Foma 400 - Speed

Thomas Bertilsson · Mar 23, 2009

...or lack thereof.

Has anybody else tested this film and found they need to shoot it at EI 100-160 to get decent shadow detail?

I did a series of shots with this film, bracketing, and only after overexposing by two stops from box speed did I get the detail I wanted in the shadows.

I'm using Edwal 12 chemistry too, which allows pretty much box speed for Tri-X 400, so it's not a speed eating developer either.

Attached file is from a 35mm frame from yesterday.

- Thomas

Ian Grant · Mar 23, 2009

I've not tried the 400 Foma film but the 100 & 200 run far slower than box speed and need some taming to get the best out of them. I have heard of people shooting the 200 film at 80 EI to get good tonality.

How long were your exposures ? Reciprocity starts early with Foma films.

Ian

aparat · Mar 23, 2009

Thomas, I do not have a densitometer, but have used Foma 400 a lot. I love this film. I expose at EI 200, sometimes at EI 320 and can't complain, but I am no darkroom expert. I process in Clayton F76+. The tonality of this film is just perfect for me.

philipp.leser · Mar 23, 2009

I've tested Foma 200 and 400 in Diafine and found that I have to rate them at EI 75 and EI 150 respectively to get a density of 0.1 log D for zone 1.

Thomas Bertilsson · Mar 23, 2009

Ian, I shot these at about 1/60 to 1/125th of a second, so nowhere near reciprocity problems. I've done 120 rolls as fast as 1/500s too with the same results.

I was mainly curious. I don't think it's a film I'm going to use a lot, but came into some pretty cheaply with a batch of Neopan 400 35mm film, so decided to try it out, see how it goes. The grain is pretty pronounced, but beautiful. It prints much better than it scans.

Anyway, thought I'd share my results.

- Thomas

philipp.leser · Mar 23, 2009

I like Foma 200 at 75, it's fine grained and prints nicely. Fomapan 400 doesn't really fit any of my needs, as it's rather slow but has the grain of an ISO 400 film, so I prefer to use a "real" ISO 400 film like Neopan 400.

Thomas Bertilsson · Mar 23, 2009

Philipp, that's a good point, and one that probably should be made. I like its grain, and will try to use that to my advantage with portraiture when I experiment.

I've settled on Kodak Tmax 400 as my regular film, but it's fun to try something different sometimes.

- Thomas

srs5694 · Mar 23, 2009

FWIW, I used this procedure (part 2 is here) to determine Fomapan 400's speed in PC-Glycol. I got a film speed of either 320 or 400 -- my camera's meter gave me the same shutter speed and aperture at both settings, so I can't be sure which was more accurate. I've been using Dead Link Removed more recently, and rating the film at 400, but I've not run any formal tests on it. Both of these developers are phenidone/ascorbate (PC) developers, like XTOL, so I'd expect them to get a little more speed than some developers would.

Simplicius · Mar 23, 2009

I used Fomapan a bit and never found it dull, I did agitate it though more than twice what I would neopan etc, I shot at box speed. I go great shadow detail and contrast but you do have to work harder in the darkroom as well to get it to print well. IMHO. ( I am now going to qualify everything I said with the note, I developed my first roll of film ever and got my first SLR Camera 18 months ago, so compared to a lot of folk here I am a mere toddler) Some pics, details of developer etc in notes if you click on picture.

Fomapan 200: Dublin Junkies: First Hit

Fomapan 400:

both in XTOL STOCK solution.

chriscrawfordphoto · Mar 23, 2009

I get EI 320 in D76 1+1 and the film is nice looking, grainier than Tri-X but sharper looking. Like Tri-X in Rodinal.

My girlfriend has used it more than I have. Here's some she did:

Dead Link Removed

Dead Link Removed

jmcd · Mar 23, 2009

I love Fomapan 400, and I think the speeds you have found are right, if you are looking for very deep shadow detail. I shoot it at 200 to develop in HC-110, and more at 240 or 320 to develop in Xtol 1:1, my favorite for this film considering overall best speed, tone, and grain.

fschifano · Mar 23, 2009

Foma 400 doesn't do so well at EI 400, but it's not that bad. I'm doing OK with it at EI 250 in hard light and EI 320 in dull light. Similarly, Foma 200 does well for me at EI 160 or 125 under similar conditions. Dilute XTOL seems to work very well with this film. Both have relatively short development times and build density in the highlights quickly.

pschauss · Mar 23, 2009

It works well for me at 400, developed in Rodinal 1+50. Grain is not a major issue because I am shooting 120 format. I also suspect that 400 on my VC Meter is actually closer to 200.

RobertV · Mar 24, 2009

Fomapan 400 in AM74/RHS. Iso 320 in this slightly speed enhanced developer.

arealitystudios · Mar 24, 2009

I too shoot with Fomapan 400 regularly and rate it at 400, develop in Rodinal 1:50 for 9.5 minutes and get great results. Good tones, a little grainy, but very sharp.

Foma 400 - Speed

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