Best Priced Sheet Film?

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My studio/home is now 3 hours driving time away from the nearest pro merchandizer of equipment and film. Have been using primarily B&H for everything. Is there a more economical source for bulk film? Any comments about quality labs for processing, proofing, printing

-- Gary Albertson (garyalb@outlawnet.com), September 16, 2000

Answers

Gary,

Try Freestylecamera.com. They sell Arista B&W film, which is about the least expensive stuff on the market. Reportedly it's made by Ilford, and the same as their FP4 and HP5. They also sell Fuji and Kodak. Sergio.

-- Sergio Ortega (s.ortega@worldnet.att.net), September 16, 2000.


I'll second that. One of the regular writers for View Camera did an article on Freestyle's Arista 125 and 400 sheet films last year and determined that they were indeed FP4+ and HP5+. (Makes perfect sense, as they're "made in England" and who else but Ilford makes film there?) Prices are great, too!

-- Mark Parsons (Polar@thegrid.net), September 16, 2000.

I will add my vote for Arista film. I have Freestyle's address as:

www.freestylesalesco.com

-- Tony Brent (ajbrent@mich.com), September 16, 2000.


Gary the article on Arista films by Gordon Hutchings is in the March/April 1999 edition of View Camera.

Is this not typical of of us English, made in England but not "bloody" available in England! If you want bargains you have to import. I've said more then enough, regards,

-- Trevor Crone (tcrone@gm.dreamcast.com), September 17, 2000.


Another vote for Arista which i use alot. I recently bought to 25 packs of Forte 200 from B&H at 9.95 a pack which aint bad either.i have not processed any so i dont know what its like

-- josh (devil_music@usa.net), September 17, 2000.


I hear that Arista films have a thinner base than Ilford film. Some have reported curling problems with Arista. Maybe a thinner base distinguishes Arista from Ilford.

-- William Marderness (wmarderness@hotmail.com), September 17, 2000.

Just to put my two cents in. I have heard that Arista is the beginning and the end of the film run from Ilford. This is what I have heard, but have not substantiated.

-- Louis Hirsch (jbressick@earthlink.net), September 20, 2000.

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