Arista Edu ? Your Thoughts Please.

A

ARCHIVIST

Well-known
Local time
7:18 PM
Joined
Sep 10, 2006
Messages
446
I am resurrecting my 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 Century Graphic and its sheet film holders.

I see the Arista EDU in 100 and 400 is approximately half the cost per sheet as compared with Ilford FP4 and HP5.

What is Arista EDU like please - image quality, processing etc.

Any issues?

Cheers
Peter
 
It's just rebranded Fomapan. I'm personally a fan of Fomapan so I enjoy it! It'll probably be easier to find information about Fomapan film than it will Arista so searching for Fomapan sheet film images should come up with more results. I've never shot Fomapan in anything other than 35mm so I can't say too much about grain or resolution for a bigger format, but I do prefer the look of Fomapan 400 over Tri-x or HP5.
 
Arista.EDU film is actually Foma film. If you like Foma film, you'll like the Arista stuff. I like Foma 100. Image quality and tonality are very close to Ilford FP4 Plus. I do not like the Foma 400 film, though. It is too grainy and the tonality is not as nice as Ilford or Kodak 400 films.


My recommendation is to buy the Arista.EDU 100 if you like FP4. It is good film and very close to FP4. If you need a 400 speed film, stick to Ilford. The difference in image quality is big, and the Ilford HP5 really is worth the extra money.
 
I've used 100 and 400: lots. It did take me a while to get so I liked it. My observations: cut the ISO in half, develop at recommended times at first then adjust, if shooting with blue sky use an orange filter, be careful about highlight blowing so if high contrast scene either adjust development time or agitation.

I have used both Rodinal and HC110h but probably any developer would work fine. I did use Arista liquid developer for a bottle and it seemed to be fine.

This is Arista EDU ultra 400 at 200, in Rodinal 1+100, AND I used an Orange filter (which brings the EI to 100). You can see the sky looks normal. Arista EDU ultra 400 and 100 (if you look at the color spectrum curve you will see) is very sensitive to blue which causes for me an unpleasant sky:

Arista EDU ultra 400 Rodinal 1+100 by John Carter, on Flickr
 
Thank you all for the prompt replies.
Most encouraging. I will try a box of both and experiment/adjust as I go.
I mainly shoot urban landscape.


Cheers
Peter
 
I shoot a lot of AristaEDU/Foma 100 in 35mm and 120 at box speed. Process in HC110 or R09. Processing times from the Massive Development chart.

I like the results.

Steve W
 
I bulk load a lot of Fomapan 100. It has a nice contrasty, classic look. There are two "inexpensive" B&W films generally out there -- Kentmere and Fomapan. Kentmere is a good film, but is more modern looking. The Foma 200 has a cult following. The Foma 400, as already mentioned, is grainy. True ISO on the Fomapan is a bit less then the box speed (about 1/2 stop), so they say. The Fomapan grain (it's there in 35mm) shouldn't be a problem with large format. Just try the Foma, and see how you like it.
 
Yet more informative replies - very helpful.
Thank you.
The 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 is only available in 100 and 400. Pity, the 200 would be a nice compromise. Will buy a box of the 100 and do a days shooting to see how I go.


Cheers
Peter
 
If it is still Fomapan, the 100 is very nice. The 400 is awful- I've used 35mm and 120. The 400 was consistently blotchy.


If you're going to all the effort, it is better to pay the extra for Ilford, IMO
 
Have you looked for a roll-film back or adapter for your Graphic? That would allow you to use 120 or 620 depending upon the design of the back.


Steve W


ARCHIVIST said:
Yet more informative replies - very helpful.
Thank you.
The 2 1/4 x 3 1/4 is only available in 100 and 400. Pity, the 200 would be a nice compromise. Will buy a box of the 100 and do a days shooting to see how I go.


Cheers
Peter
Click to expand...
 
charjohncarter said:
I've used 100 and 400: lots. It did take me a while to get so I liked it. My observations: cut the ISO in half, develop at recommended times at first then adjust, if shooting with blue sky use an orange filter, be careful about highlight blowing so if high contrast scene either adjust development time or agitation.

I have used both Rodinal and HC110h but probably any developer would work fine. I did use Arista liquid developer for a bottle and it seemed to be fine.

This is Arista EDU ultra 400 at 200, in Rodinal 1+100, AND I used an Orange filter (which brings the EI to 100). You can see the sky looks normal. Arista EDU ultra 400 and 100 (if you look at the color spectrum curve you will see) is very sensitive to blue which causes for me an unpleasant sky:

Arista EDU ultra 400 Rodinal 1+100 by John Carter, on Flickr
Click to expand...


Do clouds stand out when halfing the ISO and using an orange filter? I shoot landscapes a lot with Arista EDU 100 and the skies have been washed out. There hasn't been any good sunny days with clouds to do any test shooting.



Steve W
 
charjohncarter said:
Yes, but California, at least where I live, the skies seem to be 100% blue or rarely overcast. The cumulus or cumulonimbus clouds are rare. Here is an image of a wispy cloud day. I think my development is noted on Flickr, and I did use an orange filter.
Arista EDU ultra 400 Rodinal 1+100 by John Carter, on Flickr

This is another one with Arista EDU Ultra 100 in Arista Liquid Developer, but a red filter:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/carte...P1u-e9BS7w-e9BHFU-e9BCdU-e9BF95-e9BKUb-c5jCtC
Click to expand...

25 or 29 red?
 
I use Arista Edu (Fomapan) 100 and 200 in 135 and sheets regularly and like the results at half their respective speeds in Rodinal. But Fomapan 400 is not a film I want to shoot again.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom