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.

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!