Originally Posted by
Brian C. Miller
Value is in the eye of the beholder.
My recommendation is that if you are just starting out, buy lots of the cheap film and have a ball with it. Seriously, go nuts. Learn how the camera works, work out your developing routine, all that stuff. Try out the Zone System or other process, try out development by inspection, and on and on.
At some point, settle down. Some believe that Pyro is the holy grail of developers, some think it's Rodinal, some use HC-110, etc. Stick with one, maybe two, developers, and know how a couple of others generally behave. You want to create a repeatable process for yourself.
At this point, start using the more expensive films.
Now, this doesn't mean that the Arista films are trash. It's just that it's whatever Freestyle has purchased and packaged under their brand. The film may change manufacturers from lot to lot. At one time it was Efke, another time Kodak, another time Foma. You don't know, and they aren't telling.
Efke had problems with their coating process, and finally they couldn't exist in the current market. Foma is hanging in there. I haven't tried their film, so I don't know about their quality. Both Ilford and Kodak are top-notch for quality.
When I started LF in the late 90's, I started learning using Polaroid sheets, because I didn't have a darkroom. I didn't even start loading film holders until I moved into an apartment where I could make a light-tight seal around the bathroom window. I used Kodak ReadyLoad and Fujifilm QuickLoad films. All of that is gone, but since I have a light-tight space, I don't mind.
I also posted the same figures as you under the thread complaining about the price of Kodak TMax. Yes, the price of Fujifilm Neopan Acros 100 is high, but the film is unique for its reciprocity characteristics (low light). It's also the current king of fine grain, Kodak's marketing notwithstanding. Some people prefer Kodak, some prefer Ilford, both are good.
But if you want to see high price, look at the price of color film. That stuff is not cheap, but it's all we have. Fujifilm supplies E6, and Kodak supplies C41. That's the division, brought on by what the market decided to buy. And E6 really isn't selling that well.
So it all depends on what you want to do. If the cheap stuff works out for you, that's fine. If you need something cheaper, you can use x-ray film.
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