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Thread: Foma 8x10

  1. #1

    Foma 8x10

    Anyone using Foma 8x10 film? I'm looking for a new film since t-max is gone. I have tried illford and just don't like the look I get with it. I see freestyle has Foma in 100 and 400, and Fotokemika Kfke 100. Any thoughs on these films? I shoot only outdoors, natural light, landscape type images. Thanks. Rich

  2. #2

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    Re: Foma 8x10

    I use Foma, Arista EDU Ultra, FP4+ and HP5+ depending on the subject matter and image desired.
    How do you print? If you make platinum or palladium prints you are going to have to do some extensive testing with developers to find one which will produce sufficient HL density. If you make salt or carbon prints Foma will not produce sufficient HL density in any developer I have tried.

    If you make silver gelatin prints, you may like Foma. It will not produce the same image as T-Max because the crystal structure is different and the characteristic curve is significantly different. It, as well as FP4+, will produce better separation in the mid-tones than T-Max.

  3. #3
    jp's Avatar
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    Re: Foma 8x10

    I use Foma 100 in 8x10. You see lots of fomapan100 landscape stuff here if you check the image sharing forum, especially the waters edge. I use TMY2 in the other formats (35,120,4x5) and have some TMY2 8x10 in the freezer and on order with Canham for after the foma gets used up. I have no problem with Fomapan 100, but I am more apt to get the results I want by minimizing the film variety.

    I only contact print or scan 8x10 negatives. I shoot fomapan 100 at iso 64 and develop in PMK or Xtol 1+2 depending on the scene and the desired outcome. The foma makes awesome silver contact prints and can make awesome cyanotypes depending on the subject. Ilford can make nice results too, but you can't cross it off till you've tried it with multiple developers.

  4. #4

    Re: Foma 8x10

    Quote Originally Posted by rich caramadre View Post
    I'm looking for a new film since t-max is gone. Rich
    T Max is not gone. It is alive and doing exceptionally well. Unfortunately, if you missed the 8x10 TMY Special Order from KB Canham that was discussed extensively here in the weeks past you will have to wait until the end of the year for the next offering. We are working on ULF in TMY as we speak.

  5. #5

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    Re: Foma 8x10

    I use Fomapan 100 in 13x18cm size, and find it to be a very good film. Nice separation in the midtones, good tonality, negligible grain (I develop in Rodinal). It has bad reciprocity failure (kicking in at a mere 1s of exposure), but it's tolerable. I expose at EI 64, and am going to try exposing at EI 50.

    I haven't used the Foma 400 in sheets, only in rolls. And I did not like it at all. But personal experience may differ...

    Jiri
    Jiri Vasina
    www.vasina.net

    @ Google+ | @ Facebook | @ flickr

    My books @ Blurb (only heavily outdated "Serene Landscape").

  6. #6

    Re: Foma 8x10

    Jim, I only pint on silver gelatin paper. Contacts or enlarge on to 11x14 paper. You say it has good mid-toes. What about the shadow detial? I've been shoting some tri-x 320 and it has a longish toe, so I need to give a bit more exposure. I really like the shadow detail I get with tmax 100, and the 400 has been quite good also. Maybe I should that I develope my negs in D76 1:1.
    Thanks everyone for your input. I know this is a very subjective topic. But it helps to get others input to figure out a starting point.

    Rich

  7. #7
    Vlad Soare's Avatar
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    Re: Foma 8x10

    Shadow detail is a matter of exposure. Rate it at ASA 50 and you'll get plenty of shadow detail.
    Keep in mind that in 8x10" you'll probably use small apertures, which means that at ASA 50 your metered exposure times will be seconds and will become minutes after you account for the reciprocity failure. And correcting for reciprocity failure will make its inherently high contrast go even higher.
    I used to like Fomapan 100 a lot, and I still do. It's great for its price, very consistent from batch to batch, no manufacturing defects. But in 4x5", where apertures of f/22-f/32 were the rule rather than the exception, its low speed and awful reciprocity behaviour made me switch to TMY. In 8x10", where f/64 is not uncommon, I expect the problem to be worse. I still use Fomapan 100 from time to time in medium format, because in medium format I shoot at larger apertures, so the speed and Schwarzshild effect are non-issues.

    It's a good film. If price is an issue for you, then by all means give Foma a try.

  8. #8

    Re: Foma 8x10

    Quote Originally Posted by Jiri Vasina View Post
    I use Fomapan 100 in 13x18cm size, and find it to be a very good film. Nice separation in the midtones, good tonality, negligible grain (I develop in Rodinal). It has bad reciprocity failure (kicking in at a mere 1s of exposure), but it's tolerable. I expose at EI 64, and am going to try exposing at EI 50.

    I haven't used the Foma 400 in sheets, only in rolls. And I did not like it at all. But personal experience may differ...

    Jiri
    Can you comment on the quality control you have experienced with Foma 100 Jiri? Have you found it to not have any emulsion defects or other manufacturing issues that would cause a photographer to expose another sheet just to "be sure"?

    Do you know if Foma 100 come in sizes larger than 8x10 such as 11x14 and 8x20?

    Thanks

  9. #9

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    Re: Foma 8x10

    Michael,

    from all the sheets I have shot (several hundreds, not thousands) I have not had anything that I would ascribe to emulsion defects or manufacturing issues. True, I have had several scratches that could be from manufacture, but it's waaaay more likely the scratches were my fault.

    I don't expose another sheet "to be sure" because of fear of problems with the film. But I do expose another sheet recently mostly because of "aperture bracketing" (with the details I sometimes shoot) or very slight composition changes. But that is a different issue.

    As to the sizes larger than 8x10, I don't think they regularly cut larger sizes, but I think they might be willing to make a custom run - if there was sufficient order to back it... I don't know how large such an order would have to be, but I'd assume not hundreds of (50sheet) boxes, more like a few tens of boxes.

    If there was a real interest (meaning if you wanted enough of the film, or there were a few people willing to participate), I might give them a call and try to persuade the factory... Actually, I'm awaiting arrival of a WholePlate camera and I was thinking of asking people here if they would be interested in having Fomapan 100 in Whole Plate size...

    Jiri
    Jiri Vasina
    www.vasina.net

    @ Google+ | @ Facebook | @ flickr

    My books @ Blurb (only heavily outdated "Serene Landscape").

  10. #10

    Re: Foma 8x10

    Quote Originally Posted by Jiri Vasina View Post
    Michael,

    from all the sheets I have shot (several hundreds, not thousands) I have not had anything that I would ascribe to emulsion defects or manufacturing issues. True, I have had several scratches that could be from manufacture, but it's waaaay more likely the scratches were my fault.

    I don't expose another sheet "to be sure" because of fear of problems with the film. But I do expose another sheet recently mostly because of "aperture bracketing" (with the details I sometimes shoot) or very slight composition changes. But that is a different issue.

    As to the sizes larger than 8x10, I don't think they regularly cut larger sizes, but I think they might be willing to make a custom run - if there was sufficient order to back it... I don't know how large such an order would have to be, but I'd assume not hundreds of (50sheet) boxes, more like a few tens of boxes.

    If there was a real interest (meaning if you wanted enough of the film, or there were a few people willing to participate), I might give them a call and try to persuade the factory... Actually, I'm awaiting arrival of a WholePlate camera and I was thinking of asking people here if they would be interested in having Fomapan 100 in Whole Plate size...

    Jiri
    Thanks for the comments.

    A prudent photographer regularly assesses the possibilities relating to sheet film because it is good to be diversified. Each company that manufacturers sheet film has a very unique set of cost and profitability targets that the general public is not privy to. As a result I like to spread the business around to the degree possible. If you have the opportunity to broach this subject with them that would be great. In the interim I hope to give the film a try.

    Cheers!

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