developing and EI for Fomapan 400

[johncox]

<p>I've settled on Foma 400 (Freestyle branded) for a film to try out and I could use some help with the correct EI and developing times to start at.<br>

I want to get images like this; with a less grain and slightly less contrast. I'm using a 6x12 Da Yi panorama camera so I'm not too worried about the grain. I'm planing on pulling the film to get the contrast I want, but should I start at 250 or 200? I'll probably start in TMAX developer since I have a lot of that.<br>

Thanks in advance,<br>

John</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>I treat it as an E.I 200 film film I shoot it and use published times for the 400.. Robert Vonk may be of more help. The E.I of 400 is maybe a push in real life and you can get 400 if you add a little time so maybe it is a 250-320 at the most.</p>

[Fotohuis RoVo]

<p><img src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5562/15166498695_6b0b2fe3f7_z.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="496" /></p>

<p>Depending a bit on the type of developer you should expose between iso 200-320.<br>

Here an example (120 roll film 6x7cm) of FP400 E.I. 250 in <em>Rollei Supergrain</em>, a type developer like <em>AM74</em> (Amaloco) which you more or less can compare with <em>Kodak Tmax</em> developer (semi-compensating, box speed).</p>

<p>In the Fomapan 400 data spec you can directly see that even in the speed enhancing type developers like Microphen the film speed is limited till iso 320 or iso 250 Fomadon Excel W27/Xtol.<br>

http://www.fotohuisrovo.nl/documentatie/F_pan_400_en.pdf</p>

<p>Best regards,</p>

<p>Robert (Dutch Foma distributor)</p>

<p> </p>

[johncox]

<p>Thanks, that helps a lot. I'll start bracketing at +/- 1 stop at 200 and subtract a minute from dev time to lower contrast (the massive dev chart has this film at 7-8 minutes so I think I'm fine at 6).<br>

I'll post results when I the film shows up.</p>

[Fotohuis RoVo]

You are welcome!

[craig_shearman1]

<p>If you're trying any film for the first time, the first thing to do is shoot it at its rated speed and develop it at times recommended by the manufacturer. You may be happy with it like that. And even if you're not, you need that as a baseline reference for anything else you're going to do.<br /><br />You can, however, kill two birds with one stone. On your first roll, bracket your shots. Shoot each photo at least three times -- at what the meter says for the official ISO plus one stop under and one stop over. If you want, go as far as two stops under and over. Shoot in half-stop or third-stop increments if you like. Do all of this with some average scenes, not a black cat in a coal bin or polar bears on snow. Keep notes of what's what. Develop according to manufacturer's recommended time. Look at your negatives and see which exposure you like best and that will tell you what ISO works for you. <br /><br />Once you've got that dialed in, you can do further experiments with development time. But see how things look with the recommended time first.</p>

[john_shriver]

<p>Robert, that's a refreshingly honest data sheet. </p>

[Fotohuis RoVo]

<p>Well the manufacturer (Foma, Czech Republic) shows in their own data sheet a speed enhanced developer and their own <em>Fomadon reference developer</em> iso 320 for this Fomapan 400 film. And for their own <em>Fomadon Excel W27</em> (Xtol compatible) iso 250.</p>

[keith_tapscott]

<p>I like the technical information given by Foma for that film for speed achieved at G-bar 0.6 and only wish that Ilford and Kodak would produce similar charts.</p>

<p>I think I would go with E.I.200 and use stock Xtol for 7 minutes at 20*C as my starting point.</p>

<p>Thank you for the link Robert.</p>

[Fotohuis RoVo]

<p>If you produce your own film curve with any particular developer you can calculate the exact film speed yourself. But of course this is already a lot of work to do.</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>Kodak invented those charts. and they are still there but you have to look. They used to use D-76 as the baseline developer then it became Tmax and now Kodak uses Xtol as the baseline. for charts..</p>

[Fotohuis RoVo]

<p>This is <em>the latest Fomapan 400 data sheet</em>. A few minor changes like the <em>Clear Polyester layer</em> is changed in the text etc.<br>

http://foma-cz.cs4.cstech.cz/en/fomapan-400</p>

<p>On the Foma web site you can select Czech, Russian, English, French, Spanish, Chinese language. For me very easy: Only Chinese and Spanish is a problem for me :)</p>

<p>Best regards, na shledanou, paka paka, cordialement, groetjes (is Dutch BTW),</p>

<p>Robert / Роберт</p>

<p> </p>

[larrydressler]

<p>I have good friends. Thanks Robert Vonk.</p>

[Fotohuis RoVo]

<p>Thanks, Larry. Within three months I am going to Ukraine. But first I have an operation on my neck and shoulder.</p>

[Monophoto]

<p>The starting point should be the rating established by the manufacturer.</p>

<p>You certainly can establish a new rating, but the objective of doing that is to compensate for the variations introduced by YOUR shutter, YOUR lens, YOUR choice of chemicals, YOUR processing sequence (including how YOU agitate), YOUR desired contrast range target, and the way YOU will convert the negative to a print. In other words, because a personalized EI is PERSONALIZED, no one can tell you what to use.</p>