Efke 8x10 : QC still a problem?

Hi all,

I'm about to get some more 8x10 film from freestyle, and was considering getting some efke to try, but have read lots of posts re qc problems w the sheet film. Is this still the case, or have all the problems been sorted out? Has anyone recently bought efke 8x10 from freestyle and gotten bad film? Thanks,

GB

I've been using it for a couple of years with no problems (other than those caused by my own stupidity).

I just bought 8x20 Efke and I have had no problems. Then again I've never had any problems with Efke film. I guess I didn't get any of the bad batch.

i use foma100. i find it to be a better film and zero QC problems.

eddie gunks said:

i use foma100. i find it to be a better film and zero QC problems.

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Hi Eddie,

I've also been using the foma 100, just wanted to try something else. In what way do you find the foma to be better than the efke? Are you able to increase contrast w the foma in low contrast scenes?

GB

I use Efke because it is the only film available for some of my cameras. I have no QC problems. It did take me a while to work out appropriate development.

i bought some efke a while back to use with my pinhole stuff. i always got thin negs. the reciprocity is very bad even when compared to foma's bad reciprocity. i shot an entire box of fifty and was not able to get it to work for me. i think i even shot a few lens images just to be sure it was not me and my pinhole. even those were thin. they scanned very poorly also. now it could be me of course as lots of people use efke successfully.

i started using foma and had none of these problems. i get awesome pinhole images (bad reciprocity still) and the lens shots are just as good. they scan very very well and print easily in my darkroom. i get good contrast even shen shooting pinhole images and pinhole are reputed to have low contrast. so maybe i am picking up more contrast through my development. i use hc110 dil g for 18 min with agitation every 3rd min. sometimes i use dil h for 9 min with agitation every 2nd min. i love this stuff. and as a bonus i have never had any QC problems. i have begun shooting tmax100 for the great reciprocity it has. the negs are pretty good. they scan like shit but print very well in my darkroom.

i hope this helps. if i had lots of money i would shoot FP4+. i shot most of a 25 sheet box last year out west and the negs were perfect. good contrast, nice tones and printed very nicely. the reciprocity is bad, but i only use it for my lens stuff and it is nice stuff.

cheers
eddie

Spend the extra dough and buy FP4+.

You'll be much happier in the results
and more secure in the product.

I like the look of Efke 100 (the 25 and 50 films are very different) and haven't had any defective film.

One thing that I have learned in shooting the old tech films is that one has to use some old tech procedures to make sure I get the best results, like trying to buy film in the same batch when possible, testing each batch to see if the speed and contrast are the same as the last batch or if there are any problems like the banding that some people have experienced, and not keeping it around in the freezer forever. I've noticed some speed drift with the Forte 400, probably due to storage issues before it was purchased. I haven't seen this with Efke 100, but I still test just to be sure--usually one sheet from the last batch and one from the new batch, two sides of the same filmholder, processed together, to see if they are the same or if I need to do further testing.

efke

I use Foma 100 and Adox 25 and 100, all OK and lovely. FP4 yuck....

Harry Hollis said:

...FP4 yuck...

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Will you please explain that opinion with an an objective description of the FP4 Plus characteristics you don't like? Describing what you've developed it in and printed it on would add value to your follow up response. Thanks in advance.

Harry Hollis said:

I use Foma 100 and Adox 25 and 100, all OK and lovely. FP4 yuck....

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??? What are your problems with FP4???

pl100

been using quite a few boxes of the 8x10 efke without any problems. I also have about 5 boxes of the efke in 8x20 for my "new" korona which I haven't gotten around to using yet since Richard Ritter is still working on the camera. hoping that there won't be any since there are even fewer choices in that size...one good tip for using these films is to use a staining dev which will naturally harden the emulsion....
Best, Peter

FP4

Yes, I know, not a particularly helpful comment of mine...... Though posters have just said that FP4 is great, with out giving a particular reason....
I have used it developed with Adox APH09 1:25. In particular 120 format, printing on ADOX Fibre paper, with Eukobrom paper developer + selinium 1:100. I cannot explain why I do not like FP4 as much as Fomapan 100. The blue base of Fomapan 120 somehow produces a finer print, more clarity with shadow tones, it just sparkles for me. FP4 I found muddier somehow. Perhaps I am being muddy in my description? Irrational? I just like it more. Some people do rate FP4 at 100asa, maybe that helps?
A