Ilford Marks Its 145th Year with Limited Edition Retro HP5 and FP4 Film Packaging

Sep 24, 2024

Jaron Schneider

The image shows several boxes and rolls of ILFORD black and white film. The boxes are labeled "HP5 Plus" and "FP4 Plus" and are yellow with blue and black text. Four film canisters are positioned around the boxes, two of which are in gray film canisters.

Ilford is celebrating 145 years of film photography history with a limited edition run of HP5 Plus and FP4 Plus retro-inspired film packaging in both 35mm and 120 formats.

Ilford was formed in 1879 by Alfred Hugh Harman in his basement in Ilford, UK, and over the last nearly century and a half, the company has been known for photographic film and paper. Back in 1879, Ilford — it was originally named Britannia Works Company and was renamed Ilford Limited in 1902 — produced photographic plates but shifted to the production of rolls of film in 1912. Over the next 100 years, Ilford would continue to produce film while being bought and sold by multiple parent companies. In 2004, it was acquired by Harman Technology and since 2015 it has continued to operate under that name, although it was acquired by Pemberstone Ventures Ltd.

A roll of Ilford FP4 Plus black and white film is shown next to its blue and yellow packaging box. The film has ISO 125 and offers 36 exposures, as indicated on both the roll and the box.

A photo of Ilford HP5 Plus black-and-white film. The image shows a 35mm film roll and its packaging. The roll has a green and black label, while the box is green and yellow, labeled “Ilford HP5 Plus, ISO 400, 36 exposures.”.

While digital dominated through the last two decades, Ilford has continued to manufacture film stocks and even expanded the availability of some of its films into new formats (it started producing a 120 format version of its Kentmere 100 and 400 in 2022, for example).

Now as film photography is having another renaissance, Ilford continues to be one of the most popular brands to support the hobby. To celebrate its success over such a long period — 145 years later, and it is still going strong manufacturing black and white films, papers, and chemicals from its site in Cheshire — Ilford is launching a limited-edition range of 1950s and 1960s-inspired retro packaging for its HP5 Plus and FP4 Plus films in both 35mm and 120 formats.

Image of a roll of Ilford HP5 Plus black and white film, shown outside its green and yellow box packaging. The box displays "ISO 400" and "ILFORD HP5 PLUS" on it. The film roll is standing upright next to the box. The background is yellow with a green border.

Image of an Ilford FP4 Plus black and white film roll and its accompanying box. The box is primarily yellow and blue and displays the film type, ISO 125, and format (120 film). The film roll is cylindrical and white with an Ilford label.

“Film photographers are collectors by nature and have regularly requested we introduce limited edition packaging such as this. This is an exciting year for us as we have recently announced a £multi-million investment in our R&D and operational capabilities. As we celebrate 145 years since the original Ilford company was founded, we are excited to reference our legacy as we look to the future,” Giles Branthwaite, Sales and Marketing Director at Ilford, says.

The company says the limited-edition retro packaging will be available over the coming weeks around the world and while supply lasts. Ilford isn’t saying how many of these it’s making, but the odds are high that they won’t last on shelves very long.

Image credits: Ilford