FomaPan Classic 100 users (Contrast)

[Ramiro Elena]

Hi, I've tried to look for answers on this topic but only found scattered comments so forgive me if this has been discussed already.

I am developing Foma100 on D76 (1:1) in a Paterson Orbital. The only developing time I could find on Massive Dev Chart was 10 minutes at 20º.
My first batches have come out ultra dense. Just by quick observation of the film against the window light I can see a super contrasty negative and very little midtone information.
I then developed three batches of the same shoot decreasing time by one minute in every batch down to 7 minutes. The results are better but still a big black dense negative. The scan is acceptable, no blown up whites.

Is anyone here using Foma100? Does this sound familiar? Is anyone rating it at 200ASA maybe?
I'd thought I asked before getting different film.

Thanks

[ret wisner]

i generally over expose by a half stop/ful stop and at about 5-6min in 1+1 d76, great tonality

expose at 100 asa and develop for 12-15min for a nice alt print neg

[uhner]

I agree with Ret

Fomapan 100 has a lot of inherent contrast, and in my experience it behaves more like a 50 ISO film. Exposing it at ISO 200 will probably result in severely underexposed negatives.

In my opinion the film works well in D76 1+2. Try that and see if it helps.

[Ramiro Elena]

Thanks Ret, I'll try 5 min for my next development and see. I too, overexpose specially for female portraits.
At first I thought it had to do with continuous agitation of the Orbital but the Efke25 came out great.

@Uhner, 1+2 sounds like a good idea too, thanks!

[IanG]

I did some film speed & development time tests 2 years ago and found that it needs half the box speed and 2/3rds - 3/4qrts the development time of other films to give comparable results.

1+2 is an excellent compromise dilution with D76/ID-11.Perceptol, Xtol etc I can't understand why no manufacturer lists recommended times but I first used it back in the 70's.

My times for Fomapan 100 @ 50 EI are 11 minutes in Pyrocat HD compared to 15-16 minutes for all other films,

Ian

[sanking]

Would someone comment on the pros and cons of reversal processing when the film is being developed to scan? I am interested in whether there would be more or less grain, less or more dynamic range, less or more film speed, less or more sharpness, etc?

Sandy King

[IanG]

Is this accidentally in the wrong thread Sandy ? Particularly as Fomapan 100 is on a heavy blie base so few would wish to reversal process it.

I'll answer it in the Reversal processing thread as we have already touched on the overall qualities there.
(http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showpost.php?p=600411&postcount=9)
Ian

[Ramiro Elena]

That is a very interesting point Sandy.

[jp]

I would encourage you to print it before concluding it's density by looking at it through a window. Film that I am familar with, I can judge within half a contrast grade by eye, but film I am not familar with, I am sometime surprised. (Unless what you saw was pretty extreme)

I use fomapan 100 in 8x10. I have not used d76 or paterson orbital. I develop it in a tray.

The massive dev chart is fairly close for xtol 1+1 or 1+2, which is one of my choices. I have also processed it in caffenol-c using the recipe from that site and have found 10 minutes at 72f to be right for me.

[Ramiro Elena]

jp498, do you find your developed Foma100 to be denser than other film despite it prints okay?
I am scanning rather than printing and the tonal range is acceptable after all but barely. The negs are black!

[IanG]

Foma films build up density extremely quickly and a prone to very high contrast & high density if over developed.

Once you get that tamed they are very capable films.

Ian

[Rui Morais de Sousa]

Hello ramiroelena,
You can even try D-76 1+3! it works ok. I am sorry, but don't have the times here with me and can't remember for sure... (I also like to use D-76 1+1).
I have been getting good results with Rodinal 1+50 for about 6 min 24ºC in a Jobo CPP2 (that is, continuous agitation). I say "about", as I feel that I haven't fine-tuned it yet...
I decided on 24ºC, because water temperature around here in summer is usually above 20ºC, so I don't have to bother cooling it down.
I should maybe add, that I prefer dense negatives, as I use cold light to enlarge.
(in the case of Foma 100, I have been making 8x10 negs that I contact print or scann).
I find it to be a nice film, don't give up.
Greetings,
Rui
You can see some results in my blog, although I am not that good on scanning...
AL-MOST-LY PHOTOGRAPHY (http://ruimoraisdesousa.blogspot.com/)

[Rui Morais de Sousa]

I forgot to say that I usually have been rating the film at 80!
Rui

[Ramiro Elena]

Thanks neighbor! ;-)
I should probably try Rodinal too, I haven't used it in a long time. From what you all commented so far, a dense negative was to be expected out of my development.

Great work Rui, I see you master all styles. It was nice to see you comment on Koudelka's gipsys (I've got that book too).

[Stephane]

Hello Ramiro

Since my stach of fomapan200 ran out (I got the last box from the Oslo "shop"), I had to switch recently to fomapan100. What I do is very similar to what I did with the foma200: over expose by 2 stops (film rated at 25 ISO/ASA) and develop in a cold (17degC) soup of rodinal 1:100 in my orbital with continuous agitation. This is for normal develpment.
I am no expert, but as I see it now, the slower the development (low temp+high dilution), the better the mid-tones will develop while the highlights are held back. This is working for portraits. I get negatives I can print with grad 2 paper, and which scan well.

[Rui Morais de Sousa]

Thanks neighbor! ;-)

Great work Rui, I see you master all styles. It was nice to see you comment on Koudelka's gipsys (I've got that book too).

Thank you Ramiro,
It is very kind of you...
Yes, Koudelka is GREAT!
When I have the other Developer combinations and respective times with me, I will post them here.
Greetings,
Rui

[eddie]

i use and love foma100.

i shoot it at 100. develop (20C) in hc110 for 8.5 min dil H
pyro hd 2:2:100 for 7.5 min

comes out perfect. reciprocity sucks with it. other than that no worries.

[IanG]

I tested the reciprocity of Fomapan 100 & 200 last year under practical conditions and found it was nowhere remotely near as bad as Foma's charts.

All reciprocity tables are complied from lab tests, none are accurate enough because situations differ quite widely, so practical testing under the conditions you intend to shoot are the best way to get a proper idea of how the films behave.

Ian

[Rui Morais de Sousa]

Some more combinations for Fomapan 100 (until now, I have only used the film in 8x10.
I also used Fomapan 200: in 35mm I like it, in 120 not so much...):
D-76 1+1/ 12min. @ 20ºC
Adox ATM 49 1+2 / 16min. @ 20ºC
As stated before, development in a Jobo CPP2, slow rotation, and with pre-soak in water bath (5min.) As I also said, I prefer somewhat denser negatives, but these combinations don't show a contrast similar to what you describe. I would call it "normal"...
Can it be that you are (also) doing some overexposure? Maybe you should check your meter...
Greetings,
Rui