Fomapan 400 at 1600

Hello,

 

<p>I've asked this question yesterday at Film&Processing forum, where

Robert Vonk has <a

href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00AbIk">kindly

suggested</a> that Fomapan 400 real sensitivity is closer to 250-320

ISO, and the film doesn't generally pushes well.

 

<p>On the other hand, the <a

href="http://www.retrophotographic.com/films.htm">film description</a>

I found claims that it can be rated 100 to 1600 ISO without change in

processing times. How could that be? My previous experience with BW

films was 15 years ago, but I'd expect nearly transparent negs if I

shot at 1600 and developed normally.

 

<p>Anyone else has experience with this film?

If you look at <a href="http://www.foma.cz/foma/produkt/FotoDetail.asp?produktid=12">Foma 400 page</a> you find out link to technical sheet in pdf format and second page showed you more information in graphs. I think what description about wide exposure latitude means is that when you exposed film 400 it will still have details in -2EV (1600ASA) areas. It doesn't mean that you can expose it as 1600 and you will get same quality as exposed at 400. Text only underline that this film has wide exposure latitude.<br>

<br>

--<br>

richard vanek<br>

<a href="http://piskoftak.com/">piskoftak.com</a>

We are distributing these films in the Netherlands and we are always given a reliable advise about our products.

 

If you want some quality on iso 1600 with a iso 400 film use the HP5+ or films like delta 3200 or Tmax 3200 on iso 1600.

 

The contrast of a Fomapan 400 is going very high at higher iso rates. I like this film for his wide gray scale. Grain is just acceptable on 35 mm film and no problem if you are working on medium format.

 

Specially on 120 rolfilm we can advise this film with Amaloco AM74 developer on iso 320, 1+7 6:00 min. on 20 degrees C. Good combination.

The ID11/D76 will give simmular results. Further information about these films you will find on our Dutch website, assortiment --> Foma films --> **Ontwikkeltijden** . I am sure you can read the developer table.

 

Best regards,

 

Robert

 

<http://www.FotohuisRoVo.nl>

I haven't used this film yet (tho' I'm trying to eventually get around to trying every b&w film I can get my hands on at least a couple of times before they disappear). However I'm usually a bit skeptical of claims that any film can be rated willy-nilly and get the same results. Heck, I've used Tri-X between 200 and 6400 but I can't claim to get equal shadow detail or overall tonality with such extremes.

 

About the only generality I'm usually willing to make is that some films are more push-friendly than others. Tri-X is very good for this. T-Max 400 (TMY) is surprisingly good to a point when combined with the right developer. HP5+ doesn't seem to push quite as well as Tri-X but diehard fans of the Ilford film beg to differ. One thing I know for certain: the revised Agfa APX 400 doesn't push worth a damn. It's barely a 400 film, probably closer to 200 or so.

 

If you want to try a developer that really is about as forgiving as possible for film exposed at various (or even unknown) EI's, try Microphen - if you can find it. Reportedly it's been discontinued so Ilford DDX may be the next closest thing.

Foma 400 is quite grainy, but with Xtol (exposed at 250-400 ASA) it works surprisingly well (reasonable grain and sharpness). Push it only if you really love the grain. I once have exposed it @ 1600 ASA and developed in Rodinal (1:25)- very contrasty and interesting look. See the attatched shot taken by my wife:<div></div>

Richard, Robert, Lex, Marek: thanks for the hints and the useful feedback.

 

<p>Sadly, I wasn't able to locate Rodinal, Microphen, DDX or any other developer here other than Kodak D76 and "Standard #2" (a common soviet developer I believe). My decision is to expose the film at 800 and probably develop in D76 for 10 minutes (as the film pack suggests 7-8 minutes for the normal development). Think I can live with some grain (shooting street/subway), but would still like to have acceptable contrast. Should I dilute the developer, and what proportion would you suggest?

If you look here <a href="http://www.foma.cz/Upload/foma/prilohy/F_pan_400_en.pdf">F_pan_400_en.pdf</a> you find on second page of this pdf info for microphen, ID11, xtol in detailed graphs And here <a href="http://www.foma.cz/foma/dokumenty/FotoServis.asp">Techincal support</a> even more info for different dilutions.

<br>

--<br>

richard vanek<br>

<a href="http://piskoftak.com/">http://piskoftak.com/</a>

Eugene, for most ISO 400 films a push to 800 isn't too much of a strain. ID-11 or D-76 at the 1+1 dilution should be fine. It's worked for countless other photographers and was what I used for years before switching to HC110 for developing Tri-X at 800.

I agree with Lex. For 800 ASA dilute D-76 1+1 and give it very mild agitation (one inversion per minute) - the developement time shoud be about 16 minutes.

<p>hi everyone, i can see these posts are VERY old but i try anyway. Marek could you please tell me how did you develop foma400 @1600 in rodinal 1:25 (like pic shown up there)? time? shaking ? i can't find any sheet about it anywhere. thanks</p>

<p>This too is very late but I suppose someone might find it useful.<br /> I followed the <a href="http://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart.php?Film=Fomapan+400&Developer=Rodinal&mdc=Search&TempUnits=C">Massive Dev Chart recipe for Rodinal/Adonal</a>: 1+50, 24 minutes at 20º. Constant agitation for 1 minute, then 10 seconds every 2 minutes (to avoid blowing out highlights; with non-pushed film I'd normally agitate every minute). The developer temperature was 21.5 C so I reduced developing time to 21 minutes.<br /> The results look reasonable, though I'm a beginner developer and may have missed something. Fomapan 400 @ 1600 seems to yield underexposed or dull images in low light; this may be consistent with the general view that this film speed is actually ISO 250-320. Samples below, in my gallery:<br>

<a href="/photo/17667151">#1 Fomapan 400 @ 1600<br /></a><a href="/photo/17667154">#2 Fomapan 400 @ 1600<br /></a><a href="/photo/17667147">#3 Fomapan 400 @ 1600</a><br /><a href="/photo/17667148">#4 Fomapan 400 @ 1600</a></p>