MF Film that CURL!

[hortense]

New into MF ... First tried Arista.EDU 400 and when it dried (even with hanging weights) it CURLED ! Am I going to find this on all MF roll film? If so, does anybody have any reasonable solution? [How about Acros100?]

 

[kaiyen]

Arista.edu, which is/was Forte, is notoriously curly, even after drying with weights. Most films are not that curly after drying.

allan

 

[Paul Sorensen]

I have also found that foma and efke curl quite a bit. It seems to come along with the "traditional emulsion" films from central and eastern europe. I have no problems with curling with Ilford, Kodak, or Agfa.

 

[fschifano]

Another medium format film notorious for curling is the chinese made Lucky brand. Unlike the Forte films though, this film curls up into a tube along the long axix of the film.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I'll concur--the East European 120 films curl more than Kodak, Ilford, Fuji, and Agfa. Use wide weighted clips, dry thoroughly, store flat in sleeves, and they'll flatten out.

Arista.EDU film used to be Forte, but now is Foma, so which you have would depend on when you bought it. I think the new version is Arista.EDU Ultra and should say "Manufactured in the Czech Republic." Forte is manufactured in Hungary.

 

[Claire Senft]

I believe, without any supporting evidence that Hungarian film upon drying tries to take the form of a Goulash noddle. This I believe is a matter of national pride. Why do you suppose they call it Foma?

How you set for glass carriers?

 

[Mongo]

One thing that I've found that helps the curling phenomenon: having the film dry more slowly reduces the curl somewhat for me. In the winter, when the furnace is running and the air is dry, I put a small bowl of warm water in the bottom of my film drying "cabinet" (actually a hanging garment bag). In the summer when the humidity in my home is higher I don't bother.

The film will still curl, but probably only about half as much.

 

[Flotsam]

I use a lot of Efke 50 and curling has never been an issue for me at all.
I currently use Kodak Rapid Fix with Hardener, a short (fill and dump a few times) rinse, Permawash, longer fill and dump wash, dip thru Photo-flo, wipe off surface water and dry in slightly warm, moving air with a wooden clothespin at the bottom for weight.
No experience with Foma but I'll keep your experience in mind.

 

[hortense]

Thanks everyone! I think I'll shift to other non-curling films. Actually, I am quite impressed with what I've heard about Fuji Acros 100 ... so, I think I'll try it. What about higher ASA films (e.g., 400)?

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I shoot lots of Tri-X. Delta 400 is a nice film. I prefer Tri-X and Delta 400 to HP5+, but some people prefer HP5+. I think T-Max 400 is one of those films that looks better in larger formats than smaller formats, but it has its advocates. Any of these films is capable of good results, if you like it.

Buy a roll of each, see which appeals to your taste, and stick with it for a year.

 

[Michel Hardy-Vallée]

When doing Efke, I just put my dry negs in a PrintFile, then put them in a moderate stack of coffe-table books. There's still a remaining curl, but it's more easy to handle, and the neg stays flat in the holder anyway so it does not impact printing.

 

[Woolliscroft]

Technical Pan curls badly too, because of its thin base (I know it's not made any more but I am still using it). If you use weighted clips and store it held flat it eventually settles down. Most mainstream films are no trouble. I have just spent 18 months trying to uncurl some 60 year old nitro cellulose base Agfa 127 negs that had been stored rolled up in metal tubes. They were pictures my wife's grandfather had taken in the German airforce during WWII, and of real historical, as well as family interest. That was fun (not) but it worked in the end.

David.

 

[david b]

I've never had a problem with any agfa, iflord, kodak, fuji film. But everytime I shoot maco or efke, things get outta hand.

So I don't shoot them any more. Not worth the hassle or saving fifty cents.

 

[Foto Ludens]

I shoot 120 Efke (macophot) film, and dry it on the reels with hair dryer contraption. After drying, I put it in binder sleeves and wait a couple of days. Straight as an arrow after that.

 

[Peter Williams]

I shoot mostly Delta and Tmax 100 & 400. I get outrageous curling on Delta 3200 but no problems at all with the other two.

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

I have no curl problems (or scratching problems) with any of these MF roll films. I fix in a non-hardening fixer, rinse in de-ionized water and dry with weighted clips and without heat. I store the negs in PrintFiles, with a modest amount of weight on them for a couple days. No problems.

I see no reason to deprive myself of the excellent photographic properties of these films for something that is a non-problem when proper processing and post processing procedures are used.

 

[Rlibersky]

Bergger 120 curls as well. I did find if I dry it in a film dryer, it stays flat. Unfortunately I don't have one yet. The kodak films I use have not been a problem.

 

[gasha]

Lucky 120 was curling a lot. Especially when i was trying to scan it with Epson 3170.
Probably curling gets worse when heated or when loosing humidity/water.