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  #1  
Old 17th May 2022, 12:43 AM
iamknudsen iamknudsen is offline
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Question Ultrafine Finesse 100 35mm Bulk B&W experiance

Hello new friends,

and maybe a few old friends... First post here. I did try to search here so no pitchforks and torches please

Great emojis!

Anyway, has anyone used this film and have any comments on it?

I've seen a lot of fans of the Ultrafine Extreme. Very little on the Finesse. I searched the whole inner-web thang from end to end and all I found for Finesse was one chap that posted the first few he developed and no comments or follow up photos after refining his process. Maybe he will soon

I'm trying to get something less expensive (in the US) to roll my own and learn on. I'm new to developing film too. My first roll was HP5 and I had light leaks in my not-so-darkroom (fixed). Of course I made a lot of mistakes, but I saw images and escaped with most of my fingers. After fixing the darkroom leaks, I developed a roll of FP4 that came out better than I expected. No magazine covers yet. That takes time

I'm thinking about ordering the film loader and some cassettes from B&H, so that would get me above 50 USD to get their free shipping. They have a pretty good selection of 100 ft bulk film, from around $65 to $105 for Arista EDU, Foma, Kentmere, Rollei, and Ilford (HP5 and FP4).

The Finesse is 50 USD plus 10 shipping and a longer wait. Not in a huge rush, I still have another roll of FP4 to develop and Delta100 to finish shooting. But unless I hear some yummy goodness stories about this film, I am inclined to pass on it and get something else.

Our summer daylight can be pretty intense when it's not raining or at least heavy overcast. With my old slower cameras, I think 100 ISO would be best for summer. My X-700 goes to 1/1000 SS and even it made me stop down more than I wanted. My older and very crude rangefinders do 1/300 SS in theory So I might just go for the 105 USD FP4. I like the amazing exposure latitude. But I can be swayed. I really like some of the photos I've seen taken with the Rollie Retro films... but do I have the skills now Oh, I tend to like softer grain. I'll probably want to shoot more grainy film once I have better control of things in the darkroom. I doubt I'll ever print anything, just scan the negatives.

Love to hear opinions. Especially love to hear opinions for the Ultrafine Finesse, but I expect that film will be slow to take off if it ever does. Very unlikely to be popular outside the US.

I wish all good light outside and dark rooms inside.
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Old 19th May 2022, 12:28 PM
Terry S Terry S is offline
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I can't help with your enquiry, but welcome to the forum.

Terry S
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Old 19th May 2022, 01:11 PM
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MartyNL MartyNL is offline
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A very warm welcome to the forum. And you're right about the experience and availability of US photo materials in Europe. The main budget brand here, is Foma. Some say, the budget US brands are re-packaged Foma films?

Needless to say, you tend to get what you pay for! The best thing to do, is to give it a try. Nothing ventured, is nothing gained, as they say.
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Old 19th May 2022, 03:31 PM
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Reginald S Reginald S is offline
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Welcome Knudsen,
said from one to another forum newbie:
What could help is reading a bit between the lines.

First, package and branding looks cheap to me - this often is the case with relabeled stuff.

Next, the first recommended developer is Diafine, himself normally a good friend for little accidents :-)

Xtol and Rodinal of course are well working but somehow balancing developers, which means with no advantages for Zonesystem freaks and developments to the point.

Looking at the pictorial examples confirms my suspicion - this film looks a bit harsh, he probably will need a more smooth development, and while there is no exciting new film on the horizon, me too thinks that this could be Foma material.

Knowing the also named Arista as labeled Foma material gives me a little add to the writing above - but I also could be totally wrong in reading between the lines :-)
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Old 19th May 2022, 04:37 PM
Mike O'Pray Mike O'Pray is offline
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Welcome knudsen but I can't help either this film is one I have never seen in U.K. retailers' stock. It clearly is relabelled stuff and I have a suspicion that it may be Foma but I can't be sure

We have entered a whole new world of so-called new films which are either made by one of the big three of Ilford, Kodak or Fuji or it is old stock that has been re-named but none of the sellers will say whose film it was

Mike
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Old 19th May 2022, 07:42 PM
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Reginald S Reginald S is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike O'Pray View Post

We have entered a whole new world of so-called new films which are either made by one of the big three of Ilford, Kodak or Fuji
One have primary to regard the coaters instead of the big names.
Nearby Ilford, Kodak, Fuji - and not to forget Foma, which is a very traditional institution, too - mainly Agfa Moertsel (Belgium) and the german coater Innoviscoat are of big importance to us.

Concerning the contrasty look of the Diafine film I wonder if the chinese Shanghai Company could stand behind this film, too.
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Old 19th May 2022, 08:28 PM
Richard Gould Richard Gould is offline
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There was a long strand about this film on Phototrio, then called Apug, a long time ago, as to who it is made by, I have only heard about it on that site, which seems to be mainly American, and IIRC the conclusion was it was not Foma film, but made in China, maybe Shanghi and was so cheap because it was not that great, maybe OK for mucking about with, but for serious photography beat avoided, amybe better to get some Foma, not that much more expensive, and from a known reliable company, and available this side of the pond and available over here for around £28 for 17 metres or £47 for 30 meters, and welcome Knudsen to Fadu.
Richard
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Old 19th May 2022, 10:17 PM
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Reginald S Reginald S is offline
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Some years ago Shanghai corp. had to produce printing plates for Agfa, but they failed a bit with qualitative reliability and so Agfa quitted.

Agfa wasn't looking for complete idiots as a partner, and I have seen welldone photographs coming from this Shanghai film.

I will ask the photographer if it's allowed to me showing the possibilities in presenting one or two of these images.

Meanwhile I have seen me making a mistake - the first recommended developer in the Finesse list is Ultrafine.
Not Diafine as said before.
I can say nothing about Ultrafine from my own experience because I mostly use Xtol and Rodinal.
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Old 20th May 2022, 04:58 PM
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Reginald S Reginald S is offline
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This is made with Shanghai GP3, 4x5"
If this Ultrafine contains Foma or Shanghai film, I can't see reasons for not buying each of them.
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  #10  
Old 21st May 2022, 06:57 PM
iamknudsen iamknudsen is offline
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Thanks to all of you for your kind welcomes and comments!

I think I've decided against getting the $50 Ultrafine for now. It's now $55... Not that $5 makes a huge difference, but with their $10 shipping, I might as well get something that is more known from B&H. Fomapan 400 Action is $70 and anything Roleli or Ilford around $100.

I have a crazy theory that before I shoot the whole 100 foot bulk roll, I might get better and then it would be better if I spend more up front.

Today, I am working on getting my X-T1 setup better for scanning film. I had my bellows setup for this and couldn't quite get it right with my better lenses for this purpose. Almost have a 50mm Schneider enlarger lens completely setup (using the film holder from the bellows, but not the bellows itself).

Edit: For those wondering about Ultrafine, they wind their "store brand" film and are very secretive about what it is. About a year or two ago, the "Extreme" became unavailable, but remains on their website as "out of stock." The Finesse is newer. Many liked the Extreme, and of course a few didn't like it. Most of the more recent chat about either of these films is speculation about what it is. As for Ultrafine the online store, it seems everyone loves or hates them, not much in between

I wish you all a great rest of your weekend!

jon

Last edited by iamknudsen; 21st May 2022 at 07:07 PM.
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