MSB Posted May 6, 2015 Share #1 Posted May 6, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) Ackording to their website, Foma will release a new type of film entitled "Retropan 320 Soft" RETROPAN 320 soft05.05.2015 soft is a panchromatically sensitized special negative black and white film with fine grain, good resolution and contour sharpness. The datasheet is avaible here: www.foma.cz/ew/ec816f17-da8b-49ce-bd89-1d75aa19fee6-en New film news is good news Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted May 6, 2015 Posted May 6, 2015 Hi MSB, Take a look here New film from Foma. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
250swb Posted May 6, 2015 Share #2 Posted May 6, 2015 Thank you. I wonder if the reason you can't get it in 120 is because it can't take an anti-halation layer in order for it to work as a 'soft' film? It sounds very interesting especially in the large format sizes available. Is a new era of Pictorialism on the way? Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
plasticman Posted May 6, 2015 Share #3 Posted May 6, 2015 I'm intrigued - can someone who knows tell me more what this sort of thing actually means? "RETROPAN 320 soft is a panchromatically sensitized special negative black and white film with fine grain, good resolution and contour sharpness. The film is characterized by a wide range of half tones and soft light which makes it suitable for photography and subsequent contact printing or “retro” style enlarging of negatives (photographs of still lives, architecture, experiments, landscapes, portraits, etc.)." Is there any sort of reference imagery I could look at to get a clearer idea of the results to expect from the film? Sorry if this is an obtuse question. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted May 6, 2015 Share #4 Posted May 6, 2015 I imagine it gives a 'glow' to the image, so soft spreading contrast, much like the way Cinestill film behaves in colour after having the anti-halation layers stripped off. I imagine you can still get a sharp image from it. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted May 9, 2015 Share #5 Posted May 9, 2015 Well, the sheet-film description mentions a backing - "a clear polyester base 0.175 mm thick furnished with an antihalo colour backing which will decolourize during processing." Same description as for their "regular" 400 Action film. What I see in the linked technical document is: - Less red sensitivity than their 400 Action - chops off at 675 nm instead of 705nm. Will tend to give more open shadows than the 400 (more sensitive, relatively, to blue fill-light from the sky). - A much lower Dmax at, say, ~log -0.5 exposure, developed in the special developer (D = 1.6 for the Retro 320, vs. 2.0 for the 400 in Microphen). - Less of a toe in the shadows, compared to their other films - the curve runs straight off the graph. Again, less compression and more separation of near-blacks. My guess is they just got requests for a fast film with less extended red sensitivity than their 200/400 films, and closer to their 100 film (red is good for low-light shooting under artificial light, not always helpful for daylight). And a much shallower slope (less contrast) to the density curve (although obviously development plays a role there, as well). But, yeah - it is not even available for purchase yet, let alone having any images out there to show what it really does. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted May 9, 2015 Share #6 Posted May 9, 2015 Good analysis Andy. I have used the Foma 200 in 4x5 and it is a very contrasty film in daylight and even using compensating developers and aiming the meter at the shadows it is a difficult film to expose. The Foma 100 on the other hand is a dream to use. So yes, they've addressed the need for a 'softer' fast film. If would be brilliant if they could address the reciprocity failure next, so I can get home in time for dinner. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotohuis Posted June 27, 2015 Share #7 Posted June 27, 2015 Advertisement (gone after registration) At least we will have the film next month. 17m 35mm perforated and maybe sheet film 4x5". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
philipus Posted July 6, 2015 Share #8 Posted July 6, 2015 I wonder if this film will be comparably easy to scan, then. I mean given the more open shadows. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotohuis Posted July 29, 2015 Share #9 Posted July 29, 2015 Time for an extended film test. I will try the Rollei Supergrain 1+9 and HC-110 dilution B first. Let us see what the film is doing on E.I. 640 and a regular contrast. G=0,65. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotohuis Posted August 2, 2015 Share #10 Posted August 2, 2015 Just interpolated some data for E.I. 640 and E.I. 320. The given data for Supergrain 1+9 is way off so I have to start the measurements from blanc data.Here a first result, Zorki-6 and I-50 with Retropan 320 E.I. 320 in Supergrain 1+9, 8:00 minutes (20,0C) and still for zone V 0,54 logD only (should be 0,72 logD). Hence consequences for especially the high lights. Split Grade print on gradation 4,3. (Around 2,5 would be correct).First impression:1. This is a real grainy film, even a bit more then Foma Fomapan 400 film.2. The film is drying absolute flat.3. Effective film speed around iso 320-400, a push development is possible but not much higher then iso 640-800.4. There are no markers or index on the film strip. It is completely blanc. This is from a bulk 30,5m/100ft film.5. This emulsion looks like the in 2001 discontinued Fomapan T800 film. I have to dig up that data from 1997-2001 but at that time I had no densitometer.Mr. "Stip" which means "Dot" in Dutch language. He is really grainy .... Retropan 320 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_livsey Posted August 2, 2015 Share #11 Posted August 2, 2015 Does Mr Stip drink Rodinal to get such big grain? The grain has been commented on elsewhere and I have seen examples showing it more than the one you posted. Highlights seem sensitive to blow out as well but that could be dialling in the times. Looks like a challenging film, I will place an order!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotohuis Posted August 2, 2015 Share #12 Posted August 2, 2015 Well, when the Dalmation dog is born, he or she is White. After some development in age they are getting these dots. Depending for what they drink it can be less or more dots. But Mr. Stip did not try my R09/Rodinal. This is a scan from a photo so the grain is less pronounced then a direct scan. I am about half way for this film. A correction above 3,5-4 gradation for MG paper I am normally not going to print. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_livsey Posted August 2, 2015 Share #13 Posted August 2, 2015 I didn't know that about Dalmations, our Golden Retriever, India, will remain cream, unless I spill developer on her !! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotohuis Posted August 4, 2015 Share #14 Posted August 4, 2015 Comment from the Czech factory about their special developer for it: We recommend to process Retropan 320 Soft films in this Retro Special Developer.The main advantage is optimization of contrast of the film. The film will provide wide range of tones and soft image in the area of lights.With best regardsJanaJana Křemenáková (Šlechtová)Export dpt. FOMA BOHEMIA spol. s r.o. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotohuis Posted August 7, 2015 Share #15 Posted August 7, 2015 Next developer: HC-110 dilution B (1+31). Retropan exposed on E.I. 320 again.A new test strip is hanging to dry. I took 8:30 minutes (20C) because I am printing in Split Grade with a combination of a diffusion box and a condensor enlarging system (Dunco II 67 120 Pro). In optimum preformance the highlights are around 1,25 logD with the densitometer.Control strip on zone V. Should be around 0,72 logD.Just for a practical impression of the wet strip: Pretty good now.Another interesting thing is the very fast Clear time of this film. In a regular Acid type fixer (RXA) 1+4 less then 30 seconds. So the minimum recommended fix time of 3 minutes is possible without any problem. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotohuis Posted August 8, 2015 Share #16 Posted August 8, 2015 Well I just measured the negatives:Highlights: 1,05 logD; the Grey card (zone V) 0,62 logD (should be 0,72 logD) so for my enlarger I still can go up for the developing time.For a quick working type developer HC-110 in 1+31 you can see now this is a really low contrast type film.Suitable for a good scan now, less suitable for my Dunco II 67 enlarger system. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_livsey Posted August 8, 2015 Share #17 Posted August 8, 2015 Grain? What grain? My roll, well rolls actually but one is for a friend, have arrived so spooling next. Your tests are very useful, makes me wish I still had a densitometer, that was back in my AA wannabe days!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_livsey Posted August 9, 2015 Share #18 Posted August 9, 2015 Time to start loading Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotohuis Posted August 9, 2015 Share #19 Posted August 9, 2015 Well, the next film is in my Leica M7 now. E.I. 640. Let us look what the film is doing in a speed enhancing type developer. Chris, you have enough film for the time being. Show us your results! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_livsey Posted August 11, 2015 Share #20 Posted August 11, 2015 Right, first test film through. I used the current brew XTOL, guest developers will feature later. I was going to run 71/2 to 8 mins based on previous experience with this developer but it had to sit a while and was 73degrees (F, I have broken my C lab thermometer) so I ran for 7 mins. The light was a little cruel, being contrasty and low in early evening, but a useful ranging experiment.I have posted to a new Flickr group: Foma Retropan 320 https://www.flickr.com/groups/2835476@N25/ My Zone V shed, well not strictly Zone V as metered by incident so theoretically 18% plus K factor etc etc, anyway not far off being decent @320 indicated. Is that a Leica? Show jumping paraphernalia, a more evenly lit scene, grain none to bad but hard to say fine, reasonable for a "400" film perhaps but good tonal separation. Ivy and snails, a bit more contrasty light All on Zeiss C Sonnar 50mm f1.5 ZM Leica M2, the dog knows her cameras Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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