Arista Film from Freestylephoto

[Jenni]

I heard good things about the film. So I thought I'd give it a try with 4x5, this is a scan of the negative. I'm trying to print it with the enlarger on FB Arista paper but my dark's keep blocking and it looks a bit milky.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

The Arista.Ultra EDU films are all a little bit slow compared to their rated box speed, regardless of developer. You may wish to try exposing them at about half box speed for more solid shadow detail, and clearer details in those areas.

I found the ISO 100 to work well at EI 50, the ISO 200 well at EI 80, and the ISO 400 well at EI 160. If you use a speed enhancing developer, such as TMax or Ilfotec DD-X, you may get a bit more.

I hope that helps! Beautiful portrait.

 

[EASmithV]

I find the 400 looks great at 400 in rodinal 1:100 for 50 minutes stand dev.

 

[Roger Cole]

The EDU ultra is re-branded Foma. From the results to the blue tint (at least on what I have in 120, this may have changed recently according to reports and I never got it on 4x5) to the green/blue dye that comes out in pre-soak, it's clearly Foma. Pretty nice film really if you like an old school look. I too have been shooting the 400 at EI 200 with good results, developed in D76 1+1 at about 15% less time than the spec sheet calls for.

 

[Jenni]

Thank you guys I will try shooting it at half box speed. I currently have d76. When I run out I want to try some other types and find my own style. I do want to try stand developing but read its not ideal for printing. Anyone have experience to the contrary?

 

[Rick A]

I shoot Foma and Arista EDU Ultra branded and found that half listed speed in any developer works very well. I have it in 135, 120, and 4x5 formats. My favorite film/dev combo for 4x5 is 100 speed shot @ 50iso in Pyrocat-HD, 1+1+100 for 15mins @ 20c, normal agitation.

 

[Felinik]

I shoot a lot of Fomapan Action 400 35mm, and just started souping in Fomadon LQN (1+10 in 11 minutes) looks just amazingly great (no scans yet).

I shoot EI320 after reading the charts from FOMA (last page in the pdf).

http://www.digitaltruth.com/products/foma_tech/Fomapan_400.pdf

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Thank you guys I will try shooting it at half box speed. I currently have d76. When I run out I want to try some other types and find my own style. I do want to try stand developing but read its not ideal for printing. Anyone have experience to the contrary?

I don't think standing development lends much to the Foma films, honestly, but that's just my flavor. Standing development is a pretty extreme form of compensating development, and has its uses and strengths, for sure.
For me, with Foma films I find that the highlights become a bit dull this way, and I prefer intense highlights. The best results I've had with Foma, on the Ilford paper I like to use, is with Edwal 12, a developer that yields brilliant and intense highlights. That gives me the sparkle I desire in the highlights, which to me is one of the best aspects of these films.

But test it for yourself, and print the negs to see how you like it. Compare it to regular development on the same shots. Make contact sheets of the negatives side by side to see the difference. It will tell you a lot.

 

[Jenni]

But test it for yourself, and print the negs to see how you like it. Compare it to regular development on the same shots. Make contact sheets of the negatives side by side to see the difference. It will tell you a lot.

I feel like a geeky doctor always testing, but I wouldn't have it any other way. It's a lot of fun and ALL of you have so much incite thank you for sharing. Now if I could just figure out how to get a proper contact print from the negatives, I feel my testing would be that much better.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I feel like a geeky doctor always testing, but I wouldn't have it any other way. It's a lot of fun and ALL of you have so much incite thank you for sharing. Now if I could just figure out how to get a proper contact print from the negatives, I feel my testing would be that much better.

Contact printing is like a luxury compared to enlarging. For my own film and developing testing I use a contact printing frame, but a sheet of glass and a flat surface will do nicely. You lay a piece of photo paper with emulsion side up, put your negatives on top with their emulsion side down, and then you 'close the lid'. If you use a sheet of glass I recommend taping the edges with tape so you don't cut yourself. Put pressure on the glass to hold paper and negatives in close contact, and avoid blocking the light. You can use weights if you need to use your hands.
Make a test strip to determine exposure time, and start making contact sheets. The exposure time that gives you maximum black of the paper in the film rebate is usually the best exposure. Then you either adjust contrast grade of the printing paper, or you adjust developing time of your negative to get the contrast you need out of the print. I always make my contact prints at Grade 2.5, and adjust film exposure and developing time to have negatives that print reasonably well as a straight print at that contrast.
Then when I start making individual prints of single negatives I of course tweak the print into what I want the finished print to look like, but I find the approach above gives me the best starting point to get to a finished print, with minimal time spent and minimal waste.

And keep practicing. Your picture above is really nice, so I think you are well on your way. You just have to remember that your paper and paper developer has a certain range, and your negative exposure and development time are variables that you alter to fit the paper and paper developer. If you learn how this system works, it will be much easier to make negatives that print like a dream without much darkroom gymnastics.

 

[Jenni]

Contact printing is like a luxury compared to enlarging. For my own film and developing testing I use a contact printing frame, but a sheet of glass and a flat surface will do nicely. You lay a piece of photo paper with emulsion side up, put your negatives on top with their emulsion side down, and then you 'close the lid'. If you use a sheet of glass I recommend taping the edges with tape so you don't cut yourself. Put pressure on the glass to hold paper and negatives in close contact, and avoid blocking the light. You can use weights if you need to use your hands.
Make a test strip to determine exposure time, and start making contact sheets. The exposure time that gives you maximum black of the paper in the film rebate is usually the best exposure. Then you either adjust contrast grade of the printing paper, or you adjust developing time of your negative to get the contrast you need out of the print. I always make my contact prints at Grade 2.5, and adjust film exposure and developing time to have negatives that print reasonably well as a straight print at that contrast.
Then when I start making individual prints of single negatives I of course tweak the print into what I want the finished print to look like, but I find the approach above gives me the best starting point to get to a finished print, with minimal time spent and minimal waste.

And keep practicing. Your picture above is really nice, so I think you are well on your way. You just have to remember that your paper and paper developer has a certain range, and your negative exposure and development time are variables that you alter to fit the paper and paper developer. If you learn how this system works, it will be much easier to make negatives that print like a dream without much darkroom gymnastics.

I'm using VG Fiber Paper, Is it more difficult to use then graded paper? I have not been in the dark room in 20 years and my brain has muddled all my past darkroom experience into one be ball of chaos.

 

[Felinik]

I don't think standing development lends much to the Foma films, honestly, but that's just my flavor. Standing development is a pretty extreme form of compensating development, and has its uses and strengths, for sure.

I've shot and developed 3-4 rolls of Action 400 in Rodinal 1:100 60 minutes, it gives lots of grain, quite nice grain, but still, lots of it. I kind of liked it, creative, but nothing I am going to keep on doing. Here's a cpl of shots (not entirely perfect since the scan didn't do a lot for the grain when viewed on the screen.. they look better even printed digitally.

Dead Link Removed

Dead Link Removed

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear Jenni,

Variable contrast printing is different to using graded...but in my opinion easier, pm your address and I will send you the multigrade printing manual and you can de-chaos, it does not matter which brand you are using the principle is the same.

Simon. ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

 

[Jenni]

I've shot and developed 3-4 rolls of Action 400 in Rodinal 1:100 60 minutes, it gives lots of grain, quite nice grain, but still, lots of it. I kind of liked it, creative, but nothing I am going to keep on doing. Here's a cpl of shots (not entirely perfect since the scan didn't do a lot for the grain when viewed on the screen.. they look better even printed digitally.

Dead Link Removed

Dead Link Removed

Looks nice, adds nice ambiance, I'll remember that for when I want to add some mood to something. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Jenni]

Dear Jenni,

Variable contrast printing is different to using graded...but in my opinion easier, pm your address and I will send you the multigrade printing manual and you can de-chaos, it does not matter which brand you are using the principle is the same.

Simon. ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited :

Oh thank you very much I will send you a PM forthwith!

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I use Arista EDU 400 and 100. I really like it. It has an old look that I like. I use Xtol or HC-110 B. I also use Arista EDU FB VC paper. Both a great value and made by Foma.
Here are a couple of shot on Arista EDU posted on APUG.
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[Jenni]

I use Arista EDU 400 and 100. I really like it. It has an old look that I like. I use Xtol or HC-110 B. I also use Arista EDU FB VC paper. Both a great value and made by Foma.
Here are a couple of shot on Arista EDU posted on APUG.
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Thanks for sharing, I never wanted to take pictures of anything but people but now I am getting inspired to do more then just portraits.

 

[Jenni]

And I should have said I'm using ISO 200. From what I've read it still has a wide latitude so shooting at 100 should give me the results I am after.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I've shot and developed 3-4 rolls of Action 400 in Rodinal 1:100 60 minutes, it gives lots of grain, quite nice grain, but still, lots of it. I kind of liked it, creative, but nothing I am going to keep on doing. Here's a cpl of shots (not entirely perfect since the scan didn't do a lot for the grain when viewed on the screen.. they look better even printed digitally.

Dead Link Removed

Dead Link Removed

Here is a 9x12" print using 35mm Foma 400, processed in Edwal 12. 100% different.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Here's another shot, which is Foma 200 in 35mm developed in Rodinal 1+50. It's a neg scan so it's probably a bit grainier looking than a print would be.
I have no notes regarding developing time as it was a bit of an experiment with 5 rolls of the stuff a couple of years back.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

very well said!

 

[ToddB]

Arista Double wieght Fiber..

Hey guys.. Saw this posting about Arista EDu products.. I'm currently using VC double weight Fiber 11x14 for my printing. I'm pretty happy with the results. The black deep rich tone and white are very nice with still showing detail. However I notice when a silininium tone my photos, it does darken a bit more. I do recall back in the day that is was one of the properties of Sil toning that you had to be aware of. Someone here might be able to tell me forsure. I was eyeing the 120 film that they offer,espcially the price per roll, however I'm really liking my old standby of Ilford Delta 100 120.

Todd

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Hey guys.. Saw this posting about Arista EDu products.. I'm currently using VC double weight Fiber 11x14 for my printing. I'm pretty happy with the results. The black deep rich tone and white are very nice with still showing detail. However I notice when a silininium tone my photos, it does darken a bit more. I do recall back in the day that is was one of the properties of Sil toning that you had to be aware of. Someone here might be able to tell me forsure. I was eyeing the 120 film that they offer,espcially the price per roll, however I'm really liking my old standby of Ilford Delta 100 120.

Todd

Selenium toning will increase the contrast of your print by darkening the shadows. Some papers react stronger than others.

 

[Felinik]

Here is a 9x12" print using 35mm Foma 400, processed in Edwal 12. 100% different.

Nice!

Edwal 12? Never heard of!

I'll get back when I have some scans from my Fomadon LQN developed negatives.

 

[Rick A]

This was shot on Arista EDU Ultra 100