Numbers on Foma Fomapan 100 Film

[HowieP]

Hi, I developed my first rolls of Foma Fomapan 100 35mm film today and noticed unusual numbers along the bottom of the negatives where the frame numbers usually appear. The positions of the numbers do not correspond to the frames and they appear about every fifth sprocket hole. The rolls start at number 64, then go back to 1, and seem to go up to the number 50. anyone know what these numbers represent? Thanks!

 

[julhu]

It is true that Foma uses a different sort of numbering. The same system appeared on old Agfa films. They start at 1 and go up to approx. 70. That's because these films do not have any -A numbers, so 1A would be number 2 on these films. However, I have no idea why your film would start somewhere in the middle. Maybe it is spooled from bulk film? My Fomafilm always go from 1 to 70.

 

[HowieP]

Yes I see what you are saying about the A numbers. The first frame on each roll starts at 63 which makes the first frame 64, the second frame starts at one which makes it frame number 2, then every frame is two more numbers up to 50 for the 26th frame. The numbers are consecutive but each frame encompasses two numbers. Strange.

 

[julhu]

I think they used to do it more frequently in the past when half-format cameras (like the Qlympus Pen F) where a little more common. So every (half-format) frame would get its own number. Maybe Foma never changed their numbering system.

 

[cmacd123]

Many of the older European films were numbered that way in the 1960 era, agfa, ADOX, ...

The 36 exposure rolls had numbers up to 88, with the first frame numbered 1 and 2 and the numbering continuing right pass the end and on the leader of the next roll. Agfa finally dropped it when the DX coding came out, as that required a bar code version of the number in a specified format. I think ILFORD is the only brand that still puts the DX bar code on their B&W film.

I have seen both versions on the EFKE film so they must have changed their machine when they moved to Croatia. Foma is likly using a numbering machine from that era.

 

[HowieP]

Many of the older European films were numbered that way in the 1960 era, agfa, ADOX, ...

I have seen both versions on the EFKE film so they must have changed their machine when they moved to Croatia. Foma is likly using a numbering machine from that era.

Great information. Thanks.