Arista Large Format film in 4x5 and 8x10 size 100 ASA, any feedback?

Dear APUG Large Format Users,

I have heard mixed reviews on the Arista LF Films, however am open minded to saving some $$
provided the quality is still there....Have any users tried this film, pros and cons if any... Your feedback
is appreciated....I am slowly running out of my Tri-X stash and some Agfa 100 in freezer.

a) Detail and Contrast would be similar to __________?
b) Heard of green cast when pouring developer out to replenish.
c) Will be using Xtol and Rodinal with this.
d) I also heard that it might be a rebranded FOMA product??
e) I remember running some Arista 120 film and it had a real curl to the film...?
f) Any work posted with this product would be most appreciated, I will be shooting products and portraits
and some scenics...

Many Thanks!!

Harlequin

I usually shoot ilford products for 4x5 and 8x10. However, I just shot and processed a couple hundred sheets of arista premium 100 for a large format workshop I ran. I used it because it was cheaper, and I knew students would probably make mistakes.

I was worried because of the same mixed reviews I had heard online, but I didn't have time to do a proper test before shooting the workshop. Thankfully the results were good.

Details and contrast were similar to fp4+. Less contrast but you could solve that during developing. Details were sharp at the enlargements my students were doing (mostly contact prints and 8x10 prints from 4x5)
I haven't tried printing any larger.

The green cast is a real downside but I haven seen it effect film developed after the arista film. After ten or so sheets the developer become super green but still clear (not cloudy). I think most likely it's a pigment in the anti-halation layer.
For the workshop, I tank processed with hangers in HC-110 dilution B. The tanks use about five gallons of developer so now I'm left with five gallons of bright green developer.

I don't know if it's a re-branded foma product. I haven't shot a lot of foma film.

I air dried the film and it was super flat. It's a pretty thick film base.

I might be able to send some examples of student work I'd like to get permission from them first though.

harlequin said:

Dear APUG Large Format Users,

I have heard mixed reviews on the Arista LF Films, however am open minded to saving some $$
provided the quality is still there....Have any users tried this film, pros and cons if any... Your feedback
is appreciated....I am slowly running out of my Tri-X stash and some Agfa 100 in freezer.

a) Detail and Contrast would be similar to __________?
b) Heard of green cast when pouring developer out to replenish.
c) Will be using Xtol and Rodinal with this.
d) I also heard that it might be a rebranded FOMA product??
e) I remember running some Arista 120 film and it had a real curl to the film...?
f) Any work posted with this product would be most appreciated, I will be shooting products and portraits
and some scenics...

Many Thanks!!

Harlequin

Click to expand...

1. Detail and contrast is similar to Fomapan 100.
2. Green color when developer is poured out is anti halation layer.
3. Rodinal works terrific as does D-76, D-23, HC-110 and Arista Premium.
4. The entire Arista EDU Ultra line is all Foma product.
5. The curl on the current product is not a problem.

Some of the examples posted on Flikr is what initially hooked me on the AEU films.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/Arista EDU Ultra 100/

I've been using the 4X5 and 5X7 Aristo EDU 400 for a couple years. Rotary processed in D76 but always with a pre-soak so the green ant-halation layer gets dumped before the developer. I'm happy with the price and results so far.

Last I knew, the Arista EDU.Ultra film is Fomapan. I've used EDU 100 in both 4x5 and 8x10 and never had any issues with it. The only thing I noticed is that the film base seems thinner than the corresponding Foma film. That could all be my imagination, of course, because I'm going only by feel and how it fed into the holders. Like others, I do a 5 min pre-wash (Jobo processing) which removes most of the anti-halation layer; the remaining came off during subsequent processing. I wouldn't hesitate to use this film, again.

The EDU film is regular Foma film (as above) , it's a touch quirky and needs a bit more control at a personal level interms of finding your effective EI and development times to give you the results you require, That's not difficult, it just needs extra exposure and less development to tame the contrast and the results are excellent.

I've used Foma films for about 10 years now and the resulting negatives/prints are excellent. Yes the 120 films curl but they have changed the base so I don'y think it's as bad

Ian

The green antihalation dye comes off in a 1 minute prewash.
I use it for camera testing after repair in both 120 and 4x5.
4x5 is .007 inch thick, same as TriX.
120 is .004 (4mil). Kodak and Ilford are .0045 (4.5mil), Fuji color is .0035 (3.5 mil).
Test photo from a Speed Graphic with 135 f4.7 Optar, scanned on a V500 at 3200dpi with color controls off, stitched in PS7, reduced to 8 bits and 600dpi
levels show blacks start at 20 and end at 160,
levels adjusted to 0-255. 18% gray card at lower left corner of the lens test chart in the center of the photo.
Arista EDU 100 4x5.

Yes, Arista EDU is Fomapan, in every ISO.

I like like 100 ok, but I LOVE Arista EDU 200, ie. Fomapan 200.

My goto developer for this film is Pyrocat MC for 8.5 minutes with the film rated at 125 ISO.

Here's a couple 4x5 shots

Life on the Edge by Andrew Marjama, on Flickr

Garden of the Gods - 2 by Andrew Marjama, on Flickr

203mm-Experiment-1 by Andrew Marjama, on Flickr

Tower of Babel - Garden of the Gods by Andrew Marjama, on Flickr

Sugar Plant by Andrew Marjama, on Flickr

harlequin said:

Dear APUG Large Format Users,

I have heard mixed reviews on the Arista LF Films, however am open minded to saving some $$
provided the quality is still there....Have any users tried this film, pros and cons if any... Your feedback
is appreciated....I am slowly running out of my Tri-X stash and some Agfa 100 in freezer.

a) Detail and Contrast would be similar to __________?
b) Heard of green cast when pouring developer out to replenish.
c) Will be using Xtol and Rodinal with this.
d) I also heard that it might be a rebranded FOMA product??
e) I remember running some Arista 120 film and it had a real curl to the film...?
f) Any work posted with this product would be most appreciated, I will be shooting products and portraits
and some scenics...

Many Thanks!!

Harlequin

Click to expand...

I tried to calibrate my zone system to use Fomapan 100. Arista Edu 100 is rebranded Fomapan 100.

Developer: R09/Rodinal 1+100, 20°C, 30/30-5.
Effective ISO: 50 ASA.
N developing: 14 min to get 5 EV between III and VII
N developing: 10 min to get 6 EV between III and VII, exposure +0.5 EV

Curling isn't a problem.

Green cast (anti halo layer) isn't a problem either. Just pre soak the films in 20°C water before developing, for about one minute. The rest will vanish when washing the developed film. Washing method: Ilford 5-10-20-40.

Keep in mind that 120 and 4x5 film have a good quality control. On 35mm bulk film I always found irregular scratches on the back of the film. In my opinion Fomapan 100 / Arista Edu 100 is a very good alternative to FP4+.

Be also aware that Fomapan 100 / Arista Edu 100 shows a very strange Scharzschild behavior. You have to do huge prolongations when using this film at slower speeds, c.f. the YAPN notebook