Foma 400

[Jake Mongey]

Just developed my first roll of Fomapan 400 and wanted to talk about the results and get some opinions.

I shot it in my Mamiya C33 with Mamiya Sekor 55mm 4.5 at box speed. I developed using ilfosol 3 at 1+14.

This Photo along with the next one was taken in the studio with a basic lighting setup. I wasnt a big fan of the film grain and tones in this particular lighting, as in the scan the shadows werent rendered very well IMO.

This was the best shot in the studio and it was alright as i managed the exposure better so it seems good and i do like this shot. However it seems to have a very small latitude for underexposure.

This shot here though was my favourite and consists of a friend posing foir me under harsh sunlight coming from the right hand side and quite frankly, the grain looks a lot better in this sort of lighting:

Anyway what do you guys think of this film?

 

[znapper]

I am a little undecided regarding Foma 400, i rate it at 200 and shoot, but I normally use it when I am not really after the sharpest shots, but with added grain. (I develop it in HC-110 B mostly) 🙂

The third shot looks very clean for Foma 400 ^^

 

[charjohncarter]

I also shoot it at 200. I use HC-110h. For me it is best in dull low contrast scenes: rainy days, indoors, or overcast. If you look at the spectral color sensitivity graph on the Foma site you will see that this film is over sensitive to blue which may help with white people portraits. But I have to use an Orange Filter if sunny day blue sky is present. So all in all, old fashion style film (which I like) that is blue sensitive. I only use 120 so grain is not a problem.

Here is a sunny day image using an Orange filter:

Arista EDU ultra 400 HC-110h by John Carter, on Flickr

 

[Jake Mongey]

I may give it another go then with an orange filter it was cheap as hell though

 

[grouchos_tash]

I didn't find it particularly grainy shot at 320 with Ilford ID11 1:1

Leica M6 - Elmar-M 50mm

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Bronica ETRSi

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[Jake Mongey]

I didn't find it particularly grainy shot at 320 with Ilford ID11 1:1

Leica M6 - Elmar-M 50mm

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Bronica ETRSi

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I like the 1st shot a lot! I used to use ID11 but my local store ran o9ut sao i got ilfosol 3.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

I never used it in 120, but went through the bulk of 135. It is very thick film. Loading for first time got me thinking if two films were stuck somehow. I wasn't able to get anything special from this film, except huge grain. It is not forgiving as HP5+ for exposure and developing and it is not cheap as Kentmere 400.

 

[Jake Mongey]

I never used it in 120, but went through the bulk of 135. It is very thick film. Loading for first time got me thinking if two films were stuck somehow. I wasn't able to get anything special from this film, except huge grain. It is not forgiving as HP5+ for exposure and developing and it is not cheap as Kentmere 400.

I have only shot 120 as i recieved a load of bulk TMax400 for free but i agree with the massive grain. Imagine pushing it though

 

[michaelwj]

Don't push it!

If you check the Foma graphs it only gets to 250, which is why your shadows are no good - you underexposed.
I shoot it at 250 and develop and in their LQN 1+10 for 7 min @ 20c. I really like the results, as John says it has a retro look, but it wish it was faster 🙂

 

[Tom A]

[/url]G 881 # 5 The BEAN - Chicago by T&T and Mr B Abrahamsson, on Flickr[/IMG]

The Bean in Chicago. Fomapan 400, developed in Td 201 (Anchell/Troops "Film developing cookbook). Bessa R4M and Voigtlander 21mm f1.8.

 

[Jake Mongey]

[/url]G 881 # 5 The BEAN - Chicago by T&T and Mr B Abrahamsson, on Flickr[/IMG]

The Bean in Chicago. Fomapan 400, developed in Td 201 (Anchell/Troops "Film developing cookbook). Bessa R4M and Voigtlander 21mm f1.8.

Wow thats so cool! I am in love with that image and the tones!! The distortion of the mirror (i can assume) is just awesome

 

[xayraa33]

Even with all its faults, I like this film.

 

[charjohncarter]

I may give it another go then with an orange filter it was cheap as hell though

Only with blue sky, you have to learn how to use it to full effectiveness.

Take the hints above and try them. By the way, don't use an Orange filter with this film on low contrast or overcast scenes, just bright sunny with blue sky.

 

[ravilamir]

I never used it in 120, but went through the bulk of 135. It is very thick film. Loading for first time got me thinking if two films were stuck somehow. I wasn't able to get anything special from this film, except huge grain. It is not forgiving as HP5+ for exposure and developing and it is not cheap as Kentmere 400.

In the UK, Kentmere in some places is about the same prices as Foma, in others Kentmere is more expensive.

 

[x-ray]

Don't push it!

If you check the Foma graphs it only gets to 250, which is why your shadows are no good - you underexposed.
I shoot it at 250 and develop and in their LQN 1+10 for 7 min @ 20c. I really like the results, as John says it has a retro look, but it wish it was faster 🙂

Give it a try in Acufine. I've not used this particular film in Acufine but have used others with excellent results. Acufine is a true speed boosting developer which increases shadow detail / density and reduces grain resulting in a true increase in speed. I did tests with it 1:1 and used it one shot with excellent results. I used it with Foma 100 and had better shadows and less grain than in HC110 B.

 

[michaelwj]

Give it a try in Acufine. I've not used this particular film in Acufine but have used others with excellent results. Acufine is a true speed boosting developer which increases shadow detail / density and reduces grain resulting in a true increase in speed. I did tests with it 1:1 and used it one shot with excellent results. I used it with Foma 100 and had better shadows and less grain than in HC110 B.

Thanks, I'll have to get my hands on some and do a test or two.

 

[tho60]

I have bad luck with Fomapan 200 and 400. These films gave acceptable results in wet prints only.