Fomapan 100

[taulen]

Hey,
I have a "small problem" with this film and developing it in D-76.
I have been advised too develop it in D-76 2.5/3 parts water and 1 part developer.
So 1:3 or 1:2.5 for about 8 minutes. But I only get almost a translucent negative. I have tried different times, ranging from 5minutes till 16minutes, and only small differences in the negative. It's so thin you would not believe it.
If you held it right under a light source, you can see the whole negative with all details, but not like anything else I have seen before.
Printing this would never work, scanning would probably result in an image, but not how its supposed to be.
Do anyone have a tips, should I try stock solution or 1:1 or something, to see if that helps ?
And to be honest the "best" image I have gotten until now, is when I accidentally exposed the film as asa 400, and developed in 3:1 for 10min and 30secs, but still way too thin.
Looks underdeveloped, but is that possible when exposed as asa50 and developed at 3:1 for 16minutes ? Doesnt seem right to me.
Have I gotten a "defect" package of developer, have I made a big mistake when mixing ? Do you have any ideas what might be wrong ?

Sorry for a long, and probably incoherent post, but I really are close to giving up
Also sorry for not being able to show you what I mean with "thin" negatives, but think of it as a transparent with nothing but dust on it, unless you held it in the right angle under a light source

Edit:
Forgot so write that it works nicely with the rest I had of fomadon excel, so its not the film, or camera/shutter. Also it's the 4x5 if that is in any way relevant...

[radiophoto]

Taulen: the Massive Dev Chart at digitaltruth.com has a chart that includes D-76 at 1:1, stock, and 1:3.  There's nothing for sheet film at 1:3, but times are established for stock and 1:1.

I've not used sheet film (ever, any brand), but still I thought this might help.

[wlewisiii]

I always use D-76 at stock strength for Arista.Edu Ultra (same as Fomapan) 100 sheet film. One shot, 6.5 minutes, 75 degrees.

In the end, though, I prefer using Diafine at EI200 for sheet film.

William

[Scott]

If the sheets all come up that thin, at all dilutions/times, wouldn't that indicate underexposure?

FWIW, Arista.EDU Ultra 100 (which is, I believe (IIRC) rebranded Fomapan 100) is all I use in sheet film.  And I use HC-110 dil H for all of it.  Cheap, easier to mix, and wonderful results.

[taulen]

If the sheets all come up that thin, at all dilutions/times, wouldn't that indicate underexposure?

Normally it would yes, but not when it works with another developer =(
So hm, will try stock or 1:1 to see if anything changes, if not I will open the 3.8litre bag, using a 1litre bag atm.
Thanks for the replies =)

[taulen]

I dont understand anything atm. Got better negatives now, with a 20min developing. Doesnt that seem over the top, and still not good enough, looks like I will have to try 25min which doesnt make sense at all. Will try 1:1 too see if that brings the times closer to what massive dev chart is telling me to use. just very strange...

[Glenn Thoreson]

Didn't Foma go belly up a couple of years ago? Or was it Forte?
Anyhoo, if it was Foma that went kaput, it could be suffering from old age. When did you buy it and what's the expiry date? I always thought the stuff that J&C used to sell was Foma. I have some of that but haven't used it. That film is reputed to not keep very well. Try over exposing it and see what happens.

[taulen]

Nope, Foma is doing well, and expire date late in 2011. But thanks.

[LarryD]

That was Forte Glenn. About the same time we lost J&C.

[Diwan Bhathal]

YO! Jonny!

If any film is not exposed enough, it does not produce an image.  If any film is not developed enough, it does not produce an image.

Conversely...  If any film is overexposed or overdeveloped...

All film emulsions are the same, even though that they may come in different formats.

FOMA 100 is a very good film.  Has that look of yesteryear.  FOMA includes developer accelerators in their films, so if these are developed according to box instructions, the negatives come out very very contrasty, and very dark.  The development time needs to be reduced, or dilution increased.

I use FOMA 200 exposed at ASA 100 in a ROTARY UNICOLOR tank.  My time is 8 minutes for D-76 at 1:2.5 dilution.  The time difference between rotary and traditional developing methods is 15%.  That is, for rotary use 15% less time.  I came up with this time by testing the film myself.  This is a good starting time for fine tuning your development times and dilutions.

In your case, you may not have exposed the film at the correct time, you may have UNDER EXPOSED, therefore thin negatives.

I have been using D-76 since 1974, and never found a bad batch !!!

I cannot believe that a developer with a developer accelerator in the emulsion gives transparent thin negatives.  All this points again to your exposure time. Old shutters are not reliable, also operator error may be the case.  Did you follow the instructions on the D-76 package?

The 1:2 and 1:3 dilutions are used with FOMA films to control contrast, as these films are very contrasty.  The 8 minutes are to give enough time for the shadows to develop properly.

If you try another developer, make sure that the exposure time and the ASA setting is the same for the new test.  This will point out to bad developer, D-76 in this case.

I agree with Scott.  I have been using FOMA films for the last 5 years, and no pinholes, no scratches, perfect film all the time, nice film as well.

I would suggest to do another test.

[LarryD]

I am another one who has to chime in for the Foma film. I though use HC-110 and Rodinal. In fact I find that Rodinal is the best developer for this film in 35mm and 120 so I figure that 4x5 should be no exception.  I also love it at box speed in Diafine here are some from a recent shoot of Foma 100 in Diafine at box speed.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jokerphotography/sets/72157623898587359/

These were shot with an M42 lens an an adapter on a Nikon. Yes I tend to stretch the limits and not care what others think about what camera lens or film I use as if I followed all the rules then I might as well just get a DSLR.


Untitled-4s by inetjoker, on Flickr


Untitled-1s by inetjoker, on Flickr


Untitled-14s by inetjoker, on Flickr

[taulen]

Hm, I understand.
Will have to do more testing then, already exposed 15-20 sheets trying to figure this out.
Mostly I use the bulb setting on the shutter because of exposure times ranging from 2 to 25seconds. This because of exposing it as asa50 and aperture around 16.
But also when exposing at f9 and in the "sun" at 1/125th I get the exact same result. But as said, when I developed for 20minutes, I could see a clear improvement. Since 20minutes is way over what you recommend, but at the same time, massive dev chart, recommends 17minutes with 1:3 and asa100. So I'm wondering if the temperatue can have anything to do with it. I start at 20-21c, but havent checked the temp when I'm finished, maybe it drops fast and too much? Have had cold-weather these days.
But will do more testing, also going to see if tray vs. paterson "taco" tank method gives different results.
Those are the methods I have available to develop atm. but is looking for a roll-tank and motor-base.
I will get this sorted out, it's just giving me a headache at the same time =)

Larry:
No doubt that the film is good, have used it some in 135 and 120, and never gotten a bad negative, like with this d76 and 4x5 sheets. But in the end, its probably who is overlooking something obvious

Edit:
I'm pretty sure I followed the instructions for the d-76. 1litre package.
What I did was; take 800ml water, add the powder, dissolve the powder, add the rest of the water, 200ml. And I let it stand in abottle without air for about 12-20hours, when I again made sure all powder was dissolved and then started using the developer.

[LarryD]

FWIW I always hated D-76 1-3 because the contrast was so low and it exhausted in the tank quickly. 1-1 one shot was my favorite with D-76 but using HC-110 I could take the syrup and more or less make it whatever I wanted as long as I had 3-4ml of developer per roll be that a 36 exp 35mm a 120 roll or an 8x10 sheet.

[Santiago Montenegro]

I normally use nothing but Foma 100, and wholeheartly agree with Rev. Larry: it likes Rodinal. And Tetenal. I had one single experience with D-76 with it, and would not use it again.