Taming Fomapan 120's crazy curling

GDI · Feb 21, 2023

I really like the 120 Fomapan 400/Arista EDU Ultra look, but the curling is very frustrating.

I am thinking of changing my workflow to try to efficiently reduce that curl by loading it on the developing reels backward (emulsion out) to go against the natural curl and then develop as normal. I would dip the entire reel in photoflo as a final step (when I used a Phototherm, the last automated step was photoflo ) and then dry it on the reel in a heated cabinet.

Anyone tried anything similar?

I have tried hanging with weights and slow drying, and also drying in a heated cabinet (not forced air, but gentle heat from a "goldenrod" dehumidifier) Having this degree of curl complicates everything from sleeping negatives to scanning or wet printing and there must be some solution.

Thx

Rick A · Feb 21, 2023

Having shot(and developed) miles of 120 EDU and Foma I have not experienced excessive curling. I don't cut my negatives and just roll them and store in a plastic bin, still manageable for printing. the only time I had what could be considered excessive curl was from drying my negatives on the reel in a speed dryer.

John Wiegerink · Feb 21, 2023

GDI said:
I really like the 120 Fomapan 400/Arista EDU Ultra look, but the curling is very frustrating.

I am thinking of changing my workflow to try to efficiently reduce that curl by loading it on the developing reels backward (emulsion out) to go against the natural curl and then develop as normal. I would dip the entire reel in photoflo as a final step (when I used a Phototherm, the last automated step was photoflo ) and then dry it on the reel in a heated cabinet.

Anyone tried anything similar?

I have tried hanging with weights and slow drying, and also drying in a heated cabinet (not forced air, but gentle heat from a "goldenrod" dehumidifier) Having this degree of curl complicates everything from sleeping negatives to scanning or wet printing and there must be some solution.

Thx

I'll be watching this thread very closely since I hate the Foma curl also. When I scan I use a Nikon LS8000 with glass carrier. Same for wet printing, but that curl is still a pain when it comes to loading the film carriers. I've used a large 8X10 X1 inch thick lead block over my negative page for at least a week and see very little help as to curing the curl.

FotoD · Feb 21, 2023

I can't say I've seen much curl with Fomapan either. The only time I've seen it is when the air has really low humidity and the film dries super fast. But that goes for all films.

Marcelo Paniagua · Feb 21, 2023

check your drying environment. Shouldn't be too hot/dry. I used to hang my Foma film on a dry/hot place so it will dry faster and I got curled negative. I moved to a less hot/dry place ( a place I have an a/c on) and now curling is more controlled. I put the negatives for a day or two on a fat book to get it perfectly flat.

Marcelo

John Wiegerink · Feb 21, 2023

Marcelo Paniagua said:
check your drying environment. Shouldn't be too hot/dry. I used to hang my Foma film on a dry/hot place so it will dry faster and I got curled negative. I moved to a less hot/dry place ( a place I have an a/c on) and now curling is more controlled. I put the negatives for a day or two on a fat book to get it perfectly flat.

Marcelo

Maybe I'll try to hang in the bathtub after a shower/rinse of the shower/tub. It's winter here and our humidity is very low with forced air heating. We'll see what happens?

Sirius Glass · Feb 21, 2023

I suspect that the dehumidifier is over drying the negatives. A damp or humid room is better for drying film and not have curling problems.

takilmaboxer · Feb 21, 2023

I hanfg the film vertically with a modest weight at the bottom. Then I insert them in a Print File and lay them flat with a fat book on top of them, for a day or two. There is some residual curl but not much. Not like the older Foma on the blue base.

Steven Lee · Feb 21, 2023

Let your film dry, then roll it into tight rolls with emulsion facing outward and leave for a few hours. This is what I do with all films prior to scanning. Completely eliminates curling.

relistan · Feb 21, 2023

How old is this Fomapan? Is it from e.g. pre-2015? They used to use a polyester base that had a sort of blue tinge to it and was really tough stuff. When it curled, it was hard to get rid of. Modern Fomapan films are on a clear acetate base and don't do this normally.

GDI · Feb 21, 2023

Thanks for the info - to answer some questions:

This is fresh Fomapan that I dry in a cabinet in my basement, I have tried with and without heat. It is a fairly dry but not exceedingly dry environment. I use the same process for all film and the only big curling problem I’d with Foma/Arista. No issues with HP5 or Tri-X 120.

I did test a roll by reversing it on a 2500 reel overnight, it helped a bit, so now I’m testing it in a smaller 1500 reel to see if that works.

Next I think I’ll try developing on a 1500 with the film reversed, then drip drying on the reel, and see how that works.

mwdake · Feb 21, 2023

I carefully reverse roll this film and put it away in a cupboard in my darkroom for a couple of weeks.
It doesn’t take all the curl out but it certainly helps.

otto.f · Feb 22, 2023

Didn’t occur to me either, curling. Perhaps a certain batch. Maybe dried too fast in a warm/dry environment?

albireo · Feb 22, 2023

Yes, curling with Fomapan is environment-dependent.

My old flat had on average higher measured relative humidity than the one I live in now. No curling in the old flat, curling in the new flat.

No such thing as 'natural curl'.

GDI · Feb 22, 2023

albireo said:
Yes, curling with Fomapan is environment-dependent.

My old flat had on average higher measured relative humidity than the one I live in now. No curling in the old flat, curling in the new flat.

No such thing as 'natural curl'.

By "natural curl" I simply meant the direction of the curling - which is always the same direction as it was rolled - emulsion side inward. However in my experience, Fomapan does have a greater propensity to curl than some other films in my particular environment.

That said, I need to find a way to introduce some humidity to the drying cabinet to slow the drying down and see how that helps.

Thanks

albireo · Feb 22, 2023

GDI said:
By "natural curl" I simply meant the direction of the curling - which is always the same direction as it was rolled - emulsion side inward. However in my experience, Fomapan does have a greater propensity to curl than some other films in my particular environment.

That said, I need to find a way to introduce some humidity to the drying cabinet to slow the drying down and see how that helps.

Ah got it! Apologies. Yes perhaps that will help.

Konical · Feb 22, 2023

Good Afternoon,

Steven Lee (Post #9 above) has the right Idea; for me, however, even with the reversal on a processing reel, a far longer time is required, and a decade or two may not be quite enough. I just processed a 120 roll of Fomapan Creative 200 and won't bother trying to contact it for at least a few weeks; even then, enough curl to be annoying will still be present. This is with Fomapan purchased at least 8-10 years ago and frozen part of the time, but at room temperature for the last several years. Incidentally, about 8 minutes development in T-Max 1:7 gives good results for shots exposed at sunny 16.
Konical

Pioneer · Feb 22, 2023

I hang my developed AEU400 with a weighted clip on the end of the strip in a cool area for a day. I then clip it to length and store the strips in Printfile pages. Curling is not an issue either for enlarging or scanning. In fact Fomapan/AEU 400 135/120 film curls less than Kodak TMAX 100.

Of course I am still shooting and developing Efke 25. Once you have dealt with the curl in that film nothing else is a problem.

Color or slide films can sometimes be a problem but I general store them in Printfile pages under a heavy book for a month.

Agulliver · Feb 24, 2023

I hang all my film over the bathtub from the shower curtain rail, sometimes heat the room to about 30C but not too hot. The relatively humid environment - especially on a weekend morning after spousal unit and I have both taken a shower - tames all curl, as far as I can tell. I don't recall fomapan being any particular problem. Efke KB25 certainly curled like a bugger though.

Sirius Glass · Feb 24, 2023

Agulliver said:
I hang all my film over the bathtub from the shower curtain rail, sometimes heat the room to about 30C but not too hot. The relatively humid environment - especially on a weekend morning after spousal unit and I have both taken a shower - tames all curl, as far as I can tell. I don't recall fomapan being any particular problem. Efke KB25 certainly curled like a bugger though.

Taking a steamy shower is good for curing film curling. Hence my earlier comments about the dehumidifier being the main culprit.

P C Headland · Feb 25, 2023

I recently tried reverse rolling an expired roll of 120 Fomapan and (stand) developing it. It did absolutely nothing to tame the curl!

I don't have curling problems with any other film. I dry it in the bathroom after having run the shower. Humidity is generally pretty high here in Wellington, room temperature is normally 20-23 celsius.

albireo · Feb 25, 2023

P C Headland said:
I recently tried reverse rolling an expired roll of 120 Fomapan and (stand) developing it. It did absolutely nothing to tame the curl!

I don't have curling problems with any other film.

How long had your roll of Foma been expired for, and how was it stored?

You mention 'other film'. Do you have reason to believe that another roll of different film, expired for a similar length of time, perhaps stored in similar conditions to your expired Foma roll, would have curled less/more/the same? Have you tested this?

GDI · Feb 25, 2023

I developed a roll today by reversing it on a Jobo 1500 reel - I left it on the reel and will see what happens in a humid cabinet overnight.

Hopefully, that will help manage the curling - I’ll know tomorrow AM.

Sirius Glass · Feb 25, 2023

GDI said:
I developed a roll today by reversing it on a Jobo 1500 reel - I left it on the reel and will see what happens in a humid cabinet overnight.

Hopefully, that will help manage the curling - I’ll know tomorrow AM.

Did you remember to turn off the dehumidifier?

GDI · Feb 26, 2023

Sirius Glass said:
Did you remember to turn off the dehumidifier?

Yes - and I added humidity with open trays of water under the film

Taming Fomapan 120's crazy curling

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