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View Full Version : OK, no more Arista LF, and now.....?



domenico Foschi
26-Apr-2005, 22:58
It looks like Arista LF is almost gone at Freestyle, so now it's time to shop around for film .
I was wondering if some Arista aficionados have already done the switch .
I have heard ,of course, great things about Efke, but I have also read that the emulsion is a bit delicate.
I liked the latitude of Arista/ilford . Is Efke comparable?
Thank you.

John Kasaian
26-Apr-2005, 23:33
domenico,

If Ilford is your fave, why switch? You just have to buy it in a different (Ilford) box, that all.

Cheers!

Dave Moeller
27-Apr-2005, 06:59
Efke's a wonderful film, with great latitude and an amazing ability to capture a wide tonal range. The emulsion is soft and very easily scratched when wet. But as John says, if you're happy with Ilford then buy Ilford. Efke's great...but hardly cheap.

Gem Singer
27-Apr-2005, 07:35
Hi Domenico,

Ilford FP-4+ is still available, so is HP-5+. Arista was merely a re-badged version of those films. The price has increased slightly, but it is still in the same range as the Efke and Bergger films. I always liked the "real thing" more than the Freestyle version.

Mark Sawyer
27-Apr-2005, 10:04
Are there any re-labled semi-bargains on 8x10 Ilford films out there anymore? The Ultrafine from Photo Warehouse is "temporarily unavailable," and it sounds like Arista is going... And I'm down to about 50 sheets of 400 ASA. Time to reorder, but what?

Gem Singer
27-Apr-2005, 12:02
Mark,

If you are interested in purchasing a few boxes of 8X10 Ilford HP-5+, contact me by e-mail. I have some fresh frozen and am switching over to Bergger films.

A. J.
27-Apr-2005, 12:44
"Ilford FP-4+ is still available, so is HP-5+. "

If you photograph in ULF sizes you are out of luck as Ilford (Per Fred Newman at View Camera Store) isn't making these available in 12x20 and other ULF sizes. Why use two different films? More headaches than it is worth. Now we have to find one film for our use. If Ilford, with their 'commitment to B&W' can't or won't supply us with the film we need, we look elsewhere.

At least sell to PhotoWarehouse so they can cut to the odd sizes some of use.

John Kasaian
27-Apr-2005, 13:23
A.J.,

I've switched to Efke 100 for ULF film and so far am very happy with it. I have a big honkin' paper drum for my Unicolor for rotary processing---so far scratching the emulsion isn't a problem. I've not tried to tray develop Efke so I don't know how that would work out.

Cheers!

Jerry Flynn
28-Apr-2005, 09:37
Domenico,

You mention Arista LF being almost gone at Freestyle. Did you mean all LF? I do not see any mention of this on their Web site with regard to 4X5, 5X7 or 8X10. Was your information based on talking directly to Freestyle i.e. placing an order? I am curious. Ilford's web site (which may be out of date) still shows that they offer private labeling of certain Ilford products as a product offering subject to sufficient volume orders. This is the program guys like Freestyle and Fine Art were using.

I know that there was mention in a catalog of "while supplies last", but if the catalog was printed at the time that Ilford's future was in question, that would have been an appropriate comment.

I also know that there is word that Ilford will no longer stock ULF sizes. Were you referring to ULF?