Ultrafine Xtreme Black & White Film ISO 400 35mm

[OptiKen]

This came up in another thread and I hadn't heard of this film before.
Has anyone used it and if so, what are your opinions of it?
It's available from Photo Warehouse in 12exp, 24exp, and 36exp rolls starting at $2.49 per roll

 

[wildbill]

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[Paul Howell]

There has been some debate, Chinese or Harmon, or Foma. I have several rolls of Ultrafine extreme in 120 that are marked Make in EU and it has the Foma blue base, the paper backing is not what Foma uses on their roll film. I have had these rolls for a couple of years and they have expiration date of 09/15. I also have 100 foot roll of 400 in 35 which seems to be closer to Foma 400, developing time match Foma 400. From what other members have posted it seems that Ultra fine is using a different film, Lucky or Shanghai, who knows. It is possible that Utraline is buying rolls and putting on it's paper backing which is why there are reported issues with ink transferring to the emulsion? I know that Untraline offers reloads of Kodak and Ilford 35mm.

I like Foma 200 and buy Freestyle house brand which is rebranded Foma so I have bought film from Ultrafine although I still paper from them.

 

[Terry Christian]

The Xtreme 400 film is quite good in my view, the 100 very good. I've heard tell that it could be Ilford Pan 100 and 400, which are not commercially available from Ilford in the US, but I don't know. I doesn't look like Lucky or Foma to me.

 

[Paul Howell]

The Xtreme 400 film is quite good in my view, the 100 very good. I've heard tell that it could be Ilford Pan 100 and 400, which are not commercially available from Ilford in the US, but I don't know. I doesn't look like Lucky or Foma to me.

Does the 400 120 have a blue or clear base? Over the years I have Ilford Pan in 100 and 400 in 35mm but never in 120, did not know that it was made offered in 120 or sheet film.

 

[Terry Christian]

Sorry, PDH, but I don't know. I was referring to the 35mm Xtreme films. I haven't used it in 120.

 

[destroya]

both the 100 and 400 in 120 have a clear base. both are great films. I would bet that they are made by Harman. I use the times for Kentmere films as a starting point and they seem to be very close

 

[OptiKen]

good - horrible -average - ???
Reading the comments it appears that in the past, Ultrafine (non-Xtreme) was really bad in 100 ASA but the new Xtreme is wonderful<?>.
I think I will bite the bullet and get a couple rolls of 120 and a couple of rolls of 35mm in both 100 and 400 ASA to try it out. I would like to start rolling 35mm B&W in 12 - 20 exposure rolls but don't know if 400ASA will be too grainy. I like grain and like Arista EDU so if it is no worse than that, I will be happy. I rely on input from APUG because honestly when I shoot a test rolls I can't tell if it is the film, the exposure, or the development that had the most influence on the final product. What I'm saying is that as a photographer I make too many mistakes to simply blame the product when the fault may be with the photographer - me.

 

[mklw1954]

I think all the Xtreme films 135 and 120, ISO 100 and 400, are very good and I use them all. I develop them in D76 stock solution. Three years ago I bought a couple of rolls of each to check them out as I shoot 135 and 120 and I've bought several 100 ft. bulk rolls of the 135 ISO 100 and 400 and 20-roll packs of the 120 film in the last 2 years. I tried a roll of 120 ISO 100 Plus film and it was very poor quality.

In my opinion, the 135 400 ISO doesn't have that special tone rendition of Tri-X or Legacy Pro 400 (which was Fuji) but it is very good and I've made some nice prints from that film. Recently I shot two rolls of the 120 ISO 400 along with 120 Tri-X and could not really see any difference in the print quality between films.

But check them out for yourself, pick up a couple of rolls of each, they are not expensive.

Their developing information does not include agitation information but I use Ilford agitation (4 inversions over the first 10 seconds, repeat every minute thereafter) and it works.