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Fomapan 100 Classic and R09 developer

Posted: 04 Dec 2012, 11:57
by jars121
G'day everyone,

Alistair has very kindly offered to lend me his Cambo 4x5 to try, and I'm quickly trying to put together a film/developer combo to use with it. I've never gone to Blanco Negro, but I've always wanted to. This might be a perfect reason to go and grab a 50 sheet box of Fomapan Classic, and to try the R09 developer. Does anyone here have any experience with this combo? The R09 is supposedly like Rodinal, so I'm guessing it's pretty easy to use. On a related note, if anyone has a slightly smaller stash of a b&w film they wouldn't mind selling on, I'd probably opt to buy that instead (I have no idea how long it would take me to get through 50 sheets, considering I don't have a 4x5 camera yet!).

Cheers!

Re: Fomapan 100 Classic and R09 developer

Posted: 04 Dec 2012, 12:03
by Walter Glover
I'll bring you some on Saturday.

It might be T-Max or similar.

Re: Fomapan 100 Classic and R09 developer

Posted: 04 Dec 2012, 12:12
by jars121
Walter Glover wrote:I'll bring you some on Saturday.

It might be T-Max or similar.


Thanks Walter, that'd be great.

Re: Fomapan 100 Classic and R09 developer

Posted: 04 Dec 2012, 12:36
by Alastair Moore
jars121 wrote:G'day everyone,

Alistair has very kindly offered to lend me his Cambo 4x5 to try, and I'm quickly trying to put together a film/developer combo to use with it. I've never gone to Blanco Negro, but I've always wanted to. This might be a perfect reason to go and grab a 50 sheet box of Fomapan Classic, and to try the R09 developer. Does anyone here have any experience with this combo? The R09 is supposedly like Rodinal, so I'm guessing it's pretty easy to use. On a related note, if anyone has a slightly smaller stash of a b&w film they wouldn't mind selling on, I'd probably opt to buy that instead (I have no idea how long it would take me to get through 50 sheets, considering I don't have a 4x5 camera yet!).

Cheers!


I use R09 and have started using it on Fomapan 100, although not successfully yet (my own fault!). I use it at 1/50th dilution currently in 1000ml as my trays/slosher combo needs a lot of solution. I've just ordered a BTZS tube set which I'll be looking forward to using as it'll only need about 5ml of developer.

I can't really give you any technical details about it but suffice to say, it's very economical, it's cheap and I've been getting some good results with TMax100 and Rodinal. Pretty much everything I've posted bar the last two image (the wall/window image and the cotton fern) have been TMax100 and Rodinal. I'm going to be concentrating on Rodinal and Foma 100 for the foreseeable future though.

Re: Fomapan 100 Classic and R09 developer

Posted: 04 Dec 2012, 15:51
by Lachlan717
I've never used Rodinal; however, I've read that it's not a fine grain developer.

As such, what is its attraction?

Re: Fomapan 100 Classic and R09 developer

Posted: 04 Dec 2012, 16:11
by jars121
I find myself asking the same question Lachlan. My mate gave me a bottle of Rodinal that he had lying around, which I've been using with TMax 100, and I haven't been impressed thus far. I'm not experienced enough to be able to comment on tonality or contrast, but in terms of sharpness/resolution, I haven't been blown away.

I've got some Rollei ATP from macodirect.de as well as the corresponding low-contrast developer, which I bought because it's supposed to one of the highest resolution film/developer combinations out there. If I don't see a marked improvement in sharpness/resolution with the Rollei stuff, then it's obviously not the TMax/Rodinal that's performing poorly, it's me!

Re: Fomapan 100 Classic and R09 developer

Posted: 04 Dec 2012, 16:21
by Alastair Moore
Lachlan717 wrote:I've never used Rodinal; however, I've read that it's not a fine grain developer.

As such, what is its attraction?


It's economical! And perhaps you want grain for artist reasons? Apparently you get very good sharpness from Rodinal, if that's what you're after. I bought it as a change from LC-29 which was previously the only developer I'd ever used. Personally, I'm still in the "learning phase" so have been trying anything and everything. I'll settle on a film/developer combination or two in 6 to 12 months I suspect. I did like the HP5+ and D76 combination so probably have locked that in for HP5+. I also quite liked TMax 100 with Rodinal although willing to and probably will try something else.

Re: Fomapan 100 Classic and R09 developer

Posted: 04 Dec 2012, 16:34
by Lachlan717
I'm pretty simple: I just use Tetenal Ultrafin.

One shot developer, simple to get, simple to mix.

I've tried Pyro, and don't understand the fuss. It's cheap, but I'm not scrimping, so who cares? Plus, I didn't like the browned negs.

I'm certainly not courting controversy here; I just think that many of the technical people in film photography are very similar to those who "pixel-peep" in digital. Forget to see the forest when they're trying to work out the species of the tree.

I doubt that I could see the difference between D-76, Rodinal, Tetenal and so on. I have no doubts, however, that I would see a difference in my output if I put the same efforts into working on composition, timing and "seeing".

Re: Fomapan 100 Classic and R09 developer

Posted: 17 Dec 2012, 18:35
by Andrew Nichols
I just downloaded massive dev chart app
And was surprised by the amount of chemistry in production.

When you look at a face it is only a matter of millimeters that separates a beauty from a bore.

Some times it's in the subtlety

Personally I have kniw idea and think its like any club or subculture where no one else really cares you do what you do exept for those interested.

Or a gourmand who constantly searches new tastes.

I am only a young snapper so am still trying things out.

I bought rodinal but had no luck stand developing for one hour

I can't say it was grainy but on 810 like whatever man

Grain is good.

Not all shots look best sharp and rich.

I have a beautiful shot by Tamara dean that is grainy bw and works perfect.

Its a kind of warm fuzzy feeling.