Want to try Foma 400

I like Tri-X and HP5 just fine, but have a hankering for the OLD Tri-X

I've heard Fomapan 400 is more "old school" and so I'm going to order a 100' tin. I've not been able to find any recent posts on the stuff, but I know that there's a whack of info that the forum members can fill me in on. I'd sure appreciate some advice on the following:

1) General characteristics of the film.

2) I've heard that it should be rated at about 250. True?

3) The developers I use are Rodinal, HC110, D76 and Xtol. What happens to the film in each of these soups?

4) Best recipe for sharp, maximum grain, and best recipe for general purpose

5) has anybody tried it in Dektol?

Any further info that you might be able to pass on will be greeted with appreciation! Thanks!

1)...4) Its very good film. I got some good prints with Rodinal 1+50 @E.I. 200 Lovely grain and you will get that punch with Rodinal.

From memory it has an odd spectral sensitivity which just keeps rising higher, until a very sharp drop off into extended red sensitivity.

You can find examples of a certain film and developer combination on filmdev.org.

See: http://filmdev.org/recipe/show/7860 for Fomapan 400 in HC110.

And http://filmdev.org/recipe/search?search=fomapan+400 for other combinations.

Hi

Down load the PDF data sheet from this page

http://www.foma.cz/en/catalogue-fomapan-400-action-detail-272

the 2nd page shows the EI you should use (I use 0.6 contrast...)

The graphs seem ok with Microphen.

It has a nice toe but burns highlights readily - it is shorter scale than HP5+.

I still use a lot of it and the 100 too.

No QA problems but I temper to 0.5C and use plain water stop... it is not prehardened like Ilford film.

edit
The RFF people have trouble with the data sheet...
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=84617

Thank you all for the info and links. Much appreciated.

Mmm, I have a question:
is it possible that fomapan 400 and 200 behave exactly the same with the developer reported in technical sheets?
thank you

moltogordo said:

3) The developers I use are Rodinal, HC110, D76 and Xtol. What happens to the film in each of these soups?

Click to expand...

I like Foma 400 with HC110 (1:63) - see

Station today by Dead Link Removed, on Flickr

Kochstraße, today by Dead Link Removed, on Flickr

or

Sunday - 4/2014, 15 - 3/12 by Dead Link Removed, on Flickr (this is 1:50)

I have used a lot of Fomapan 400 over the last few years, foma is my main film, I use the 400 at box speed and develop in D76 stock for 9 minutes or Rodinal 1/50 for 12 minutes and get great results with it, very old style look, reminds me of Tri x when it first came out, before Kodak mucked about with it, I find I very rarely need filters for great skys, but be careful as with all Foma films the emulsion tends to be soft when wet, so let nothing touch the emulsion side when wet, with 120 I just hang it up and let it dry, with 35mm I wipe the shiny side only with some folded kitchen towel, I can't fault it

it is a great film, i can't really spew out technical characharistics and compare it
to other films but i can tell you if you ever process it in dektol it will probably look good
i have processed it in ansco 130 and it looked great, i also processed it in coffee developer
and it looked wonderful as well. i usually rate my films at half of box speed maybe a little slower
because i don't like underexposed but meaty negatives. i've never used the most of developers you have listed except
for xtol, and i found it to be terrible.
if you think dektol will give you maximum grain, it won't, it is not what most people who have never tried it
think it is ... ansco 130 is a print developer very similar to dektol ( except it has glycin in it ) and it does not give maximum grain at all.
there is a lot of BS floating around the internet, and unfortunately people who have never done thing perpetuate and pass on nonsense
instead of actually doing things for themselves, and seeing for themselves what dektol ( for example ) is like and actually passing on the truth.

(good luck! ) have fun
john

Not my go to film, I shoot it because it's not too pricey. 135 at box is ok, 120 and 4x5 need to be shot at 200 or it will be thin. Lots of curl on the 135 and 120 with a blue base. Trix hp5+ are so much better as a 400 speed films.

Thank you all so much for your informative replies. I'll look forward to using the film (I've just ordered 3 rolls to start with).

Like Devlog, I use HC 110 at 1:63, and I use Rodinal at 1:50, so I'll start with these dilutions. Thanks again!

I get so much information from this forum that I've subscribed, so looks like you're nt going to get rid of me!!!

I've just ordered 3 rolls of Foma 400, and I'm looking forward to trying it! I'll do one roll in Rodinal at 1:50, one in D76, and one in HC110 at 1:63, and post the results - could be a while!

Just wondering how many of you guys have stopped experimenting and settled in on some "standards". ? I have a feeling I'll always be tinkering around!

I buy Arista EDU 400 I think it's the same film. Beautiful processed in HC-110. Cheap too.

You might want to try some Kentmere 400 also. A nice traditional film with Ilford quality, and quality control, at something like Foma prices IIRC. I've been shooting a fair bit of the 100 and plan to get some 400 again soon.

moltogordo said:

Thank you all so much for your informative replies. I'll look forward to using the film (I've just ordered 3 rolls to start with).

Like Devlog, I use HC 110 at 1:63, and I use Rodinal at 1:50, so I'll start with these dilutions. Thanks again!

Click to expand...

How much development time do you use when souping in HC-110?

Good luck! Please notice I chose to use an orange filter in two pictures shown - development times are by the massive development chart

moltogordo said:

I get so much information from this forum that I've subscribed, so looks like you're nt going to get rid of me!!!

I've just ordered 3 rolls of Foma 400, and I'm looking forward to trying it! I'll do one roll in Rodinal at 1:50, one in D76, and one in HC110 at 1:63, and post the results - could be a while!

Just wondering how many of you guys have stopped experimenting and settled in on some "standards". ? I have a feeling I'll always be tinkering around!

Click to expand...

Allus soup

Microphen for 0.6 gamma per Foma's datasheets

Rodinal 20c 1+100 stand

for the 100, 200 & 400 ISO films not tried the reversal

RattyMouse said:

How much development time do you use when souping in HC-110?

Click to expand...

I use 12-14 minutes with HP5+ HC110 at 1:63, at 68 degrees. It produces fine negatives that print beautifully. Here is a scanned 5x7 enlargement using this combo:

moltogordo said:

I like Tri-X and HP5 just fine, but have a hankering for the OLD Tri-X

I've heard Fomapan 400 is more "old school" and so I'm going to order a 100' tin. I've not been able to find any recent posts on the stuff, but I know that there's a whack of info that the forum members can fill me in on. I'd sure appreciate some advice on the following:

1) General characteristics of the film.

2) I've heard that it should be rated at about 250. True?

3) The developers I use are Rodinal, HC110, D76 and Xtol. What happens to the film in each of these soups?

Click to expand...

Foma 400 must be the most misunderstood of modern films. I find it a very low priced film capable of lovely results.

Its spectral sensitivity is unique, it has sensitivity down to the deep red. Not to the infrared, but it is sensitive to deeper reds than all current films except Rollei Retro 400S, Ilford SFX, and infrared films.

It is also more sensitive to the red than to the other colors. Obviously, this is part of the peculiar look of Fomapan 400. I feel this works nicely on skin tones.

As for the real ISO, according to the Foma datasheets, on D76 the "real" ISO is 250, and on Microphen it is about 320. But, the way it usually gets developed, it works fine at EI (exposure index) 400. The caveat is that the look is contrasty and has less shadow detail than if it was used at ISO 250. But the final result, the look, is just perfect IMO.

Due to the odd spectral sensitivity, there is a chance than under tungsten lighting speed, "real" speed could be ISO 400T (tungsten), rather than ISO 250D. At daylight, shadows are bluish, the color which Fomapan 400 is the least sensitive to. This could explain the reduced shadow detail on daylight at ISO 400. So perhaps it's a 400-iso "tungsten" film.

I have searched most photography forums for thoughts on Foma 400, and I'm amazed that no-one has suggested this.

As for pushing to ISO 1600, no experience yet. Thoughts on pushing? I'd guess it could be doable by using a contrast-reducing ("highly compensating"?) developer and looong development times.

zehner21 said:

Mmm, I have a question:
is it possible that fomapan 400 and 200 behave exactly the same with the developer reported in technical sheets?
thank you

Click to expand...

I'm not sure if I understood the question. But Fomapan 200 is a tabular-grain film while Fomapan 400 uses classic-shape grains.

I really dislike this film's spectral sensitivity. Really.

the 200 is NOT a tabular film...that's a myth and not true at all
best,peter

True, but even so it is a very good film, imho much nicer and not that much slower than the 400.

Peter Schrager said:

the 200 is NOT a tabular film...that's a myth and not true at all
best,peter

Click to expand...

Spread by Foma Bohemia? In ther 2013 Products catalogue (available online) they stated that their Fomapan 200 Creative is an advanced emulsion technology film.