Non F*ed up Foma 200 in 8x10?

EASmithV · Jan 16, 2012

Hello,

As my 50 sheet box of beautiful Foma 200 is drawing to a close, I'm wondering if they ever straightened out the problems they had with this film, and if it's worth buying more? I love the look, but I want the quality to be consistently excellent as compared to my previous box. I heard they had problems with scratching in the film transport, but this would not be an issue in sheet film sizes?

Thanks!
Eric

EASmithV · Jan 17, 2012

Nobody? I know they resumed coating, but was wondering if anybodies personal experience has confirmed that is it as good as it was before?

Aurelien · Jan 17, 2012

Sorry i did not see your post. They did not solve the problem in rolls, but the sheet film is perfect!

Mainecoonmaniac · Jan 17, 2012

I've been using Arista EDU for a few years now. At first, the 120 rolls were really curly. Now it's no longer a problem. Just got an Ansco wooden 8x10 camera and I'm considering using Foma film. B&H has 100 8x10 sheets for $179. Foma/Arista EDU film has a nice look.

RPippin · Jan 17, 2012

I too am running out of Foma 200 in 8X10, and have been told by those who use it regularly that the Arista EDU is exactly the same as Foma. What do ya'll think? Anyone done a lot of comparing? If it is the same thing I'd rather spend a bit less and get more film.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jan 17, 2012

I think it is but not 100% sure. Both are made in Czech Republic right?

BradS · Jan 17, 2012

RPippin said:
I too am running out of Foma 200 in 8X10, and have been told by those who use it regularly that the Arista EDU is exactly the same as Foma. What do ya'll think?

Yes. Foma and Arista.EDU Ultra are in actual fact the exact same film. Freestyle has made this quite plain without actually stating it (I do not think they are allowed to say it outright).

EASmithV · Jan 18, 2012

The Foma 200 8x10 film I have is in fact in it's Arista Incarnation, but for purposes of clarity, I call it what it is

Aurelien said:
Sorry i did not see your post. They did not solve the problem in rolls, but the sheet film is perfect!

Good to hear! It's great film for the money, and 50 sheet boxes from Freestyle don't break the bank TOO hard.

BradS · Jan 18, 2012

How do those of you who like Foma 200 expose and process it?...oh and are you contact printing or enlarging?
I'm curious because I had a terrible time with this film.
.

Ian Grant · Jan 18, 2012

BradS said:
How do those of you who like Foma 200 expose and process it?...oh and are you contact printing or enlarging?
I'm curious because I had a terrible time with this film.
.

Both the Fonapan 100 & 200 are films that need taming, it's essential to do your own EI and dev time testing to get the best from these films. They need somewhere between 2/3 to 3/4 the dev times of other films or they become very contrasty.

I use the 200 @ 100 EI and process in Pyrocat HD 1+1+100 @ 20°C for 10 to 11 mins compared to 15-16 mins for all other films. I've also used Xtol again with a similar EI and cut in dev time. The negatives are then very easy to print with good tones, excellent sharpness and fine grained. I use both the 100 & 200 in 120 and LF sizes.

Ian

DREW WILEY · Jan 18, 2012

I just drymounted some enlargements from 8x10 film from the previous batch of Arista 200. Magnificent tonality, esp in the shadows, for subjects with very wide illuminance ranges. I tray dev
in PMK but never rate the film higher than 100. Recip correction is also significant. An easy film to
underexpose! But 50% of my shots were outright wasted due to scratches, so it turned out to be
no bargain for me. So I too would like to know if they've ironed out some of the bugs.

BradS · Jan 18, 2012

I've just been looking at prices for B&W 8x10 sheet film...

at Freestyle..
Arista EDU Ultra 100.......$120 / 50
Arista EDU Ultra 200.......$140 / 50
Efke PL100M..................$166 / 50
Adox CHS 100................$177 / 50
Fomapan 100..................$180 / 50
Fomapan 200..................$??? / 50
Ilford FP4+ ...$110 / 25 = $220 / 50

at BadgerGraphic:
Ilford FP4+ ....$90 / 25 = $180 / 50

I guess I do not see the value when this film comes in the Foma branded box.
Perhaps it is worth the risk, when it comes in the in the AristEDU package.

Undoubtedly, pricing is different in Europe but I would expect the relative price difference to be about the same in Europe. Is that the case?

DREW WILEY · Jan 18, 2012

Meaningless comparison, Brad. Foma/Arista is a completely different animal from FP4. With the demise of Super XX and Bergger 200, what's left in a straight-line film? For long scale you can use
Efke 25 (hopelessly slow and with quality issues of its own) or Tmax films to some extent (getting
really expensive and must now be specially ordered in 8X10). I could take one of these classic 200
films and photograph brightly lit thunderheads up in the high country and retain detail there, plus
superb shadow separation way way down at the same time. The Foma formula had less toe than any other film I have ever used - even better than Super-XX. But what's the point if I have to spend hours spotting the
print?

Mustafa Umut Sarac · Jan 18, 2012

I am agree with Ian , I received 30 meters arista edu and decided to learn about them. When I looked to flickr , the pictures were ultra contrasty . I think it must be tamed as Ian suggest.

BradS · Jan 18, 2012

DREW WILEY said:
Meaningless comparison, Brad. Foma/Arista is a completely different animal from FP4. With the demise of Super XX and Bergger 200, what's left in a straight-line film? For long scale you can use....

Yes, I completely agree with your assertion that FP4+ and Foma are completely different.

Wasn't Bergger 200 made by Forte? Was it Forte Classic Pan or some thing like that? I really liked Forte's Classic Pan 400. That was a very nice film, that took a lot of time & effort to get used to but it was worth it.

EASmithV · Jan 19, 2012

I roll dev in Beseler print tubes at ASA 200 in HC-110 1:64 (Dilution H?) for 12 minutes at room temp. I find this gives me a nice long tonal range, admittedly I shoot most of it in cloudy light / diffused shade. No problems with scratches. I sometimes have an occasional speck in the photo, but i'm willing to blame my chemistry for those.

Curt · Jan 19, 2012

I went hog wild with J&C and bought hundreds of sheets in 5x7 and 8x10 400. What was I thinking?

What's the main objection to Ilford FP4 if any?

If you really want to become an expert at negative retouching, Efke is your baby. FP4 comes out clean 99.9 % of the time, when it happens it's dust not defective film.

The same is true of Kodak films.

Any film with ongoing problems just isn't a bargain.

Ian Grant · Jan 19, 2012

BradS said:
Yes, I completely agree with your assertion that FP4+ and Foma are completely different.

Wasn't Bergger 200 made by Forte? Was it Forte Classic Pan or some thing like that? I really liked Forte's Classic Pan 400. That was a very nice film, that took a lot of time & effort to get used to but it was worth it.

Yes it was Forte Classic Pan 200.

Irealised on inspection that the two boxes I thought were Aox 25 were in fact Fortepan 200 from the very last coating run. The Adox 25 and Fortepan 200 are in identical white boxes with just a small sticker on the underside.

Ian

mjs · Jan 19, 2012

I bought a box of Arista.EDU 100 speed in 8x10 last autumn from Freestyle and got a call from a nice lady at Freestyle. She said that they were out of the Arista product but would it be all right if they sent a box of Foma, that it was the same thing. So there you go: confirmation!

Mike

Non F*ed up Foma 200 in 8x10?

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