PDA

View Full Version : 4x5 100 iso film Adox or Fomapan



Gerard de Vrueh
19-Sep-2011, 05:46
Hello,

I want to buy some 4x5 100 iso film. I would like to try either the:

- Adox CHS 100 ART
- Fomapan 100

They are both about the same price, around $20,- for 50 sheets.

Wich one would you advice? is there a definite winner for one reason or another?

Thanks for your advice!

Gerard

atlcruiser
19-Sep-2011, 07:20
I have never used the Adox so no opinion. I have used the foma 100 in 120, 45 and 810. I like it enough but it is not stellar. I have seen some crap on the film more than once. I find myself using the foma 400 and rating it at 200 for most things.

In the 100asa range i like FP4+ for more money :)

sully75
19-Sep-2011, 12:45
I've used Arista.edu, which is cheap rebranded Foma, in 400. I really liked it. I'm considering using it exclusively. Plenty cheap. I don't really know how to judge film, but I would say that it's somehow a slightly archaic feeling film but full of character. I actually have been preferring it to the HP5 I'd been using up to now.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3070/5864118765_4d92b9124d_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmcevoy/5864118765/)
Sasha Hsuczyk (http://www.flickr.com/photos/paulmcevoy/5864118765/) by Paul McEvoy (http://www.flickr.com/people/paulmcevoy/), on Flickr

I haven't used it a ton but I'm pretty pleased with it!

nolindan
19-Sep-2011, 14:14
I've used Foma 100 / Arista 100 EDU Ultra (?).

OK film, for the price. Absolutely horrid reciprocity failure. See under "Schwarzschild effect": http://www.foma.cz/upload/foma/prilohy/F_pan_100_en.pdf.

You would be better off with the 400 - less chance of running into reciprocity problems.

Gerard de Vrueh
20-Sep-2011, 13:00
Hello gentlemen!

thanks for your replies!

@altcruiser. I agree that FP4 is probably the better film in terms of quality control. But since i am relatively new to 4x5 inch with a new camera wich i do not know (i have bought a Wista DX with 150 mm sironar-n but i won't get it until Xmass ) i will settle for a less expecive film for now.

@ Sully. Very nice portait and thanks for sharing. One picture says more than a thousand words.....This film looks a little like it is less sensitive to red. The skintone looks a little dark but then, the model may wel have a dark complexion. But i agree it looks like this film has a bit old fashion look (not really orthochromatic but not really panchromatic either). Did you use a yellow or orange filter in this picture? The sky looks very well detailed?

@ nolindan. In this case the schwarchield effect may have its benifits. I am currendly working with a selfmade cardbox 4x5 inch camera with an 150/9 g-glaron. Originally this was a lens from a repro camera and therefore it does not have a shutter. I work with a feltcap so long exposure times are all i have right now....

Thanks a lot!

Gerard

sully75
20-Sep-2011, 15:56
The model is darker skinned. (I really don't know anything about how BW film responds to color, sadly!) I didn't use any filter. I did some burning in PS, worked ok. Split toned in LR.

atlcruiser
20-Sep-2011, 17:56
Might have a look at the shanghai 45. I bought a bunch when I was trying to figure out LF..not that I have it figured out mind you :)

I like the shanghai over the foma

Gerard de Vrueh
21-Sep-2011, 05:01
@altcruser....

Where can i buy this shanghai 45 film? I live in europe and i do notice that a lot cannot be bought here.

Bye,

Gerard

jp
21-Sep-2011, 05:38
I've used the fomapan 100 in 8x10 and 4x5. It's a pleasant film, but I have gotten a few pinholes; I've read I should use a non-acidic fixer and might be OK then.

For 4x5, I mostly use tmax400, but I choose fomapan 100 as a slower film option. I rate it at less than iso 100; more like 64 and develop it in pyrocat-hd, which is a quality inexpensive developer, sometimes I use caffenol-c too, which I can't use with tmax400.

I have not used adox 100; I have used the efke 50 for a slow speed. It worked great with caffenol-c, but was super grainy. efke apparently is adox. It was also fragile compared to the tmax. The grain and fragility was what led me to foma 100. It appears less grainy, less apt to scratch, but still not as rugged as tmax.

nolindan
21-Sep-2011, 08:59
schwarchield effect may have its benifits. I am currendly working with a selfmade cardbox 4x5 inch camera ... it does not have a shutter. I work with a feltcap so long exposure times are all i have right now.

Oh, no, no, no.... it is not a good thing.

Reciprocity failure is reduced film sensitivity in low light levels. A film with a 1 stop failure at 1 second and a 3 stop failure at 10 seconds will, when exposed with a 1 second shutter speed, give you a negative that is 2 stops under exposed at zone II, 1 stop under at zone III and 1 stop over at zone VI: You end up with blown highlights and no shadow detail. The minimum 'safe' speed for maintaining shadow detail is 1/16 of a second.

Now, if you confine your picture taking to foggy days where everything is between zone IV and VI you will be OK.

You can always make yourself a drop/guillotine shutter or remove and bore out the shutter from a box camera. You can slow down a box camera's rotating shutter by weighting it down to increase inertia.

atlcruiser
21-Sep-2011, 19:37
shanghai is out of china and i buy it on e bay direct. if you buy a bunch it is not at all expensive for what it is.

Rayt
22-Sep-2011, 00:09
Another recommendation for Shanghai film.

Gerard de Vrueh
22-Sep-2011, 13:27
Hello to all,

Thanks for the info about the changhai film.

And @nolinadan Oke i understand. You mean that the schwarschield effect wil have different effect for the schadows and the highlights. The reciprocity for the shadows will result i an much longer needed exposure than that for the highlights. So i i expose for the shadows the highlights will be blown, and if i expose for the highlights the shadows simply wil not be there.....

I have read about a guillotine shutter,....has its negative points as i read it. I have thought about taking a shutter from an old camera. But i wil have to build it into the lens...

Okay so i learned that having a film that has littke reciprocity failure will mean much better pictures in my case. Thanks! i did not realise that at first

Greetings,
Gerard

Donald Qualls
27-Sep-2011, 04:30
Say, judging by the packaging (red foil, plain black backing paper) this may be the film that was sold in the US as J&C Professional a few years ago (before J&C Photo went out of business). I shot a number of rolls of that film in 120 and was quite pleased with it, and the prices I see on eBay are pretty reasonable.

Gregg Cook
19-Oct-2011, 15:28
I like it in sheet film, but absolutely refuse to use it in roll ever again due to the horrible curling.

Thanks for the warning of the reciprocity problem. I have only used it at 1/15 or faster...

mortensen
22-Oct-2011, 14:17
I've shot quite a lot of Foma100 in 4x5 - at least 400 sheets that I've developed in Xtol. It has been my first BW film in LF. Initially I was very pleased with it and thought everything was good. The incidental pinholes in the film has never caused problems, since I scan my film and can clone it easily - but they are often there!

But as mentioned before, the reciprocity is absolutely HORRIBLE! Even low light scenes at dusk becomes nearly impossible for the film to handle. Personally, I find the film way too contrasty and certainly prefer to use a film with more dynamic range and softer contrast - you can always enhance contrast post scanning.

miss_emma_jade
23-Oct-2011, 07:01
Another recommendation for Shanghai film.

I like it too. this is shanghai 100 @45 seconds and f16.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6094/6271598883_24342b2d8e_b.jpg

Jim Noel
23-Oct-2011, 08:10
You need to get a small ox of each. Use them and then see which has the fil curve you prefer. One could way to test is to put a piece of each in either side of holders. Expose on the same subject, and process. That way you will have the similar images and can compare the results. Be aware that the two films may require different development to maximize its potential.

gevalia
25-Oct-2011, 04:04
I have used the Foma 100 (Arista Edu Ultra 100) and like it. Never had the issues others talk about. I have not used it in a while only because I mostly shoot Efke/Adox or HP5+. And honestly mostly the Efke/Adox in 25. Efke 25 and Adox CHS 25 are the same so I interchange based on price. I just love the tone I get in pyrocat-hd and have used it up to 8 minute exposures without reciprocity correction. Over the past few years of using Efke/Adox I have had 1 sheet that had a bunch of pinholes on it but other than that no issues at all out of say 10+ 50-sheet boxes. I have not used the Adox 100 or Efke 100 (which I believe is not the same) so I cannot comment.

I would not have a problem using either of the films you noted.

While I use pyrocat-hd, I know that Efke absolutely loves (the original) Rodinal which is cheap and easy and has a longtime following. When I shoot the Foma 100 (Arista 100), my ei is 50 so it's not a true 100 speed where the Efke is.

My 2 cents.
Ron

Tony Lakin
25-Oct-2011, 04:43
Hello,

I want to buy some 4x5 100 iso film. I would like to try either the:

- Adox CHS 100 ART
- Fomapan 100

They are both about the same price, around $20,- for 50 sheets.

Wich one would you advice? is there a definite winner for one reason or another?

Thanks for your advice!

Gerard

Hi
$20 for 50 sheets, from where?

Emil Schildt
25-Oct-2011, 04:46
been using Foma 100 for 25 years - never thought to change....

I like it a lot, and the prices are rather low, compared to other brands...

(10 years ago, it was about 1/10 of the Ilford/Kodak prices, so that helped me getting in LF photography.

But I still use it - no problems with pinholes.

gevalia
25-Oct-2011, 05:39
Hi
$20 for 50 sheets, from where?

Yeah, I'd love to know as well. Lowest I see is $45/box of 50 sheets. Occassionally I see short dates for $35 but I would stock up at $20/box. Really stock up.

jp
25-Oct-2011, 05:47
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/190145-Arista-EDU-Ultra-BandW-100-iso-4x5-50-sheets?cat_id=404

is $29.99; still a good deal.

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/42014550-Foma-Fomapan-100-iso-4x5-50-sheets?cat_id=404

The actual Foma is $49.99, but at that price, I'd just pony up the extra $19 and get the Kodak TMY2.

gevalia
25-Oct-2011, 05:51
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/190145-Arista-EDU-Ultra-BandW-100-iso-4x5-50-sheets?cat_id=404

is $29.99; still a good deal.

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/42014550-Foma-Fomapan-100-iso-4x5-50-sheets?cat_id=404

The actual Foma is $49.99, but at that price, I'd just pony up the extra $19 and get the Kodak TMY2.

Works for me. I always preferred the 200 to the 100 but the OP asked about 100. Under $1/sheet is always a good price on film that meets your needs (and quality level of course).

Tony Lakin
25-Oct-2011, 06:33
http://www.freestylephoto.biz/190145-Arista-EDU-Ultra-BandW-100-iso-4x5-50-sheets?cat_id=404

is $29.99; still a good deal.

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/42014550-Foma-Fomapan-100-iso-4x5-50-sheets?cat_id=404

The actual Foma is $49.99, but at that price, I'd just pony up the extra $19 and get the Kodak TMY2.

Thanks for that, however the OP is in Europe as am I (GB) the shipping cost from the USA would be prohibitive but if I can purchase for $20 per box shipping from europe could make sense.

jp
25-Oct-2011, 12:39
Thanks for that, however the OP is in Europe as am I (GB) the shipping cost from the USA would be prohibitive but if I can purchase for $20 per box shipping from europe could make sense.

Buy a large quantity to reduce shipping costs per unit.

thicktheo
16-Nov-2011, 05:03
...if you want to buy from Europe, you can get Foma films from this e-shop in Norway: http://www.fomafoto.com/

I have placed two orders in the past and they both arrived fine (to Athens, Greece).

IanG
16-Nov-2011, 05:36
Tony, I can recommend Fomafoto in Norway as well. Prices are significantly less than UK suppliers and delivery to the UK is fast and 50 sheets Fomapan 100 5x4 is 21.47 euros as opposed to £26.90 that works out at under a third of the price of say FP4

I've considered buying Ilford films from the US but with the duty and VAT on the film & shipping that decreases the savings.

I've been using Fomapan 100 & 200 for about 4 or 5 years now, once you tame it's contrast and sort out your own EI & Dev times it's excellent film.

Ian

thicktheo
17-Nov-2011, 00:29
I have been using Fomapan 100 4x5 in the past months, developing in stock ID-11 and getting very nice results:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6185/6111902585_0efaa8a502_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/thicktheo/6111902585/)

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6121/6026148357_31aa3e20dc_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/thicktheo/6026148357/)

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6042/6306725362_df0c3f4b4b_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/thicktheo/6306725362/)

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6105/6282612562_16f43bbcf3_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/thicktheo/6282612562/)

...I was surprised with its behaviour in high contrast situations - at least when combined with ID-11, the result was pretty good. I will develop the next batch in Rodinal and see how this works out.

cyberjunkie
17-Nov-2011, 11:52
...if you want to buy from Europe, you can get Foma films from this e-shop in Norway: http://www.fomafoto.com/

I have placed two orders in the past and they both arrived fine (to Athens, Greece).

Did you have to pay VAT (or the greek equivalent) on top of the purchase price?
Norway is outside EU, so i am afraid the tax must be payed twice.
From within EU, i appreciate german sites, like www.lumiere-shop.de. They even stock uncommon sizes: i am going to try half plate Wephota sheet film, either in 50 or 100 ISO version (the 100 ISO should be like the old Orwo NP22, probably made by Fotochemika Efke, am i right?).

have fun

CJ

edp
17-Nov-2011, 12:42
Probably made by Filmotec, although if you needed to know for certain you'd have to ask. http://www.wephota.de/fotogra.htm


either in 50 or 100 ISO

25 or 100. I've got about 250 sheets of half-plate 25 ISO film in my fridge that needs using.

mhulsman
18-Nov-2011, 04:23
Did you have to pay VAT (or the greek equivalent) on top of the purchase price?
Norway is outside EU, so i am afraid the tax must be payed twice.
From within EU, i appreciate german sites, like www.lumiere-shop.de. They even stock uncommon sizes: i am going to try half plate Wephota sheet film, either in 50 or 100 ISO version (the 100 ISO should be like the old Orwo NP22, probably made by Fotochemika Efke, am i right?).

have fun

CJ
I ordered a lot of 8x10 and 4x5. from fomafoto.
You don't have to pay VAT when you live in europe.
Shipping costs are higher, but fomafoto is still the cheapest.

Mike

thicktheo
18-Nov-2011, 04:38
I didn't pay VAT either.

The shipping costs are high when your order is more than 350gr but, luckily, when you order a single 4x5 box the weight is less than that, so you pay 4,7€ for shipping. This brings the final price of a 50-sheet 4x5 box to 25-26€ (depending on which film you choose), which is cheaper than Shanghai.

At the same time, after having tried both Shanghai and the chinese ERA PSS (not available any more), I am more than happy with Fomapan (both 100 & 400).

IanG
18-Nov-2011, 12:43
I have been using Fomapan 100 4x5 in the past months, developing in stock ID-11 and getting very nice results:

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6185/6111902585_0efaa8a502_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/thicktheo/6111902585/)

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6121/6026148357_31aa3e20dc_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/thicktheo/6026148357/)

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6042/6306725362_df0c3f4b4b_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/thicktheo/6306725362/)

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6105/6282612562_16f43bbcf3_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/thicktheo/6282612562/)

...I was surprised with its behaviour in high contrast situations - at least when combined with ID-11, the result was pretty good. I will develop the next batch in Rodinal and see how this works out.


I've been shooting Fomapan 100 & 200 around the Aegean Turkey & Greece (so same conditions) and found it copes very well with the bright harsh lighting, gives me similar contarst to Tmax or Delta 100. However I do need to halve the box speed and cut development to approx 70% compared to other films.

Back in the spring I shot a lot of Fomapan in southern Spain and again it's just a case of learning how to tame it.

Ian

Ian Gordon Bilson
19-Nov-2011, 20:19
If the OP is concerned about reciprocity,he could consider Fuji ACROS 100 ;no compensation to 120 seconds,+1/2 F 120 to 1000sec.
Not a 'cheap' film though.
Regarding Shanghai 100/4x5 - anybody tested its reciprocity failure ?

atlcruiser
20-Nov-2011, 05:01
Regarding Shanghai 100/4x5 - anybody tested its reciprocity failure ?

I did not do any exhaustive tests but I treated it like FP4 and that seemed about right

cyberjunkie
20-Nov-2011, 18:47
Probably made by Filmotec, although if you needed to know for certain you'd have to ask. http://www.wephota.de/fotogra.htm



25 or 100. I've got about 250 sheets of half-plate 25 ISO film in my fridge that needs using.

Yes, of course.
25 and 100.
IIRC the two are made by different companies.
Knowing for sure would help with development times.

have fun

CJ

gliderbee
27-Nov-2011, 07:32
shanghai is out of china and i buy it on e bay direct. if you buy a bunch it is not at all expensive for what it is.

can you give a link? I can't find it ...

thanks,
Stefan

thicktheo
28-Nov-2011, 10:18
can you give a link? I can't find it ...


two ebay.com links:
shanghai 4x5" 25 sheets (http://www.ebay.com/itm/US-SHANGHAI-4x5-ISO-100-B-W-Sheet-Film-x-25-/110784123103?pt=US_Camera_Film&hash=item19cb3f90df#ht_2925wt_1163)
shanghai 4x5" 50 sheets (http://www.ebay.com/itm/US-SHANGHAI-4x5-ISO-100-B-W-Sheet-Film-x-50-/120819555551?pt=US_Camera_Film&hash=item1c21681cdf#ht_2809wt_1163)

cheers. :-)

miss_emma_jade
10-Mar-2012, 17:07
Probably where I've scanned it and stitched it in photoshop . That's all.

Andrew O'Neill
10-Mar-2012, 17:28
thicktheo, I like how the image on ebay shows the film sheets fanned out. Pretty funny.

Scotty230358
11-Mar-2012, 02:17
I have used both Foma and Adox films. I find the contrast of the Foma useful for times when the SBR of my subjects is around 3-4 stops (which is very frequent). I use pyrocat HD almost exclusively and found that I had to mix the working solution with distilled water as when using tap water the film had a tendency to "streak" on areas of even tone. I did not encounter this problem with Ilford films.

turtle
11-Mar-2012, 06:44
I use Foma 100 35mm in Afghanistan and have no trouble with contrast. You just have to establish the right exosure and development, which for me is between 50 and 80 for the 100 film with Xtol 1+2. Once you have this sorted it is no less predictable than any other film in my view. I think it is a great film and prefer it to FP4+ in almost every way.

SergeiR
11-Mar-2012, 07:18
Gerard, buy Ilforf FP4+ and learn with it. You might as well start with it since you say you will use it in the future. My bet would be it will have far fewer defects from the factory than the Chinese stuff

Cant say for Chineese stuff, but i am yet ever get any funky issues with Adox and Foma , and with Ilford (fresh, mostly bought from B&H) every now and then i do get emulsion go "weeeee" (as in - not registering anything at all). Forced me into habit of shooting "duplicate" frames with Ilford 400 and Adox (just in case). Ilford is great when it works, unfortunately for me this was only film both in 4x5 and 120 that gives me unusable roll or sheets every now and then.

giacomo marchetti
11-Mar-2012, 13:00
Please,what is the development time for Foma 100 + Xtol 1+1 ?

thomas ciulei
16-Mar-2012, 10:47
I've been shooting Fomapan 100 & 200 around the Aegean Turkey & Greece (so same conditions) and found it copes very well with the bright harsh lighting, gives me similar contarst to Tmax or Delta 100. However I do need to halve the box speed and cut development to approx 70% compared to other films.

in my case too: 400 is 200/250, 200 is 100/125. havent gotten to reducing developing to 70% yet, im at 85%.
curl in 6x6 is indeed terrible, otherwise a usable film in well lit situations.
as to reciprocity mentioned earlier, i can deffo say this is true.

renes
26-May-2012, 14:11
So 100iso is around 50/64?

tenderobject
7-Jun-2012, 18:02
the arista edu looks good and cheap! i might get one soon. if i shoot iso 400 at IE 200 how many percent should i reduce my dev times?