Uneven Skies w Pyrocat and Foma in 8x10

**Kirk Gittings** · 22-Oct-2008, 12:13

I have never tried FOMA, but have about heard this issue many times. I'm wondering what people think is the cause? Uneven coatings?

**Vlad Soare** · 23-Oct-2008, 00:32

...FOMA has to be the most "finnicky" film..

Agreed, both the 100 and the 200.

I don't know about 8x10", but I have used Fomapan 100 in 4x5" and 120, Fomapan 200 in 120, and Fomapan 400 in 35mm.
I've never had any uneven development (except once, but that was entirely my fault - I had not used the black caps of my Jobo 2509N). I've also never encountered any other manufacturing defect. No pinholes in the emulsion, no sheets missing the notch, no curling of the 120 or 135 films, no nothing. I was very reluctant at first, thinking that an inexpensive film cannot be any good, but now I believe I was wrong.
I also use Foma papers and chemicals, and they have never given me any reason to complain.

I use Rodinal (actually R09) or HC-110. I've never used Pyrocat HD. Could this perhaps be a finicky developer? Or maybe it's just the combination of Pyrocat and Foma that doesn't work?

**eddie** · 23-Oct-2008, 04:54

Originally Posted by VladSoare

I don't know about 8x10", but I have used Fomapan 100 in 4x5" and 120, Fomapan 200 in 120, and Fomapan 400 in 35mm.
I've never had any uneven development (except once, but that was entirely my fault - I had not used the black caps of my Jobo 2509N). I've also never encountered any other manufacturing defect. No pinholes in the emulsion, no sheets missing the notch, no curling of the 120 or 135 films, no nothing. I was very reluctant at first, thinking that an inexpensive film cannot be any good, but now I believe I was wrong.
I also use Foma papers and chemicals, and they have never given me any reason to complain.

I use Rodinal (actually R09) or HC-110. I've never used Pyrocat HD. Could this perhaps be a finicky developer? Or maybe it's just the combination of Pyrocat and Foma that doesn't work?

i agree with the above. i have been using foma 100 in 4x5 for years now. 1000s of sheets. i also use the 5x7 and 8x10. i have only had one problem and that was my fault (see above).

i guess the last option would be to try it again with a longer pre soak and maybe a lower temp (20C). another thing you can try is hc110. i have used hc110 with great results. even for my VDB the hc110 negs give me very very close results to the pyro hd negs (sometimes i think about switching back to hc110 all together). i use 1:63 dil. for 9 min. at 20C.

**Daniel Grenier** · 23-Oct-2008, 05:37

Try brush development of your film , GB. You may well be surprised and pleased by the results with regards to uneven skies. Do a search under "brush" in the title as it has been well explained here before. It is more time consuming but worth the "trouble".

**Gene McCluney** · 23-Oct-2008, 19:53

Originally Posted by Ken Lee

It sounds like FOMA may seem more affordable at first, but one pays the price eventually.

Not true..you just have to "learn" it. It is more difficult to "learn" than Kodak or Ilford films, but I get perfect results with Fomapan 200 now.

**Ken Lee** · 24-Oct-2008, 02:50

Sounds right.

By process of elimination, it appears that there is something involving the film/developer combination, or perhaps the water itself.

GB, have you had the same problems with other developers ? Do you mix your own Pyrocat HD ? Is it the version which is dissolved in Glycol ? Is there anything special about your water ?