in an orange-colored Japan Camera Hunter Hard Case. For an especially gritty feel, newcomer Street Candy has launched its ATM 400 black-and-white negative film, which is re-purposed surveillance film that has been spooled for use in regular photo cameras.
Finally, black-and-white photographers can rejoice now that Paterson and Ilford have teamed up to build the all-inclusive Film Processing Starter Kit, which assembles everything you need to get developing in a single box. It includes a tank, reels, graduates, a thermometer and more, plus a complete set of Ilford’s SIMPLICITY chemicals for processing two rolls of 35mm B&W film.
