Fomapan 200 - 5x7 Film

Context: I've had a couple of bad experiences with Foma films. It seems that their quality control isn't as tight as Ilford or Kodak. But it's hard to ignore the price differential, and everything has got dramatically more expensive in the last couple of years. So for my first dabble in 5x7 film I thought I'd try Foma again, on the basis that many other reviewers seem to like it.

This time I'm very pleased :-) I like the fact that it's a 200 speed film, so it works well in a range from 100-400 ISO. With 5x7 each sheet is developed individually (or in 2s), so you really can choose your ISO for every shot. I haven't pushed it beyond 400, but I don't see why it wouldn't work fine up to 800. Grain and contrast are a little more pronounced and you lose a bit of detail, but I think it would look good for the right subject, or if the light fails a bit. At 200 it still offers good contrast and 'medium' grain. It's unobtrusive on 5x7, and finer than HP5+. Midtones are a little less subtle than HP5+ or FP4+ so images have a slightly starker feel, not excessively, but in quite a striking way. It seems to reward simple composition, and gives a very classic look to portraits. Take care not to over-expose, though. Highlights can blow out easily.

Would I buy it again? Yes, I think so. Still got a long way to go with my first box, but I've also been shooting it on 5x4. I'm really enjoying the versatility of it. ISO200 is a real sweet spot for large format and Foma 200 is a great all-rounder.

My experience with F200 in 35mm has been mixed but in the sheet formats it sings a different song. I rate it at 160 and usually develop it in Rodinal at 1+50 or HC110(1+63). It’s never missed a beat. I’m only part way through my first box but a second has already found its way into my fridge. The sample image here is no masterpiece but was my test shot with this film. I have been very pleasantly surprised by how reliable and consistent this sheet film has been.