Comments and experiences with Fomapan 100

I got a roll of Fomapan 100 back when I went to Tjechia some months ago (got it

free with a secondhand Meopta Flexaret IIIa I bought at PhotoSkoda). Untill now

I was reluctant to use it but I did and the results look good. The only thing I

noticed is quite a heavy curl and a blueish cast (probably a leftover from the

antihalation layer). Anybody who uses this film and tell me something more about

it. (pro and con's).

i am using 35mm & 4x5" Fomapan 100<br>

pro: cheap and available to me in 100ft rolls<br>

con: everybody seems to hate this film as being cheap<br>

35mm is not curly or you should be drying it too quick<br>

120 format may be worse according to net forums<br>

4x5" is fine and thick ;)<br>

attached is the scan of 35mm developed in Fomadon Excel

Looks great, gonna order me some.

Fomapan 200T is crap or it looks so to me<br>

400 is worth trying but the grain is HUGE and clumpy<br>

anyway try some different developers to find your best

Anybody try 100 with R-09 (Foma's Rodinal)?

i've only used Agfa's Rodinal with Fomapan 100<br>

very diluted about 1+100...1+200<br>

R09 reported to have a little bit different strength

I've used Freestyle's Arista.EDU Ultra, which is Foma 100, in 35mm, 120 and 4x5. Developed in Rodinal 1+50 or HC110 Dil H it's great. The 120 does have a blue base, which prevents me from using a staining developer like DiXactol. Because of the price, esp. for 4x5, and the old fashion richness I get from it, it's becoming my film of choice.

I've used Fomapan 100 in 120. The film is more sensitive to the red end of the spectrum. It's a good portrait film when you want to flatter.

 

I develop in HC-110. I find Fuji Acros to be a much superior product (particularly its reciprocity and tonal characteristics) for essentially the same price.

I'm using Freestyle's rebranded Foma films quite a bit these days. The 100 and 200 speed films are good, the 400 speed less so but still usable. All do very well in nothing more exotic than D-76. Trust me on this one. Rodinal is ok for Foma 100, but absolutely the worst thing for Foma 200 and Foma 400. I have also had excellent results using XTOL with these two films, and from what I hear, Fomadon Excel is a close copy of that. The curl is there in 120, and so is the blue tinted base. In 35mm format, the base is blue/grey and the film dries absolutely flat.

looks like Xtol==Excel just like R09==Rodinal<br>

can somebody take the trouble and post developing samples in D76 and HC110?<br>

i dislike the harshness of D76 but some say diluted developer produce smoother negatives

The main difference between R-09 and Rodinal may be R-09's smaller (plastic) bottle and 1:40 ratio Vs Rodinal's 1:50 (interesting perhaps in a 500cc tank :-)

 

I read somewhere that R-09 was closer to an old Rodinal recipe than current Rodinal.

Foma 100 processed in D-76 1+1, then printed onto Foma RC, variable contrast paper.<div></div>

Nice photo Frank.

 

I just ordered myself 20 rolls of Fomapan 100 (had to come from the Netherlands since Belgium doesn't seem to have a supplier of Foma). Can't wait to see them roll in here (excuse the pun :) )

I did my Fomapan 100 in Xtol 1:1 interpolating between full strength and 1:2 times @ EI 100 in 4x5. I used one of the resulting images as the base for the three malipated versions I have currently posted here on PN. Fomapan 100 in 4x5 format is thiner than HP5+ and is a little more delicate to handle.

Charles, nice images. I'll infer from them that Fomapan 100 is a little strange :-)

So if I order the 2x3 sheet film from Freestyle Ultra 100 or 200 it will be Foma 100 and 200?

 

I have tried the 200 in 135, seems OK to me.

 

tim in san jose

Hi,

 

I would like to ask about pricing of the Foma film materials in different countries. I live in the Czech Republic, where the Foma is being "manufactured" and the reseller's profit is about 0,10 to 0,15 EUR, so the final price is about 3,20 EUR per 135/36exp (at today's CZK/EUR exchange rate).

 

Thanks for all contributions!