From Ultafine back to Foma, round and round we go

Paul Howell · Jul 7, 2020

For years I shot a lot of Foma 200, then found Ultrafine as a very good walk around film with Tmax 400 and 100 for travel and other more serious work. Ultrafine has a very good price point, but today I checked prices I can get Foma 200 in 24 ex rolls for the same price as Ultrafine 400 24 which I shoot at 200, so back to square one.

Bormental · Jul 7, 2020

I've never tried Foma 200. The data sheet indicates that it's more like ISO 160, and I've been quite happy with Foma 100 at box speed. How would you compare the two?

Paul Howell · Jul 7, 2020

I've used Foma 200 in 4X5 for many years with good results, just bought a box of Foma 400 in 4X5 thinking I was going to get 400, sadly I neglected to review the data sheet, only a few developer get close to 400, none of which I use,, most seem to land around 200 which I get with Foma 200 in MCM 100. Although Foma 400 seems to be less contrasty than 200 it is rather gainey, in 35mm I have live with the grain of 200 with a little more speed than 100. What I don't care for with Ultrafine is the absence of the anti halogen layer, so for a walk around film I can live with Foma 200. By the way when I did shoot Foma 100 I got ISO 50 with D76.

David Lyga · Jul 7, 2020

Paul Howell said:
I What I don't care for with Ultrafine is the absence of the anti halogen layer, so for a walk around film I can live with Foma 200. By the way when I did shoot Foma 100 I got ISO 50 with D76.

I presume that you mean "anti-halation layer" here. - David Lyga

Rowreidr · Jul 8, 2020

Paul Howell said:
For years I shot a lot of Foma 200, then found Ultrafine as a very good walk around film with Tmax 400 and 100 for travel and other more serious work. Ultrafine has a very good price point, but today I checked prices I can get Foma 200 in 24 ex rolls for the same price as Ultrafine 400 24 which I shoot at 200, so back to square one.

On or around June 28th, they raised prices of the 120 and 100ft rolls by about 13%. Not sure about the prerolled 35mm, but assume they went up as well.

NB23 · Jul 8, 2020

Rowreidr said:
On or around June 28th, they raised prices of the 120 and 100ft rolls by about 13%. Not sure about the prerolled 35mm, but assume they went up as well.

The arista 100 and 400 bulk went up from 50 to 52$ at BH photo, which is not bad...

Donald Qualls · Jul 8, 2020

I've been using the Arista rebrand of Foma for years. It's something like 20 cents a roll cheaper than Foma branded. Sometimes, I've seen other online vendors (Adorama or B&H) carry the same Arista .EDU Ultra film for less than Freestyle, as well, so I shop around -- but I haven't seen Ultrafine beat .EDU Ultra since I've been looking at it.

Paul Howell · Jul 8, 2020

PhotoWarehouse
Ultrafine eXtreme Black & White Film ISO 400 35mm x 24 exp.
Item# 652-244
$3.79, 100/$359.00

From Adorama

Foma Fomapan 200 Creative 35mm Black and White Negative Film, 24 Exposures
S

$3.89 You save: $0.40 (9%)

Your right, Ultrafine is 10 cents cheaper a roll, but as I prefer Foma over Ultrafine, i can live with the dime. And once I finish my box of Foma 400 4X5 I will be shooting 200 in all formats. The reason is bought Foma at Adorama vs Arista from Freestyle is that Adorama takes pay pal and shipping is free.

Donald Qualls · Jul 8, 2020

And that price differential may be the other way around if you're buying in bulk rolls.

Free shipping is worth something, though, and Paypal might be if you don't want to give your credit card information to strangers over the Internet. I've been using PayPal for about eighteen years -- set up the account in the first place to buy a camera on eBay.

NB23 · Jul 9, 2020

David Lyga said:
I presume that you mean "anti-halation layer" here. - David Lyga

probably... but anti-halogen sounds way cooler

David Lyga · Jul 9, 2020

NB23 said:
probably... but anti-halogen sounds way cooler

But, it is 'way less' accurate. - David Lyga

Paul Howell · Jul 9, 2020

Spell check as sense of humor.

From Ultafine back to Foma, round and round we go

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