Arista.edu Ultra in 5x7 and 4x5, can someone remind me what it is again?

[sully75]

Hi all,

I'm thinking about buying a 50 sheet box of Arista.edu in either 100 or the (new?) 400 in 5x7. I thought that I've read many threads describing what this film is, or what it's similar to, but just searched and can't find them.

So some questions:
are the 35mm and 120 films likely to be the same as the LF films?
What are the 100 and 400 similar to or the same as?

Are you using this film now? Are you happy with it? Currently I'm using HP5 and getting used to it, but I'm on a micro budget and the price is really good. I'd prefer not to go Chinese if I can avoid it.

Thanks!
Paul

[MIke Sherck]

On Freestyle's web site, they say "Made in Czech Republic". That would make them Foma.

Mike

[Scott Davis]

If you call them and ask, they will confirm it is in fact Foma film. And it's great stuff too. The only thing I don't like about it is the fact that my favorite emulsion (the Fomapan 200) is no longer available. That and they don't make it in any ULF or "odd" (read 6.5 x 8.5) sizes.

[sully75]

So it's simple enough to say that it's more or less Foma 100 and 400?

[Juergen Sattler]

This might help with your question:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/foru...ad.php?t=80192

[sully75]

Juergen, that's awesome. Done.

[Michael Graves]

The sheet films are actually quite good. I suppose the roll film is, too, but it has an unmerciful curl. 120 film curls up in a very tight roll after it dries and nothing makes it lie flat.

[sully75]

I just realized I have two rolls of Foma 100 in 120 in my fridge, so I might try that out and see. But it would be nice to use it in 5x7, it's less than half the price of HP5.

[Brian C. Miller]

The sheet films are actually quite good. I suppose the roll film is, too, but it has an unmerciful curl. 120 film curls up in a very tight roll after it dries and nothing makes it lie flat.

Try this: take an iron (yeah, for clothes) and sandwich the film between two pieces of tracing paper. Set the iron on low and then iron the film, but very gently, just enough to take out the worst of the curl.

[David Karp]

The Foma 400 and Arista.Edu Ultra 400 films are no longer available. Apparently, Foma was not allowed to use some of the chemicals they had been using to manufacture that film. They are supposed to be working on a replacement. Last time I dropped by Freestyle, the person I talked to said that they had not heard anything about progress toward the new version.