EFKE R25 or Fomapan 100

[Anscojohn]

It's time to order some 120 roll film. What are your expert recommendations? I can pick up two stops I am not accustomed to having if I go with the Foma. TIA

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Both are wonderful films. Efke has a different spectral sensitivity in being less red sensitive.

If you purchase Arista.EDU 100 you get Foma 100 dirt cheap. I don't know about the rest of photographers here, though. I've had problems (emulsion inconsistencies) with the Arista.EDU films and not with the Foma branded films, which are supposedly identical. Just a warning shot.

- Thomas

 

[ntenny]

Both are just delectable films with strong characters of their own; I think you should get some of each. If you really *must* pick only one, the Foma is certainly more versatile because of the two extra stops, of course.

-NT

 

[fschifano]

Haven't used Efke 25, so I can't comment. Have used quite a bit of Foma 100 sold as Arista.EDU Ultra by Freestyle. Never seen any problems with the emulsion, and, considering the bargain basebent price for which it sells here, I think it's pretty good film. The base is cyan colored, but don't let that put you off. It works fine with VC papers. It's can curl a bit and that might drive you nuts, but it doesn't bother me.

 

[Venchka]

Arista.EDU 100 may, or may not, be 2 stops faster than Efke R25. Do your own testing to be sure.

 

[jim appleyard]

I haven't used the Foma, but the Efke may have emulsion defects. The Efke delivers a great image, but take two or three shots of each image to be sure; not a very efficient way to photograph, especially @ $3.99/roll.

 

[MrMushroomMan]

Arista.EDU 100 may, or may not, be 2 stops faster than Efke R25. Do your own testing to be sure.

I agree...seems a lot of people like to rate all foma films at half speed.

 

[Curt]

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/706594-Ilford-Pan-F+-50-iso-120-size?cat_id=403

This is a perfect choice for fine grain, speed, defect free, repeatable time after time, no significantly curl, just one of the most consistent films out there. I'm partial to it and Rollei Pan 25 since Agfa Pan 25 and Panatomic X aren't around anymore. With 6x7 I want a film that gets it the first time without having to make several duplicates for quality. I'd choose Ilford, Kodak or Rollei, there are others but these have never failed me.

 

[arealitystudios]

Personally I'd go with Foma. I like Efke film, I like it a lot in fact, but I feel that Foma 100 is a bit more versitile (I shoot it at box speed all the time) and looks incredible in Rodinal. Very sharp and just the right amount of grain to give the kind of classic look that I like.

I've purchased many many boxes of Foma under both the Arista label and Foma label in 120 and sheet film sizes and never once have had a problem with quality control. I've also shot a lot of Efke and only once did I have a slight defect with the emulsion. Most likely it was even my fault due to handling the film too rough while rolling it on a reel.

 

[Ian Grant]

Arista.EDU 100 may, or may not, be 2 stops faster than Efke R25. Do your own testing to be sure.

Over the years I've used both films, and surprisingly rate them both at 50 EI. I use the PL25 in 5x4 & 10x8 but in the past have also used it in 35mm KB14/KB25 & 120 R14/R25. The results are excellent and in terms of garin & sharpness there's no other conventional B&W film capable of getting close except Pan F.

Fomapan 100 is OK but Fomafilms need about a third less development than other films to reach the same contrast. I've been shooting Fomapan 100 & 200 in 120 and Fomapan 100 in 5x4, it's good film but you do need to be careful to control it's contrast.

Ian

 

[ntenny]

Over the years I've used both films, and surprisingly rate them both at 50 EI.

What's your development regime for the Efke at EI 50? I'm a bit surprised, since it's widely felt to deal poorly with underexposure---if you've got something that produces a real speed gain with this film, I think there would be a lot of people interested.

A lot of people do downrate the Foma film, but I've been very happy with the results at box speed (in Caffenol C and PC-TEA, mainly). It does seem like a film with an unusually high need for individual testing. (I call that "fun"; some people would call it "annoying".)

-NT

 

[P C Headland]

What's your development regime for the Efke at EI 50? I'm a bit surprised, since it's widely felt to deal poorly with underexposure---if you've got something that produces a real speed gain with this film, I think there would be a lot of people interested.

....

I thought it was that it didn't do too well with OVER exposure. I've read of quite a few people shooting it a half to full stop faster.

I rate it at EI 25 for Rodinal 1+100 or PC-TEA. I have (accidentally) shot it at 100 when I forgot to reset my meter, and the results were fine. IIRC, I just left it in the developer a little longer - (Rodinal 1+100) for around 30 minutes.

 

[Ian Grant]

My dev times for Adox/Efke KB/R/PL14-25 @ 50 EI have always been the same as my Tmax 100 times @ 50 EI in Rodinal, Xtol and now Pyrocat HD.

The DIN rating system the 14, now given as the ASA 25 designation was rather conservative, this is why the films behave badly if overexposed, I've used PL25 and Tmax100 during the same sessions processing in the same tank & time and both have very similar printing densities, contrast etc.

I started using KB14 (DIN) & R14 back in the early 1970's and ran some test rolls before finding my personal EI, that's not changed although the films now called KB25 (ASA), over the last 15 years I've also been using the PL25 in 5x4 & 10x8. There are other posts on APUG with users shooting EFKE25 @ 50EI

Ian

 

[ntenny]

I thought it was that it [Efke 25] didn't do too well with OVER exposure. I've read of quite a few people shooting it a half to full stop faster.

I stand corrected. Sorry about that; I guess I was thinking of a different film.

-NT

 

[Ian Grant]

I stand corrected. Sorry about that; I guess I was thinking of a different film.

-NT

No reason to be sorry It goes against the norm set by all other film manufacturers.

Adox/EFKE films are quite unique.

Ian

 

[Rolleijoe]

I've used both, and each has their own place for different "looks". Try a couple of each, see what you like and go from there.

 

[ricksplace]

I have used both. I use mostly Arista.edu ultra (foma) now. I agree with all the comments above. While there were some quality control issues when Freestyle first brought out the film, I have not seen any since (in the last 5-8 years). If you want something slower than foma 100, try ilford panF at iso 25.

 

[Bosaiya]

Go with Efke, it is just so smooth and beautiful. Foma... eh, sure, it's nice. But Efke...

 

[katphood]

I can't comment on Foma since I've never used it. I just began using Efke 25 (35mm) and found out the hard way that one must be careful with filters. I found that my red / orange (B+W 041) really limited what light hit the film. Efke 25 and 50 are "orthopanchromatic." It's not very sensitive to red. So a red or reddish filter cuts out a lot of what it can see. I had better luck with my deep yellow filter, and no filter at all was OK.

I still need to try my plain yellow. I've heard that yellow / green is good too.

 

[mikebarger]

I hope the 120mm Efke has better QA than in the past. I bought 20 rolls of the 25 from J&C about the time they were going under.

I gave away the last ten rolls due to two issues, 1. I never knew when and where a defect was going to pop up, and 2. It curled like a soda straw.

I went back to Tri-x and haven't looked back.

Hope your luck is better than mine was.

Mike

 

[Ian Grant]

Around the time those films where made there was a lot of pressure to get product, Agfa had just gone, Ilford were still under-going re-organisation and a lot of sub-standard film was bought & sold mainly by J&C.

I've used Adox/EFKE films since the early 70's & as yet never had a problem with 35mm, 120 or LF films. I could say more about J&C, I think Agfa threatened legal action after the company tried to pass off re-labelled RO9 as Rodinal, but there's no point raking over old coals J&C has gone for good.

Sub-standard film was sold, it should never have reached the market.

Ian

 

[Curt]

I hope the 120mm Efke has better QA than in the past. I bought 20 rolls of the 25 from J&C about the time they were going under.

These are the issues I was talking about, the early film was better, didn't have the flaws that the J&C film had. I wondered why that was but it is becoming apparent. I still have a lot of the J&C film in 35 and 120, When I do use it I make multiple exposures. Life if hard enough without pinholes and emulsion flakes to deal with.

 

[Bosaiya]

Try a new roll and see if you still have those problems. I shoot a lot of Efke 25 and aside from the notorious curl have had not a problem.

 

[77seriesiii]

guys I found this interesting and I have just about convinced the better half to try both efke 25 and foma 100 in 4x5 film. I have tried to find a good reciprocity chart for the foma 100 and I think I did and then the computer blew up...:rolleyes:

So having found what appears to be the smart Efke and Foma folks that have experience with these films...does anyone know or feel like sharing how to extrapolate the reciprocity adjustments found on Foma's site here:

http://www.foma.cz/Upload/foma/prilohy/F_pan_100_en.pdf

BTW I should mention I am just entering into the LF disease...

I am planning on developing with Pyrocat HD, which I think should come out pretty sweet looking.

Thanks for and all help

Erick

 

[vic vic]

i dont know the foma 100, but i can tell u about the efke 25 (120 format too) that it is one of the most beautiful films. in fact, it is not difficult to work with, unlike the common sense we have about slow films. the efke 50 is even more flexible, and essentially, not much different from 25 in medium format. actually, in average daylight u really can use it at 100 , so even handhold option is easier. rodinal is great for it.
lots of room to play with the "look" of the negative and print both in 25, and especially in 50.