Lets unite for change (Foma Retro 320 in 120 format)

[Xmas]

Threads like this come and go. When it is all said and done it is Foma that knows the market and what will sell and what will not. They are the ones that did the cost analysis. It is not a simple matter of cutting a master roll down to 35, 120 and LF these formats are typically coated on different base stock. And of course there are additional packaging requirements. In all these threads the OP presumes that he knows more than the manufacturer.

Before Foma did a master roll they would ask their resellers? Last time I was in the Lomo brick shop Spring 16 I bought some of the expired Lomo 100ISO 120 cheap dated 2012 it was Foma rebranded...
120 may be the next format to vanish?

 

[Gerald C Koch]

The migration to digital by wedding photographers certainly killed off 220 format. I have been trying to think of large users of 120 format and model photography comes to mind. Any other type of photography ring a bell for this format? When demand goes so will the format.

 

[Xmas]

The migration to digital by wedding photographers certainly killed off 220 format. I have been trying to think of large users of 120 format and model photography comes to mind. Any other type of photography ring a bell for this format? When demand goes so will the format.

Lomo Diana's and similar the Lomo shop had a drawer of expired.

 

[AgX]

What that FOMA is a boutique supplier of films that their customers really want rather than just what the company decides to produce (think Yellow boxes)?

1. They just rebuilt a smaller 35mm film perforater
2. Just purchased and rebuilt a coating machine from Ilford (Switzerland) capable of doing smaller batches of emulsion coatings.
3. and they have introduced some really new and different products in a time when the big guys are downsizing.

... so, yeah I guess there's evidence of that. I could have used bespoke rather that boutique, neither has anything to do with the handmade junk on Etsy.

You mixed up Foma withn Adox.

 

[darkroommike]

You mixed up Foma withn Adox.

Yes I did, Adox is pretty short on innovation, it seems to me that a lot of their stuff is still coming off old Agfa master rolls and Agfa patents (a good thing but not a new thing) and Foma is moving heaven and earth to stay relevant. I support both companies and Ilford with my money and kicked in on the Ferrania kickstarter a year of so back,

 

[flavio81]

I love FOMA.

I guess if Retropan takes off, they would introduce it in 120 format.

Sadly i think they made a mistake by going 35mm format first, because the grainy R320 makes the grain evident in 35mm.
On the other hand if they did NOT introduce it on 35mm but went 120-size first, their market would be reduced and everybody would be complaining, starting threads requesting FOMA to introduce it on 35mm.

So if the base thicknesseses need to be different, FOMA had to make a decision.

On the other hand, I still cannot "get" what is the unique thing of the Retropan R320. I do see it has a rather flat look, but i wonder if same results couldn't be achieved by, for example, developing a regular film like HP5 to a lower contrast (pull processing) and perhaps using a cyan or green filter to steer tonality.

As long as FOMA is still making Fomapan 100, 400 and Reversal 100, i will be happy. Ah, and their chemicals, as well. And their papers. Everything else is a bonus.

 

[flavio81]

Yes I did, Adox is pretty short on innovation, it seems to me that a lot of their stuff is still coming off old Agfa master rolls and Agfa patents (a good thing but not a new thing) and Foma is moving heaven and earth to stay relevant. I support both companies and Ilford with my money and kicked in on the Ferrania kickstarter a year of so back,

On the other hand they sell some products that other companies do not bother to sell, for example Adox CMS 20.

If it were true that their products are "still coming off Agfa patents", what's wrong with that? Agfa B/W films were great. People sometimes forget that there were the big three: Kodak, Fuji and AGFA. Why can't ADOX take advantage of that knowledge?

If Kodak stopped film production and some small company would later be making films "coming off Kodak patents", i think many people would be VERY happy.

 

[mehguy]

As long as FOMA is still making Fomapan 100, 400 and Reversal 100, i will be happy. Ah, and their chemicals, as well. And their papers. Everything else is a bonus.

A little of topic but, why does foma sell their chemicals in such small sizes? For example, They sell Fomafix p in 1 litre boxes... thats good for like 1 darkroom session or 4 rolls of film.

 

[flavio81]

A little of topic but, why does foma sell their chemicals in such small sizes? For example, They sell Fomafix p in 1 litre boxes... thats good for like 1 darkroom session or 4 rolls of film.

But that's not a bad thing, i guess. At least not for people who are not developing a lot of film per week.

 

[thefizz]

I spoke with one of Foma's directors at Photokina last week and asked if they had plans to make the Retro 320 film in 120 but she said no. It is just not an option for them.

The good news is they are making the R100 positive film again. But that will not be available in 120 either.

 

[davidmasek]

A little of topic but, why does foma sell their chemicals in such small sizes? For example, They sell Fomafix p in 1 litre boxes... thats good for like 1 darkroom session or 4 rolls of film.

They actually do sell Fomafix P and other chems in 5l packages https://fomaobchod.cz/chemie/ustalovace/praskove/kyselyustalovac5l[70122]?ItemIdx=2

 

[baachitraka]

Thanks for the info.
FP200 is one good film and they go really really well ascorbic acid based developers(PC-TEA).

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

The good news is they are making the R100 positive film again.

Thank you for the good news!

 

[AgX]

Yes I did, Adox is pretty short on innovation, it seems to me that a lot of their stuff is still coming off old Agfa master rolls and Agfa patents (a good thing but not a new thing) and Foma is moving heaven and earth to stay relevant. I support both companies and Ilford with my money and kicked in on the Ferrania kickstarter a year of so back,

Mirko from Adox is a man striving for years to establish a firm that is as independant as possible in manufacturing photographic materials.
He does so by building a plant and acquiring machinery bit by bit. Seemingly struggling to get this all pre-financed.
So far he is the one with the longest breath so to say.


There is NO manufacturer, neither small nor huge, with true innovations.

(The last innovations were made at Agfa and Kodak more than 15 years ago, and Agfa did not even came up with a product...)

 

[MartinP]

A little of topic but, why does foma sell their chemicals in such small sizes? For example, They sell Fomafix p in 1 litre boxes... thats good for like 1 darkroom session or 4 rolls of film.

Is it made but simply not imported in to your market by the distributor? It might be worth trying to talk to the local importer...

 

[darkroommike]

A little of topic but, why does foma sell their chemicals in such small sizes? For example, They sell Fomafix p in 1 litre boxes... thats good for like 1 darkroom session or 4 rolls of film.

All fixes should be good for about 20 rolls per liter or 20 8x10's. But it's good to not use one liter for both films and prints since the fixation by products are different.

 

[Nokton48]

Makiflex Retro 320 - 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Plaubel Makiflex 9x9cm neg on 9x12cm Retro 320. Center enlarged approx 6x9cm. Emulates result from 120 film! Straight Microdol-X in JOBO rotary processor.

002 by Nokton48, on Flickr

My stash of 9x12 Retro 320 ^^^

 

[Nokton48]

Now shipped from B&H. I now have 20 rolls of 120 FOMA Retro 320 in house

20 rolls FOMA Retropan Soft 120 by Nokton48, on Flickr

 

[Jockos]

Now shipped from B&H. I now have 20 rolls of 120 FOMA Retro 320 in house

20 rolls FOMA Retropan Soft 120 by Nokton48, on Flickr

I have it to