Ilford Gold Fibre Silk A2 –>75 % price "upgrade"?

[jsch]

Hi,

today I got a reply from my dealer in germany that Ilford stopped to sell Ilford Gold Fibre Silk A2 in boxes with 50 sheets. You can get boxes with 10 sheets though. BUT:

50 sheet box is 178,34 Euro => 3,57 Euro/sheet
10 sheet box is 62,29 Euro => 6,23  Euro/sheet

This is 75 % more expensive. It "was" my favorite paper.

Best,
Johannes

[Mark D Segal]

Not good news. So far no change posted by my supplier here in Toronto, but worth monitoring the situation. There is an option to use Canson Baryta Photographique. It's extremely close to identical.

[Ernst Dinkla]

There have been other reports about Ilford paper distribution issues (but in the USA) that were not based on facts.
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=67097.0
So check other sources for supplies. If that does not deliver a solution then consider Canson Baryta Photographique or Innova IFA69 Baryta Satin, same weight, same paper white spectral curves for both front and back. One Pictorico quality shows a similar paper white spectral plot for the front side too, rag based though.


--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

340+ paper white spectral plots:
http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
update april 2012: Harman by Hahnemühle, Innova IFA45 and more

[John E]

Interesting. A quick check of two well known US suppliers: B&H shows the 50 sheet packs as discontinued, Adorama shows them as backordered.

Real shame if the discontinued is correct. It's also my fav paper, as Ilford was one of the few companies that provided ICC profiles for one of their "professional" level papers for the Epson R1800.

John

[Mark D Segal]

The paper is not discontinued. It is being repackaged. There is another thread here on this.

[Ian99]

Based on Michael’s recommendations, I have used GFS on my Z3100 for the last two years and repeatedly sworn at it for its propensity to curl and attract deep scratches. It was one of the factors pushing me to canvas.

I will not miss its passing and for paper I have moved to Canson Platine. Not the same style but a far easier paper to deal with.

[Mark D Segal]

Based on Michael’s recommendations, I have used GFS on my Z3100 for the last two years and repeatedly sworn at it for its propensity to curl and attract deep scratches. It was one of the factors pushing me to canvas.

I will not miss its passing and for paper I have moved to Canson Platine. Not the same style but a far easier paper to deal with.

If you dislike it so intensely why were you using it for the past two years? I've used it in roll form as well and not had such dramatic issues with it. Roll paper will of course curl because it comes that way. You need to flatten the prints. Unless you do panos, buy sheets. They don't curl. Paper doesn't attract scratches, people put them there. Just handle it properly and it's fine.

Anyhow I don't want to disappoint you, but it's going nowhere - here to stay. I understand it's one of Ilford's "bread and butter" products.

[Wayne Fox]

All of Ilfords papers are being repackaged, and some are seeing some slight changes such as slightly thicker etc.  Currently the old stock is moving out of the channel, and the new packaging/papers should start moving in very soon. This according to my MAC group rep here in the U.S.

I don't know if the 50 sheet boxes of GFS are discontinued, or if inventory of the old packaging just ran out faster and the new has started shipping to replace it. 

[georgek]

Based on Michael’s recommendations, I have used GFS on my Z3100 for the last two years and repeatedly sworn at it for its propensity to curl and attract deep scratches.

Did you have any head scratches with this paper?

I've ordered a 17in roll to test with my Z3200s and so far I really love this paper. If good, it'll probably replace the Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta as my main baryta paper. The new batch of Photo Rag Baryta suffers heavily from cockling under any ink load. Totally unusable unless client dry mounts the prints.

[Mark D Segal]

All of Ilfords papers are being repackaged, and some are seeing some slight changes such as slightly thicker etc.  Currently the old stock is moving out of the channel, and the new packaging/papers should start moving in very soon. This according to my MAC group rep here in the U.S.

I don't know if the 50 sheet boxes of GFS are discontinued, or if inventory of the old packaging just ran out faster and the new has started shipping to replace it. 

My information is that 50 sheet packages are here to stay. Same product being repackaged in the Prestige line. Of course, if they wanted to commit harakiri they can discontinue 50 sheet packages and charge the kind of prices they charge for 10 sheet packages. But I don't see them going that route.  :-)

[jsch]

My information is that 50 sheet packages are here to stay. Same product being repackaged in the Prestige line. Of course, if they wanted to commit harakiri they can discontinue 50 sheet packages and charge the kind of prices they charge for 10 sheet packages. But I don't see them going that route.  :-)

I started this thread because I was told by my dealer, he can't get the DinA2 format in a box with 50 sheets only 10 sheets with the massive price increase I mentioned. This is not a small dealer it is a very big dealer for professional photographers.

Best,
Johannes

[Mark D Segal]

In what country is this supposed to be applicable?

I'm in Toronto Canada and I can tell you based on what I've heard from an impeccable source that 50 sheet packages are here to stay. Nothing was mentioned about pricing, but no-one here is even whispering about big price changes, and logically they can't exceed Canson's price for Baryta Photographique.

[jsch]

In what country is this supposed to be applicable?

I'm in Toronto Canada and I can tell you based on what I've heard from an impeccable source that 50 sheet packages are here to stay. Nothing was mentioned about pricing, but no-one here is even whispering about big price changes, and logically they can't exceed Canson's price for Baryta Photographique.

In South Germany, 340 kilometers away from the Ilford headquater in Marly, Switzerland. I hope you are right and they keep those A2 boxes with 50 sheets. My dealer still can deliver A4, A3+ and 17x22 inch boxes with 50 sheets but no A2, which is sad for me because I'm in the middle of a project and till now everything is on GFS A2. Now I'm going to search the net whether I can find another dealer which still have stock.

Best,
Johannes

[Mark D Segal]

Ah, I should have looked more carefully at your title! A2 is not a size that was ever delivered in this country in any packaging. We can get US Letter, Super A3 (13*19 inch) and 17*22 inch.

[Ernst Dinkla]

www.arca-nl.nl has the Innova IFA69 in A2 50 sheet size according the catalog. Pricing is higher but usually negotiable. There will be shops in Germany with the Innova IFA69 in stock. I put the three brands next to one another and the Innova looks even more similar than the Canson, the last has some surface gloss difference on front and back. If that does not work out you should check 17" roll sizes, decurl for 48 hours and cut to sheets.


--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

340+ paper white spectral plots:
http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
update april 2012: Harman by Hahnemühle, Innova IFA45 and more

[georgek]

Ernst,

Which one is the Innova IFA69? It doesn't even get listed on the Innova web site. I'm in the middle of trying different baryta papers because of the production issues with the Photo Rag Baryta, and I'd like to give this paper a try. Is it still in production or not? Any idea? Thanks

[martinreed22]

Hi George,

My usual UK supplier for Innova has it in 25 and 50 sheet packs:

http://www.opusalbums.com/product/IFA-69-A2-50

They should also be able to advise on availability.

I see that Innova FibaPrint Baryta A2 is also available from amazon.co.uk.

Regards, Martin

[Ernst Dinkla]

Ernst,

Which one is the Innova IFA69? It doesn't even get listed on the Innova web site. I'm in the middle of trying different baryta papers because of the production issues with the Photo Rag Baryta, and I'd like to give this paper a try. Is it still in production or not? Any idea? Thanks

I did see that too but there seems to be something left in the pipeline. My advice was related to the urgency mentioned by Johannes. If I see the spectral plots and compare the sheets I can only say that there is no need to try this one or the Canson Baryta Photographique if you already tried IGFS, the last will tell you all about the other two.


--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

340+ paper white spectral plots:
http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
update april 2012: Harman by Hahnemühle, Innova IFA45 and more