Foma 200?

[Drew Wiley]

Pyrocat and PMK seem to be quite similar in this respect : 6 min @20C was my normal time with either.

[Daniel Unkefer]

Anybody here try pushing large format FOMA 200 two stops? I'm about to start some testing along those lines. Anybody?

I thinking maybe Acufine (I have plenty) or maybe Microphen? I have both. D23 1:1 is my go-to soup for about everything

[koraks]

While I agree that Foma possibly should consider if they really want 120 on the market; it is worth noting that only few people complains about their large format version of Foma 200.

Indeed. It's a product I enjoy using a lot, in both 4x5 and 8x10!

[Oren Grad]

I've removed a mass of bickering about what is or isn't wrong with Foma films and whether to trust them.

Make your point, preferably supported with clearly-described, well-documented evidence, and then move on. Assume that other members are capable of weighing conflicting evidence and making thoughtful decisions about what will best serve their purposes. It's no help to anyone to keep reiterating your opinion in an effort to bludgeon into submission those who have had a different experience or who bring alternative information or perspectives to the discussion.

[Daniel Unkefer]

Makiflex Std 250 Imagon Foma 200 2 by Nokton48, on Flickr

Makiflex Std, 250mm Rodenstock Imagon, H5.8 Imagon Disk with Imagon ND Filter, Foma 200 roll film, Legacy Pro Mic-X, Replenished.

[Drew Wiley]

What do you mean by "pushing" Foma 200 two stops, Daniel? Taking a low contrast scene and doing a Plus 2 longer development, ala Zone jargon? It's not great at that, which is one reason the late Michael Smith cursed it (versus his preferred Super-XX, which can be plus developed significantly).

Or do you mean exposing it two stops faster, at 800 speed instead of 200, and then trying to recover an acceptable image? I think everyone would agree that it's nowhere near true 200 speed. So essentially you'd be three stops off, and would be sacrificing that same amount from the shadow values. Not a good idea either. But since the straight line goes way down there, deep into the shadows, with only a minimal toe, you might partially get away with it in relation to a scene relatively low contrast to begin with. If in doubt, experiment first.

[Daniel Unkefer]

I mean exposing at EI 800 (OK maybe 400 we will see) AND then developing +2 stops of pushing (maybe more). Not easy to handhold an F8 lens (65mm), something completely new to me, but fun. I've found by Googling, some images that make me think it might work. It's an interesting alternative to pushing HP5+ and TMX400 to EI 1600, and developing to EI 3200, which I do all the time with 35mm HP5+, it's not a stretch at all. TMX400 we will see, not familar but now I have plenty to test.

[Drew Wiley]

Oh gosh, when TMY400 will do that so much better, sacrificing only a single zone of deep shadow, shooting at 800, instead of 3 zones in the case of F 200. I'd sometimes lop a stop off TMY, and then overdevelop it a bit to get that blacked-out-graphic shadow effect ala Brett Weston. Foma 200 is far less malleable, and has a far slower real-world speed (2 stops lower than TMY to begin with). But if you have it around anyway, no harm trying it. Foma 200 doesn't overdevelop well either, certainly nothing like the potential of TMax films, classic ole Super-XX, or even FP4.

Hp5 has a relatively long toe, so is in another category. Frankly, what I liked to do with HP5 was to counterintuitively both overexpose and overdevelop it (pyro) and then rein it back in with a supplementary mask. That's a lot of cumulative extra density; but I have some really muscular light sources on my 8x10 enlargers. Delta 100 has a medium toe, and can be overdeveloped well for extra contrast gradient.

I'm just speaking technically and predictably. But sometimes technical felonies turn out to be creative gems.

[mihag]

I mean exposing at EI 800 (OK maybe 400 we will see) AND then developing +2 stops of pushing (maybe more). Not easy to handhold an F8 lens (65mm), something completely new to me, but fun. I've found by Googling, some images that make me think it might work. It's an interesting alternative to pushing HP5+ and TMX400 to EI 1600, and developing to EI 3200, which I do all the time with 35mm HP5+, it's not a stretch at all. TMX400 we will see, not familar but now I have plenty to test.

I made quite a few prints (on Adox Variotone) from pushed Fomapan 200 120. My developer od choice at that time was T-MAX 1+4 @12'.

[Daniel Unkefer]

Thanks mihag! Just so happens I have a bottle of TMAX I have never opened, it's expiration 2016. Have to give it a try soon. Film's expired, so is the chemistry LOL. I know I may need to retry with fresh stocks maybe