Low cost sheet film, which is best?

[StigHagen]

Hi!

I'm considering buying some low cost sheet film for portraiture under controlled light conditions.

Which one would you suggest and why?

I'm considering:
Foma Fomapan 100 (Adox EDU ultra 100)
Adox CHS 100
but other films are also interesting...

 

[FiatluX]

I´ve only tried the Adox CHS 50 so far, and quality control seems inferior to major brands! I ´ve had pinholes, black spots and varying size sheets..
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Don´t know about Foma but I´m considering trying the Rollei Retro 100 as soon as I run out of the Adox:

http://www.fotoimpex.de/shop/filme/...00-tonal-102x127cm-50-blatt-planfilm-4x5.html

 

[mrred]

I use quite a bit of Foma 100, although MF. Its my favorite 100 film and I would expect you would get great results with it. I don't shoot 4x5, but I cannot see how you would be disappointed.

I have not had quality issues, but it is a soft emulsion and anything can happen. Try a small box first and use a hardener in your fix.

 

[aluncrockford]

I have used Adox CHS 100 10/8 processed in both pmk and ID11 and is is perfectly fine, never had a problem with quality,it also has a major advantage with longer exposures as the reciprocity is very slight. Because of the higher content of silver it appears to have a wider range of mid tones so all things considered I would recommend this film

 

[Rick A]

I've been shooting lots of the Arista EDU Ultra 100 in both 120 and 4x5 and haven't had any problems with it. Its a very good and forgiving film. To avoid pinholes, either use diluted stop(50% normal dilution) or water rinse for stop. I use diluted stop followed by water rinse prior to fixing, and have not seen pinholes on any of my negatives souped in D-76 or Pyrocat-HD.

 

[antaios]

Altough I'm relativeley new in large format photography, I have already used two boxes (100 sheets) of Fomapan 100 4x5, with no problem regarding quality. The tonality of this film is very good. I've used it with Kodak HC-110H, Ilford ID-11 and Ilford Microphen with excellent results. I have not tested in exposures longer than 2 sec, so I have no experience regarding the reciprocity. I recommend this film!!!!!

 

[mikebarger]

I agree with mrred, try some small packages of several of the low price films and see what you like and don't like.

Years ago I tried some EFKE from J&C and had problems with defects and decided to use HP5 as Tri-x 400 wasn't available in 4x5. If I ever get through the seven boxes (100 count) in the freezer, I may try one of the low cost guys again.

If you test, please report back.

Mike

 

[AmsterdamMartin]

Fomapan looks nice. Although I recently had to throw away a 4x5 fomapan 100 box, because of pinholes, which were there all along. One box out of four for me so far and the end of it. I do not know what the statistics are but if quality control is inferior, then I'd rather pay much more for Delta 100 or TMAX.
ADOX CHS 25 and 50 have never let me down either (carefully handling). I do not want to miss some photos because of poor quality control, no matter the cost. Like they say in my country: buying cheap is expensive.
I spend time, pay the fuel, misuse my car, make my clothes dirty and catch a cold making photos.

 

[brianmquinn]

“Because of the higher content of silver it appears to have a wider range of mid tones”
This is a myth.
Silver content does not indicate image quality.
TMY-2 has less silver but is a fantastic film.

 

[Shawn Dougherty]

I use FP4+ as my "low cost" 4x5 film. At B&H it's .89 cents a sheet when you buy 100 sheets.... and IMH (and broke) Opinion - when you factor in Ilford's quality control it's well worth it.

I use Tmax400 in lower light and try and "save" by using FP4+ when it's speed is enough....

 

[squinonescolon]

Hi Shawn,
Where do you find fp4 at that price? I see freestyle has it for 1.29 a sheet.

Scratch that. I see, BandH. Are their prices generally lower for analog items. I pretty much never check with anyone else besides Freestyle because they were always cheaper. But I haven't checked in a while.

 

[StigHagen]

Hi Shawn,
Where do you find fp4 at that price? I see freestyle has it for 1.29 a sheet.

Scratch that. I see, BandH. Are their prices generally lower for analog items. I pretty much never check with anyone else besides Freestyle because they were always cheaper. But I haven't checked in a while.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/24664-REG/Ilford_1678288_FP4_Plus_4x5_100.html

 

[Nicholas Lindan]

Probably the best bang for the buck is '2nd hand' and past-date freezer-stored film. As most of the film->digital professionals have already cleaned out their freezers the bargains aren't what they used to be, but they do still appear from time to time.

 

[2F/2F]

...it also has a major advantage with longer exposures as the reciprocity is very slight.

That is interesting. I have found it, and the other Efke/Adox films, to be among the most vile offenders in the reciprocity failure department.

Also, I am doubtful of the claim that a high silver content gives the film "more mid tones." Anything you see different in the tonality of the Efke/Adox films likely has more to do with spectral sensitivity than with silver content.

Efke/Adox are attractive and cheap emulsions that are available in many interesting sizes, but they are made with very poor quality in the grand scheme of things that are available today. I use them, but would never consider them "general-purpose" films, due to their lousy quality, their delicacy, and their need for special handling in order to get good results. If you can't just throw it in some D-76, whatever stop bath, and whatever fixer and get good-enough results every time, it ain't a general-purpose, every-day film in my book.

I would go for the Foma, or some expired but cold-stored Ilford, Kodak, or Fuji. Going back to what the guy I quoted was talking about, if reciprocity maintenance in long exposures is important to you, I'd suggest Fuji Acros 100 or Kodak T-Max 100.

 

[aluncrockford]

One of the joys of forums is trying to offer objective advice using actual experience gained,in my case from 30 years as a professional advertising photographer, I obviously do not have the time to test every single emulsion and dev, I am far too busy for such things, so when offering suggestions I should have realised that I know absolutely nothing and can only apologise for my stupidity,rest assured I will keep my ill informed advice to myself

Dead Link Removed

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

Arista/Foma is quite difficult to beat in term of price and results are excellent.
Efke is beautiful. Never had a problem with scratches btw.
All of these processed in Rodinal, Wd2D+ or Agfa 8.

 

[Guillaume Zuili]

One of the joys of forums is trying to offer objective advice using actual experience gained,in my case from 30 years as a professional advertising photographer, I obviously do not have the time to test every single emulsion and dev, I am far too busy for such things, so when offering suggestions I should have realised that I know absolutely nothing and can only apologise for my stupidity,rest assured I will keep my ill informed advice to myself

Dead Link Removed

It's just a forum Aluncrockford.
Take it lightly and with a smile, the guy that quoted you doesn't know that
ID11 is like D76.

Guillaume

 

[2F/2F]

It's just a forum Aluncrockford.
Take it lightly and with a smile, the guy that quoted you doesn't know that
ID11 is like D76.

Guillaume

Indeed, it is just a forum.

And I very well do know that ID-11 is effectively identical to D-76. I made my "D-76" comment not to refute anything that the other guy said, but to make the point that the Efke film is very sensitive to damage unless special steps are taken in processing, thus I do not consider it a good "general-purpose" film.

 

[mabman]

I don't know what the sheet film base colour tint is, but in 120 the Foma/Arista.edu Ultra 100 base is blue.

Just pointing that out as the final blueish result of 120 took me by surprise (The AH dye that washes out is yellow, I initially thought there was other dye that hadn't washed out, but a quick search told me that blue was, in fact, the normal base tint.)

 

[removed account4]

lowest cost sheet film seem to be from eastern europe
i tend to buy lower-cost sheet film ... - expired, from people here.

but like everything
YMMV

 

[stevebrot]

I have been shooting the Arista.EDU Ultra 100 and have generally been happy with the results. I have been processing in HC-110, dilution G, semi-stand for 15 minutes at 21C (1 minute pre-soak). In regards to reciprocity, the insert from Freestyle does not address long exposures, but if the data for Fomapan 100 is any guide, then EDU Ultra is no champ in this arena. (Fomapan Insert)


Steve

 

[Shawn Dougherty]

Hi Shawn,
Where do you find fp4 at that price? I see freestyle has it for 1.29 a sheet.

Scratch that. I see, BandH. Are their prices generally lower for analog items. I pretty much never check with anyone else besides Freestyle because they were always cheaper. But I haven't checked in a while.

I try and go with Freestyle for everything if they are close - but for a few things - like FP4+ - I have to go with B&H. $1.29 vs $.89 is significant....

Strange thing is, I'm buying my Tmax400 at Freestyle as they are cheaper on that.....

EDIT: just noticed it's $.86 a sheet at B&H now. I can't believe they LOWERED the price a bit....

 

[herb]

lowest cost sheet film

I have always wondered why lowest cost is an issue in film. What is one's time worth? When getting to a display print, would film cost matter?
Photo Engineer had a good post a few years ago about top tier and second and third tier manufactureres. It is a good read

 

[brianmquinn]

One of the joys of forums is trying to offer objective advice using actual experience gained,in my case from 30 years as a professional advertising photographer, I obviously do not have the time to test every single emulsion and dev, I am far too busy for such things, so when offering suggestions I should have realised that I know absolutely nothing and can only apologise for my stupidity,rest assured I will keep my ill informed advice to myself

Dead Link Removed

Keep in mind most of the posts on APUG are just personal observations and personal preferences. Not much true scientific data is posted. My opinions and observations are no more valid than other individuals on APUG.

You say you have years of experience and have observed that “Adox CHS 100 10/8 processed in both pmk and ID11…appears to have a wider range of mid tones” . I believe you and feel this is an entirely valid and useful post. I just disagreed that silver content was the reason for this. I feel that any manufacturer claims their product has high silver content and is thus better is just marketing. All that matters are results and if you have 30 years of experience that say this product will give fine results I trust you.

I have used a bit of Adox CHS 100 in 120 size but I admit I have never used it in sheet form. I have avoided it because I fear I will damage the soft emulsion during processing. For this reason I have stuck with Kodak.

 

[RobertV]

If you have a good processing system it doesn't matter if you have a softer emulsion or not.

What you never have to do with soft emulsions:

Squeegee
Touch wet film
High temperature film development

Foma, Efke etc. will do fine in a Jobo Expert system for sheet film and
35mm, 120 roll film also in a reel development.

You CAN harden the film in the developing process with Formaline or use a hardener fixer (or regular fix with additional hardener) but with no mechanical contact this is not necessary.

Prevent a too wide pH exchange so limit the Stop to 1,5% and prevent temperature changes during the whole process up from development to the wash cycle.

Foma has been iso 9000/9001 certified. So they have a Q.C. system. Which doesn't mean there can not be any quality issues. Further they prefer any communications via their int. distributors. So if there is any issue you have to contact your local Foma distributor.