Foma Retropan 320 Soft, a more scientific approach

It is a low contrast film. In fact very difficult to get high contrast in the negatives. And Retro (pan) , Panchromatic with grain.

300 sheets of 9x12cm Foma Retropan Soft 320.
Can be used in my three Plaubel Makiflexes, or Plaubel & Sinar view cameras
Click to expand...

Good work. In the USA 9x12cm (old German sheet film format) must be rare.
 
Fotohuis said:
Good work. In the USA 9x12cm (old German sheet film format) must be rare.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Yes really not much 9x12cm in the USA. Buy almost all of it in Europe. Just got these lovely Linhof holders, with built-in pressure plate.
Perfect for testing the 9x12cm Foma Soft Retropan. Shown with one of my Plaubel Makiflexes.

001 by Nokton48, on Flickr
 
I'm just back from exposing some tests with 9x12cm Foma Retro 320. Eight sheets exposed in Plaubel Makiflex Standard (four with Schneider 360mm F5.6 Tele-Arton, four with Kern Aarau 360mm F11 Repro process lens). Two sheets each lens at EI 250, and two each lens at EI 125. Processing will be in my standard straight Microdol-X in JOBO rotary drum on Unicolor Uniroller. Will be interesting to see the differences. Shot on overcast day (soft lighting) 1/15 and 1/30 at F22 (camera on tripod) Very busy this week but will try to get this processed quickly. Linhof precison 9x12cm film holders were used (have spring-loaded pressure plates for maximum sharpness at the film plane) 😎


See above ^^^
 
Victorian Baby Elephants Fountain, Goodale Park, Columbus, Ohio. Very soft overcast day

9x12cm Foma Retro 320 cut film, exposed at EI 125. Plaubel Makiflex Standard camera body, Kern-Arau 360mm F11 Repro Process lens, exposure 1/15 sec at F22, Developed in straight Microdol-X developer, 30 minutes development at 18C, in a JOBO Multitank 5. Scanned on Epson 4490 scanner.

The negative is cropped somewhat (about 6.5cmx9cm) for easy scanning. Observations: Even at 30 minutes development, the negatives are quite low contrast. Also, there is a dark blue antihalation dye on the back of the film, which turned my Microdol-X BLUE! And it even turned my Kodak Rapid Fixer BLUE! After thirty minutes washing, all traces of the dye was completely rinsed away.

BUT I LIKE THIS FILM! I am so glad I have it. Of course, I am NOT following the FOMA instructions, just going by my own intuition.
Since this film is not available in 120 size, this is a good alternative for me. 🙂
 
Another Foma Retro 320 film test. This one was made in full key-day sun. 9x12cm Retro 320, Plaubel Makiflex Standard camera body, 360mm F11 Kern-Arau process lens at F22, 1/60th on tripod. Developed in straight replenished Microdol-X 30 minutes at 18C, scanned on Epson 4490 scanner. The full-frame 82mmx90mm Makiflex negative was cropped to approx 6.5cmx9cm, for easy scanning.

This film does have a retro tonality to it.
 
Fotohuis, thanks for posting this information!

It is useful for anybody who wants to try to get a start with this film and informative for others.
 
So I think next I will try HC-110 1:31? Probably a bit more "punch" than the Microdol-X.
Is the Foma Retro Special Developer stocked anywhere in the USA? Nobody seems to have it.
 
Further the regular 135-36 without DX Foma Retropan 320 Soft is in production and has also sent out to all distributors.

21626221646_b538ec520e_z.jpg
 
In fact, is there any visible difference between Retropan 320 and Fomapan 400 (135 format)? I guess that grain and tones are very similar.
 
I've got a roll in the M6 as we speak, and had planned on running it through my "usual", Rodinal 1:50. I see nobody has tried Rodinal, is there a reason for this?
I like to use just the one developer, and Rodinal ticks the boxes for me, especially it's frugality and ability to last once opened.
Gary
 
I got a can of the Retropan 320 from Chris Livesy a couple of month ago. Haven "wrestling" with it and still find it too grainy - and not particularly 'soft" in its rendition.
So far it has been tried with Pyrocat HD stand development. edgy grain and sharp edged. looks almost like Rodinal 1:50!
Also with Beutler 1:1:8 -not really a 400 speed developer, but it works - grain quite prominent, which I did expect.
The third "soup" was a vintage Agfa 12. It was supposed to be a "soft" working developer. Concocted in 1933. It still exhibited prominent grain - certainly not "soft" in any way.
However the developer was interesting, I usually stick some reference film in the tank when trying something new, in this car a roll of neopan 400 and my usual standby, Kodak Double x. With the reference rolls the Agfa 12 looks quite good. very smooth mid tones and reasonable grain.
It is an interesting film and I still have about 8 rolls left. Will try some more developers with it.
One that comes to mind is Kodak's D96 (designed for XX) and the Adox MQ.
For some reason I have problem posting pictures on the forum. Something changed at some time. Once I got it figured out, I will post samples.
Correction: I also tried with D23 two bath developer - and so far that looks the best.
 
Onskar_jag_hade_fatt_mer_tid_att_ananda_Szabad_kameran_5x7_ar_ett_underbart_format_Sista_dagen_pa.jpg


Here's one from my sisters wedding, shot on 5x7.
Exposed for ISO 200.
Foma recommended 7 minutes development in W27 (XTOL) 1+1 at 24C, but I went for 12 minutes (at 23C) this time, as my other experiment was far, far to thin.
Negatives looks very good, and it prints nicely on Fomalux 🙂
 
just picked up 2 100' rolls of this stuff. I'm looking forward to pushing it for some atmospheric shots--will post results
 
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