Tiny Black Specs on Arista EDU Ultra 100

[Jim Noel]

No such thing as "noise" in film. That is a digital term

[Timmyjoe]

Tim,

I have shot all 50 sheets - some did not have much of the spots and others look really bad, like the above. Perhaps I can call Freestyle and see if they will help me out? Only thing is all the time and travel spent creating the images and to have the spots is really disappointing. A good excuse to go back out shooting! Maybe this time with some FP4+.

I don't think I'd be shooting the Arista EDU if it weren't for that being the only film available right now in the 2.25" x 3.25" sheet size. If I were shooting 4x5 I'd go with Tri-X or one of the Ilfords. Arista just seems too dodgy with the quality control. And I agree with you, I was lucky that I found the problem when I was just doing some test shots. If I had spent time and money to travel and got back home and realized the film I was using was bad from the factory, I would be really upset.

Best,
-Tim

[Dugan]

FYI, Shanghai does a ULF program similar to Ilford, and 2x3 is one of the sizes available to order.

[urnem57]

Apparently this problem lives on. A box of 4x5 from Freestyle & a box from B&H both show these. There’s a reason that this costs 1/2 of what every other 4x5 film costs. First it was bad Xtol and now this. I tried switching chemicals, mixing fresh chemicals, distilled water, and they persisted. I finally packed up my negs & scans and went to Freestyle. I had read this thread, but wasn’t 100% convinced. Yet. When I asked for help with a developing problem, the first words out of the guy’s mouth were, “Is it Foma?” Good thing I was only using it for tests.

[jmdavis]

Do the people in Europe have these issues with the branded FOMA? I've recently wondered that. I just wish that I could get Forte 200 in 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10

[Carl45]

Do the people in Europe have these issues with the branded FOMA? I've recently wondered that. I just wish that I could get Forte 200 in 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10

I have this issue with a box of Foma 400 4x5 in the UK Only just started with large format and developed 15 sheets so far and the last 2 were covered in black spots.

[lassethomas]

Do the people in Europe have these issues with the branded FOMA? I've recently wondered that. I just wish that I could get Forte 200 in 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10

Gone thru about 5 boxes of Foma 100, 200 and 400 in 4x5 and about 50 120 rolls of Foma 100 and 400 without any problem.

[koraks]

Do the people in Europe have these issues with the branded FOMA? I've recently wondered that. I just wish that I could get Forte 200 in 4x5, 5x7 and 8x10

With 4x5, I encounter the occasional pinhole in Fomapan 100. Every couple of dozen sheets or so, and it's always just one single, tiny pinhole.
Fomapan 400 & 200 in 4x5: no defects noticed yet.

Fomapan 100 in 120 size no issues.
Fomapan 200 in 120 size: persistent and unacceptable problems with emulsion defects showing up as tiny black specks all across the image area. Foma indicated it was indeed an emulsion problem, replaced my film, which turned out to suffer from the same problem.

Fomapan 100 & 400 in 135 format: no issues.