Foma Ortho 400 is a high-speed orthochromatic black and white negative film with a nominal sensitivity of ISO 400/27°. Combining fine grain, good resolving power, and excellent contour sharpness with the distinctive tonal response of an orthochromatic emulsion, it offers 35mm photographers an unusual alternative to conventional panchromatic black and white film. Its extended sensitivity to green light makes it particularly interesting for landscapes and creatively stylised portraits.
Foma Ortho 400 stands apart from many orthochromatic films thanks to its ISO 400 sensitivity. The additional speed makes it practical for a much wider variety of shooting conditions, including handheld photography, lower available light, moving subjects, and situations where shorter shutter speeds or smaller apertures are required.
Foma specifies a wide exposure latitude from EI 160/23° through to EI 1600/33°. This gives photographers plenty of scope to adapt the film to different lighting conditions and creative approaches while retaining its distinctive orthochromatic character.
Unlike the panchromatic black and white films most photographers use today, orthochromatic film is sensitive to blue and green light but not to red light. As a result, reds are rendered significantly darker, producing a distinctive tonal response reminiscent of early photographic emulsions. This can create striking results in landscapes, portraits, and other subjects where you want a different interpretation of colour as black and white tones.
The film's increased sensitivity to green makes it particularly well suited to landscapes and scenes containing foliage. For portraits, its orthochromatic response can render skin and red tones darker than conventional panchromatic films, providing a more stylised and characterful appearance.
Despite its relatively high ISO 400 sensitivity, Foma Ortho 400 is characterised by fine grain, good resolving power, and strong contour sharpness. Its high maximum silver-image density further contributes to its distinctive black and white rendering.
Foma Ortho 400 can be developed using standard black and white chemistry, making it straightforward to incorporate into an existing darkroom workflow. Its lack of sensitivity to red light also gives it some of the traditional handling characteristics associated with orthochromatic materials.
Foma Ortho 400 is a particularly interesting film because it combines the distinctive rendering of a traditional orthochromatic emulsion with a genuinely useful ISO 400 speed. The wide exposure latitude, fine grain, and unusual response to red and green tones give photographers plenty of room to experiment, while standard black and white processing keeps things straightforward. A great choice for anyone wanting to explore a different black and white look without the limitations of a much slower ortho film.
MPN: 70511
| Vendor: | Foma |
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