best developer for Fomapan 400

[Fotohuis]

How about Fomapan 400 and Fomadon P combo?

Above two excellent examples of FP400 in D-76 1+3 for 17 minutes. You can swap 95% this data for Fomadon P W37.

Of course everybody has his own opinion but looking at the most remarks and photos you can see in an overview what is possible with this film. At least the conclusion this is not a real high speed film.

 

[veraikon]

I only developed foma 400 with Rodinal , but I'm getting very good results with this combination.
The key to my knowledge is working with cooler temperatures .usually I start with 15-18 Celsius .

+1 . I prefer R09 ("Rodinal") 1+50 @ 16oC. Unfortunatelly At my home-lab it´s only possible autumn - spring. 😀

 

[tho60]

Above two excellent examples of FP400 in D-76 1+3 for 17 minutes. You can swap 95% this data for Fomadon P W37.

Of course everybody has his own opinion but looking at the most remarks and photos you can see in an overview what is possible with this film. At least the conclusion this is not a real high speed film.

Yes, this is not a real high speed film. But some people rate it at box speed, and with quite good results. Other people disagree and shoot Fomapan 400 at 200 speed and say that this is the only solution. That is confusing.

 

[Fotohuis]

Take a test chart and make a photo from it on different iso rates and you will know the truth .....

 

[tho60]

Take a test chart and make a photo from it on different iso rates and you will know the truth .....

Very good idea. I have done it with Fomapan 200 and revealed that the real speed was about ASA 75-100.

But I wanted to spare this process in case of Fomapan 400, yet I see I should do this test.

 

[cjm]

Also, please take my "box speed" comment above with a grain of salt. It may be accurate but know that my shooting/developing is not always 100% accurate. I agree with most people's comments above that this is not a high speed film and it is probably a good idea to rate it a little under box speed.

 

[tho60]

I did the exposure test with Fomapan 400. I exposed the film as ASA 400, 200, 100 and so on. Then I developed the film with Fomadon P. To my surprise, the real film speed was about 100 ASA. Rated at 400 or 200, the negative was too transparent, with no details in the shadows.

 

[Rayt]

Just to be clear, when someone says to expose Fomapan 400 at 200, does it also mean to process it as 400 according to published times?

 

[Fotohuis]

You can simply take the starting data from the Fomapan 400 data sheet which also indicate the right E.I. for the film with different developers.

 

[Rayt]

You can simply take the starting data from the Fomapan 400 data sheet which also indicate the right E.I. for the film with different developers.

Thanks! That's really helpful. I have been doing it wrong.

 

[tho60]

You can simply take the starting data from the Fomapan 400 data sheet which also indicate the right E.I. for the film with different developers.

Unfortunately, Foma delivers no charts for Fomadon P & R09. Only the developing time is available.

 

[Fotohuis]

For Fomadon P W37 you can take the D-76/ID-11 chart. R09 is not suitable for FP400, at least certainly not in 35mm format.

 

[PrestonR]

I don't know if it's the "best" developer for foma 400, but I like to use Kodak d76 in a 1:1 dilution with this film. I expose it at 250 ISO and develop for about 7.5 minutes at 70 degrees F.

 

[trip-xa]

This is HC110, Dilution H, ei400 (not bad, but grainy)

Afternoon Sun by Dan Fogel, on Flickr

The photo below was Rodinal, 1:100, for an hour. I rated the film at ei320

Two in the Pen by Dan Fogel, on Flickr

 

[tho60]

format question

format question

This is HC110, Dilution H, ei400 (not bad, but grainy)

Afternoon Sun by Dan Fogel, on Flickr

The photo below was Rodinal, 1:100, for an hour. I rated the film at ei320

Two in the Pen by Dan Fogel, on Flickr

Which format do you use?

 

[michaelwj]

I initially used ID-11 (maybe 1+3) exposed at 400, and was unimpressed. I was planning to experiment a bit more with ID-11 and different EIs, but my local was out of ID-11 (and D-76), so I picked up some T-Max Dev, and have been very impressed both at 320, but more so at 250. Keep in mind I'm sunny 16ing it here, so the 1/3 stop is just a ballpark. I find it easier to sunny 16 at an EI that matched my shutter speed dial - it makes the maths easier.

With the ZM 21/4.5
Fomapan 400 @ 320, T-Max Dev 1+7, 9:30 @ 20C, 5 inversions every 30 sec:

With the CV 35/2.5
Fomapan 400 @ 250, T-Max Dev 1+7, 8:45 @ 20C, 5 inversions every 30 sec: