Ilford’s New ‘Very Limited’ 35mm Film
Ilford Photo has introduced a new Delta 400 Professional Collector’s Edition, a limited-run version of its well-known ISO 400 black-and-white film. It is available only in 35mm format and comes in a completely black cassette and carton, but the changes are no just cosmetic. The actual emulsion remains Delta 400, while the difference is what Ilford has coated it onto, a clearer film base with anti-halation protection, something the company has not previously done with one of its 35mm black-and-white films.
That new base is supposed to bring a few small improvements over regular Delta 400 Professional, including slightly better dynamic range and shadow detail, improved sharpness and cleaner results when scanning the negatives. The anti-halation protection should also reduce light reflecting back through the film after exposure, which can otherwise create glow or halos around particularly bright areas. Importantly, this is not a different-speed version of Delta 400, meaning it remains an ISO 400 film and uses exactly the same processing times as the regular version.
What is also interesting is that Ilford is using this limited release as a test. The company says the Collector’s Edition will only be available in very limited quantities while stocks last, and has explained that it wants to see whether photographers actually notice and value the differences. If the response is strong enough, Ilford says it could consider bringing the film back as a regular product, although it would likely cost more because of the additional manufacturing involved. For this first limited run, however, there is no price premium, Ilford Delta 400 Professional Collector’s Edition costs $15.19 per roll, the same as the regular Delta 400 Professional.
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