Lapiaz

Not sure about this one Francis. If you hadn’t described it, I would have had no idea what the subject was. My eyes were jumping all over the place!

I have a feeling that a better shot would have been to get low and close to the limestone, maybe with those two stunty trees in the background. Nice sky though…
 
Thank you Terry for your comment. I see what you mean.
I could not take more than two shots there. Young cows, that you can see far away, reached me quickly. One started to chew my bag while i was under the dark cloth for focussing :D! But for sure it is a nice place for photography.
 
Ah, I see. Yes, cows can be very curious, not what you need when trying to concentrate on the shot.
 
My gut feeling is you haven't got the right EI and development time combination, which takes a little testing with Fomapan 200 (or 100). Foma films build up contrast very quickly. There's no shadow details, try shooting at 100 EI and cutting the development time by 20%.

1674122170199.png

Grass in sunlight looks more like this (above), it has texture as some blades reflect sunlight.

Ian
 
It's hard to know whether this is due to monitor calibration differences but on my screen here, the image appears to be lacking foreground shadow detail. It would be interesting to know how you metered and exposed this image.
 
Thank you Ian and thronobulax.
Yes I agree it is a bit too dark, but your proposition Ian looks however a bit too bright for my taste. I'll work this out on post-treatment. Metering was done using incident light.
I'll definitely use Foma 200 at 100...
 
I am not sure what developer you use but I rate Fomapan 200 at ISO 100 and develop in Pyrocat HD for 12 minutes - gives me a negative that scans really well with plenty of shadow detail.
 
Francis R said:
I used HC-110 dilution B
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It is likely that with normal HC-110B development, you'll need to derate the effective ASA by 1 stop to 100 and decrease development 20% or so below recommended (as I think someone else here also suggested). Then, to place the shadows, you might try metering the shadow and then decreasing the exposure 2 stops from meter reading. All this assumes that what we are seeing isn't digital reproduction artefacts (which means we're not seeing the true image on our monitors) and that your meter, thermometers, etc. are reasonably correct.

Most film/developer combos do not produce full ASA as claimed on the box. They are almost all invariably 1 full stop slower in actual practice. This isn't 100% true as some films produce something closer to (but not full) box speed when processed in Pyrocat-HD.

In any case, you can check this hypothesis by putting the negative on a light table an examining the foreground shadow area with a loupe. If there is detail in that portion of the negative then the absence of it in the image above is either a printing, scanning, or digital reproduction artefact and not an exposure/ASA issue.

Cheers,
 
Over the last 16 years I've used hundreds of rolls of 120 Fomapan 200, and a bit less Fomapan 100, as well as Fomapan sheet film. Like Terry Jones I use Fomapan 200 @ 100 EI in Pyrocat HD 12 mins 1+1 to 100 at 20ºC, using inversion agitation. I've had equally good results with replenished Xtol.

It's just a case of tweaking EI and development time to tame the film's inherent contrast, do that and it performs as well as FP4. HP5. Tmax 100 & 400, Delta 100 & 400.

Ian
 
Thanks both of you for advice! I’ll proceed like this from now.
 
Dev time for Fomapan 200 with HC110B is only 3’30 minutes. I’ll cut 30 seconds.
 
You would be better going to Dilution D or better still E, dilution is also a good way of taming film contrast, and it will give you better control of the developing time.

Ian
 
Ian Grant said:
You would be better going to Dilution D or better still E, dilution is also a good way of taming film contrast, and it will give you better control of the developing time.

Ian
Click to expand...
OK. In this case should I also cut time ?
 
Yes, I'd do some tests though. I tested Fomapan 200 with a couple of rolls of 120, the first roll to determine film speed, the effective EI, the second to determine the best development time.

Maybe in your case shoot 2 or 3 sheets of 5x4 @ 100 EI, same subject & lighting, process the first at the Normal time, and the second at 20% less, compare them, the third sheet will then allow you to make any further needed adjustments.

What you are looking for is good shadow detail, it's the old adage, expose for the shadows develop for the highlights. What you don't want is the highlights blocking up with over-development.

Ian
 
Ian Grant said:
Over the last 16 years I've used hundreds of rolls of 120 Fomapan 200, and a bit less Fomapan 100, as well as Fomapan sheet film. Like Terry Jones I use Fomapan 200 @ 100 EI in Pyrocat HD 12 mins 1+1 to 100 at 20ºC, using inversion agitation. I've had equally good results with replenished Xtol.

It's just a case of tweaking EI and development time to tame the film's inherent contrast, do that and it performs as well as FP4. HP5. Tmax 100 & 400, Delta 100 & 400.

Ian
Click to expand...
Hi Ian

I've just bought some Fomapan 200 and intend to develop it in replenished Xtol, so I was wondering what times you found worked best for this combo? I'll be using it in the Paterson Orbital, so obviously I'd need to adjust times for constant agitation in such circumstances.

Thanks, Peter
 
Hi Peter

I can't remember how long I processed Fomapan 200 for in replenished Xtol unfortunately, I know I only used the combination once. It would have been around 6½ to 7 mins at 20ºC.

With the Orbital you only want to use gentle agitation, it's not like the continuous agitation of rotary processors. If you over agitate you get uneven processing and the edges get more development, it's worst with the motor base.

Ian
 
Yes, using the Paterson motor base for film gives extremely uneven development as the liquid is accelerated around the corners. Put it directly on a flat surface without either dome and just lift one edge a little and then another in whatever pattern works best for you. I used to lift one short edge, then the long one, then repeated it at the customary intervals for non-stand processing.
Seemed to work, but you may have other preferences. Robust agitation will make it splash.
 
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