Arista EDU Ultra HC110: try!

[domenico Foschi]

This for anyone who has been discouraged by trying to develop Arista Edu Ultra with HC 110.
Freestyle does not recommend this combination, or at least doesn't provide any info, but I have found it to be a beautiful combination.
The negative was developed at N-1 dilution H at 5 min. and the tonal rendition is beautiful both in the whites and midtones.
This is a scan and if I decide to go in the darkroom with it I am sure that I can get easily even more subtle transitions in the whites of the shirt.
I know that I could do it in PS as well, but I prefer to have all the fun in my darkroom.

In this image I played minimally with levels and darkened somewhat the edges of the image .

http://i30.tinypic.com/zswj8j.jpg

[jetcode]

sure is pretty on the tone scale, nice portrait too

[Tri Tran]

Domenico,
I'm thinking of this combo too. What would be the N+1 developing time on this ? It looks good from the scan and I'm sure you will nailed it in the darkroom. Thanks for posting this.

[domenico Foschi]

Domenico,
I'm thinking of this combo too. What would be the N+1 developing time on this ? It looks good from the scan and I'm sure you will nailed it in the darkroom. Thanks for posting this.

Hi Tri,
I haven't tried N+1 yet but my normal development is 7.5 minutes. A good start for n+1 would be a 20/25% increase corresponding to 9 min or along that line.

[Tri Tran]

Hi Tri,
I haven't tried N+1 yet but my normal development is 7.5 minutes. A good start for n+1 would be a 20/25% increase corresponding to 9 min or along that line.

Hi Domenico,
Does it base on HC recomended dilution for 7.5 min normal development? I definitely will try this film. Thanks .

[domenico Foschi]

If I remember well nor Freestyle nor Kodak recommends this combination.
I made a search in the Net and I found that this person had tried the combo, gave his development times and described the results as creamy.
I jumped and tried for myself and I have to tell you that I am getting the negatives I always wanted...creamy.

[Gene McCluney]

I use Arista Edu Ultra 200 (Fomapan 200) in HC_100 dilution E and find it very nice. The Fomapan 200 has very short developing times in HC-110, and that is why it is not recommended.

[Scott --]

I've been using Arista.EDU Ultra 100 in HC-110 dil H for a long while now. Beautiful. My N developing is 7:12 @ 20C in a Unicolor drum and roller setup, FWIW.

[Jim Thompson]

Domenico,

Great tones, and really nice portrait. Are you using the 100 or 200 speed version and what is your EI for this portrait ?

Thanks for posting

Jim

[David Luttmann]

I've only used it in medium format. Has anyone tried it in dilution B? That is my normal HP5 mix.

[eddie]

hi all,

i use and love this combination. makes for easy scanning AND great darkroom prints. i have been using this combo for years now.

dil. H 68 degrees for 9 min agitation every min. i have also used dil g (119:1) for 18 min agitation every 3rd min with great success also. i got tired of standing around for so long so i began to use Dil h.

this combination makes great VDB prints as well!

most of my B&W shots in my apug gallery used this combo.

eddie

[Mark Sawyer]

I just ran across this thread and thought I'd thro in that I used the Arista.edu Ultra 200 (exposed at 100) developed in HC-110, dilution b in tanks and trays for 4x5 and trays for 8x10. It's also our standard large format combination at the high school, and was used for the work with the 99-cent lens in the May-June issue of View Camera.

The tonal scale is lovely, but it tends to drop the shadows more than Ilford's films, which can be bad or good. It has slightly larger grain than comparable speed films developed in HC110b, so that may be connected to why it's not a recommended combination. There also seem to be occassional minor blemishes in the emulsion, not always, but once in a while.

I still prefer HP5 and FP4, but given the price difference, I confess to going back-and-forth...

Arista.edu Ultra 200 in HC110b:
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g139/Owen21k/onions1.jpg

[seawolf66]

There is a gentleman on the Photo Net [ Gene.M ] who only use's HC-110 and he does shoot Arista and few other Euro Films and american films and his works looks great to me:

[Anupam]

My N time in tray development at EI 50 in HC110H was 7 mins.http://farm1.static.flickr.com/219/1516047141_266c702021_o.jpg

[ViewCameraNut]

Mark and Anupam, those are both Great Shots! I will definitely try this combo out. Thanks for sharing, Mike C.

[Gene McCluney]

There is a gentleman on the Photo Net [ Gene.M ] who only use's HC-110 and he does shoot Arista and few other Euro Films and american films and his works looks great to me:


That's me.
The only problem with HC-110 and Fomapan 200 (Arista Edu Ultra 200) is the very short developing times in HC-110b, which can lead to streaks in the negatives. So I worked out my own times for HC-110E. I develop my 5x7 sheets on 2-up 5x7 stainless steel hangers in a 3.5 gallon tank. (the hangers are 8x10 form factor, but hold 2 5x7 sheets), and I find that "for me" I average a developing time of about 5 minutes with agitation every 15 seconds. If I skimp on the agitation, I get streaks. I do a 4 minute water pre-soak, then developer, then back to water for 30 sec, then to a weak stop bath for 30 seconds then to Kodak Rapid Fix w/hardener for 4 to 5 minutes, then wash. I only do the agitation at 15 second intervals in the developer. I normally develop between 20 and 22 sheets of 5x7 in one run.

[Jim Fitzgerald]

Domenico, is this in trays, tanks, or in a drum and rolled? I've been considering using this film in 8x10 and now that the 11x14 is done that size also. I to like the creamy look so this combo is something I would like to try. I usually use Pyrocat-HD in tanks and minimal agitation but have to use trays for the 11x14. Never used HC110 but I love the results you have gotten.

Jim

[Clay Turtle]

This for anyone who has been discouraged by trying to develop Arista Edu Ultra with HC 110.
Freestyle does not recommend this combination, or at least doesn't provide any info, but I have found it to be a beautiful combination.
The negative was developed at N-1 dilution H at 5 min. and the tonal rendition is beautiful both in the whites and midtones.
This is a scan and if I decide to go in the darkroom with it I am sure that I can get easily even more subtle transitions in the whites of the shirt.
I know that I could do it in PS as well, but I prefer to have all the fun in my darkroom.

In this image I played minimally with levels and darkened somewhat the edges of the image .Thanks I think I will try this film out in 5x7 format if it is available . . . I tend to use Microdol X or Accufine (low temp) developer, has anyone tried these combinations?

[Gregg Cook]

or has anyone compared HC110 to Xtol 1-1?


(thats what I've been using with EDU100)

[Gene McCluney]

I use HC-110e, because I develop large "runs" of 22 sheets or so at a time in a 3.5 gallon tank, with the film on double 5x7 hangers. I needed a developer that would be economical, mixed in that quantity, and offer good results. I experimented with dilution 'B" but for Arista.edu I was getting processing times that were too short for even results, hence I went to dilution "E" which is the weakest dilution that can be replenished in tank situations. I develop several runs over a period of a few weeks in a tank of developer.

[gevalia]

A little help for a film/LF newbie?

I bought a box of the Arista Edu Ultra 100 and 200 a month ago. I've been using Acros in Perceptol which I love but I like what I see in the Arista and HC110 which are great on the wallet. I have developed HP5+ in HC110 and like it so I want to give the Arista 200 a try with HC110 in dilution H.

Does anyone have a recommendation for where I can start with Arista EDU Ultra 200 and HC110 dilution H for 4x5 at say 68 degrees? What about the agitation for the time you suggest? I just need a starting point...thanks...

Ron

[Gene McCluney]

The Arista Edu Ultra 200 is very prone to streaking if not agitated frequently. If I were using Dilution "H" of HC-110, at 68 degrees, I would after a couple of minutes water presoak, develop for 6 minutes with constant agitation in a tray, or, in a deep tank with film on hangers, I would do a 4 minute water presoak, then after a brief drain into the developer and agitate constantly for the first minute, then 2 lift-tilt-replace of the hangers every 15 seconds. Alternating the direction of tilt every time. At end of developing time, I would go back into water bath for a brief rinse, then into weak stop bath for 30 seconds, then into Kodak Rapid Fix with hardener mixed film strength for 4 minutes, and you could turn the light on after one minute in the fix. I rate this film at ISO 100, which seems to be more accurate than the box rating of ISO 200. While you may thing this is quite a short developing time for HC-110 "H", you need to remember that this film has a very short developing time in HC-110 in general, and that is why HC-110 is not normally recommended. I get a 4 minute developing time for this film for HC-110 dilution "E". As long as you do a water presoak, and in the devloper agitate vigorously and frequently and don't develop too long (in HC-110) you can get very nice negatives from this film. This is really a radically different approach than developing the more common Kodak and Ilford films in the same developer.

[Gary L. Quay]

I tried this last night. My neg was a little light, so I put it in selenium toner for 5 minutes, and it turned out just about right. I think that if I shot the film at 80 instead of 100, it would be spot on.

I've tried dilution B, but it does the job too quickly, and you don't have a lot of room for error.

--Gary

[gevalia]

Gene,

A bit late, but thanks for the help. I got hung up on another project.

Ron

[gevalia]

So,

I spent the weekend with Arista Ultra Edu 200 @ 100 and HC110 dilution H (1:63) in a Combi tank. Ended up at 8.5 minutes after a 4 minute presoak, 2 inversions every minute after an initial minute of inversions, and a water stop bath instead of my usual IlfoStop. Nice midtones. I used distilled water on all.

However, as others have said, the emulsion is very very thin. I'm not that experienced but of the 4 different sheet films I have developed (Acros, HP5+, TMAX400, and Arista U EDU), this is most certainly the thinnest and easiest to scratch. I also ended up with junk (often pretty substantial in size) on the negatives. While I was very careful, I'm not sure that the junk wasn't my fault but I have seen comments from others on this.

I think I'll try dilution G this weekend.

As a beginner to LF and film, you just can't beat this combo for getting your feet wet (pretty cheap).

I understand that this is actually Fomapan 200 and that the Arista Ultra Edu 100 is Fomapan 100. But is it actually what Foma calls their "Creative 200" and 100?

[Clay Turtle]

Noting some great shots being presented , I have to ask are they "scans of negatives or are they scans of prints?