next box of film: Arista 100 or?

[Lightbender]

I was very impressed with Arista 100 in 4x5 sheets. But I'm all out. I was thinking I could spend a little more and get some ilford FP4 100 or Delta 100. But is it really worth the extra cost?

[jp]

Fp4, yes.

Have not tried delta 100

[Lightbender]

care to elaborate? I really like FP4 in 35mm. But I have not tried Arista in 35mm, so its hard to compare.

[jp]

FP4+ has Kodak/Fuji quality for half the price in sheet film. I think it has better quality control than the Arista product. Tones are most often based on how the photographer uses it, but I find FP4+ and Tmax400 to be easier to get the tones I like in the manner I use large format film.

[Ari]

I can echo what jp says; after trying out many other emulsions based on price and availability (Arista, Shanghai, etc), I decided the small extra cost of Ilford was worth it.
Shanghai apparently is out of business, and I found Arista to be inconsistent in their QC and emulsions.
Ilford FP4 and HP5 is all I will shoot now in B&W.

[IanG]

FP4+ has Kodak/Fuji quality for half the price in sheet film. I think it has better quality control than the Arista product. Tones are most often based on how the photographer uses it, but I find FP4+ and Tmax400 to be easier to get the tones I like in the manner I use large format film.

Price is very dependent on what country you're buying film in. All Ilford sheet films are very substantially cheaper in the US compared to the UK and Europe.

FP4 4x5 25 sheets is £38,32 - $56.06 here in the UK and in the US it's only $32.95.

Ilford's main competitor in the film and paper market these days is Foma not Kodak, I had to stop using Tmax films when living abroad because they were so hard to find where as Ilford and Kodak films were everywhere (various countries).

I use Ilford Delta 100 and HP5 and Foma 100 & 200 films, I'd suggest the OP try either FP4 or Delta 100 and compare to the Foma already used. I tend to use Ilford films for my main projects and Foma as a standby and for more random photography (as in outside planned projects).

Ian

[premortho]

I like Arista 100. Fp-4 is different than Arista 100, but very nice for certain other subjects, in my experience. I don't use Pan film much anymore since the death of Agfa APX 100. My main film now is Kodak Carestream single sided Ortho film. I buy it in 8X10, and cut it to 5X7.

[Fr. Mark]

+1 for Carestream Ektascan B/RA. Ortho film (develop by inspection if you want) about 100 speed, single sided, anti-halation layer. comes in 14x17inches or 8x10 and easy to cut under a dim red light to whatever size you want. Great for UV requiring alt printing, too. last time I ordered 8x10 from zz medical it was $88 delivered for 100 sheets of 8x10 and yes, it fits in 8x10 holders no problem.

[Willie]

Seem to remember Steve Anchell putting in his book Film Developing Cookbook that FP4 was a film to judge all others by.
It is excellent and Ilford's quality control keeps it that way.