120 Fomapan 400 Ortho
Product information
120 Fomapan 400 Ortho| Manufacturer | Foma |
| Film | Foma 400 Ortho |
| Type | Black and White |
| ISO | 400 |
| Format | 120 |
Foma Ortho 400 120: High Speed and Orthochromatic Drama
Orthochromatic films usually require the use of a tripod. The Foma Ortho 400 120 breaks this technical rule. This film roll gives you the unmistakable vintage aesthetic of red-blind emulsions, but with astonishing speed. It is the unbeatable option for dramatic street portraits and textured landscapes captured handheld with your medium format camera.
What makes the Foma Ortho 400 in 120 format special?
Its rarity lies in combining orthochromatic sensitivity and a nominal ISO 400. The vast majority of these films (such as Ilford Ortho) are around ISO 25 or 80. Foma Bohemia has created a fast emulsion that darkens lips, highlights freckles and separates the green tones of vegetation. It injects an early 20th century atmosphere into your huge 6×6 negatives, allowing you to shoot in changing lighting conditions.
#gap-1823624747 { padding-top: 10px; }
#image_535957630 {
width: 100%;
}
#gap-81164264 { padding-top: 10px; }
The orthochromatic drama also in 35mm.
If you love the raw texture and dark lips that this red-blind emulsion produces, take it with you every day. Get this same fast film roll in standard 35mm format to portray on the street with your SLR camera.
#gap-511853701 { padding-top: 10px; }
Technical Specifications and Basic Comparison
Mastering a special emulsion requires knowing its chemical data sheet. We break down the exact technical profile of this peculiar Czech film roll.
- Format: Medium Format (120).
- Nominal sensitivity: ISO 400 / 27°.
- Emulsion type: Orthochromatic black and white (Red-blind).
- Base support: Clear polyester (0.1 mm).
- Development: Standard B/W chemistry (Allows red safelight).
| Feature | Foma Ortho 400 120 | Ilford Ortho Plus 120 |
|---|---|---|
| Sensitivity | ISO 400 (Fast) | ISO 80 (Slow) |
| Grain Structure | Pronounced and textured | Practically invisible |
| Contrast | High and graphic | Medium-High (controllable) |
Technical Variables of the Film
- Contrast and Tonal Range: High native contrast. Red and warm tones fall immediately toward a resounding black, generating a harsh and striking aesthetic.
- Spectral Sensitivity: Pure orthochromatic. Sensitive only to blue and green light. It transforms Caucasian skin by darkening imperfections and giving a very particular pictorial look.
- Grain Structure: Dense classic crystals. The grain is evident and beautiful. In the large 120 negative, it provides an unsurpassable documentary texture.
- Acutance: Medium-High. It lacks the clinical sharpness of tabular films, but it draws sharp contours thanks to the micro-contrast of its adjacent areas.
- Resolution (Resolving Power): High (90 lp/mm). The medium format exploits its ability to separate fine lines in foliage and architecture.
- Push/Pull Flexibility: Rigid. It suffers terribly if pushed. It enjoys immensely when overexposed (Pull) to ISO 200.
- Base Support and Antihalation Layer: Synthetic polyester base. It includes a dense green antihalation layer that mandatorily requires an aqueous prewash.
#gap-2031631489 { padding-top: 10px; }
#image_1702468386 {
width: 100%;
}
#gap-1015496551 { padding-top: 10px; }
Why buy your Foma Ortho 120 at Camera Market?
We have been fixing specialty emulsions in our laboratory for more than ten years. We are real active analog professionals. We know that fast orthochromatic films require absolute thermal care. We keep our Foma stock in refrigerated chambers. We dispatch your film rolls quickly in 24/48 hours with full traceability. If you have doubts about developing them under red light, a specialist technician will guide you by phone with complete transparency.
Advantages and Disadvantages of the Foma Ortho 400 120
| Advantages (Pros) | Disadvantages (Cons) |
|---|---|
| ISO 400 speed unique in the world of orthochromatic film. | Disastrous reciprocity failure; useless for night shots with a tripod. |
| Can be loaded and developed visually under red safelight. | The 120 polyester base tends to curl intensely when drying. |
| "Raw" aesthetic that turns any portrait into classic cinema. | Little real latitude; shadows collapse when underexposed. |
Comparison Table: Foma Ortho vs. similar 120 films
| Special 120 Film | Visual Profile | Spectral Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|
| Foma Ortho 400 120 | Pronounced grain, high contrast, fast | Orthochromatic (Blind to red) |
| Ilford Ortho Plus 120 | Invisible grain, surgical sharpness, slow | Orthochromatic (Blind to red) |
| Fomapan 400 Action 120 | Pronounced grain, traditional tonal scale | Standard panchromatic |
#gap-1225801542 { padding-top: 10px; }
The giant classics Top sellers in 120.
Find out which special films creative photographers are loading. Explore our medium format 120 black and white section to discover the most reliable and sought-after films from the lab.
9,57 €
+
Quick View
9,57 €
+
Quick View
5,04 €
+
Quick View
5.60 €
+
This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Quick View
Price range: from 9.99 € to 12.40 €
+
This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Quick View
Price range: from 9.10 € to 11.07 €
+
This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Quick View
Price range: from 8.90 € to 11.07 €
+
Quick View
5.68 €
+
Quick View
10.54 €
+
This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Quick View
Price range: from 5.50 € to 6.99 €
+
Quick View
9.75 €
+
Quick View
9.75 €
+
This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Quick View
Price range: from 9.05 € to 11.94 €
+
This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Quick View
Price range: from 8.50 € to 12.68 €
+
Quick View
11.16 €
+
This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Quick View
Price range: from 9.68 € to 15.75 €
Development Times for Foma Ortho 400 120 (at 20°C)
Taming the ferocity of this celluloid demands control. We show the verified lab times for processing this emulsion at home.
| Developer | Dilution | Suggested Actual ISO | Time (Minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kodak D-76 / ID-11 | Stock (Pure) | 250 – 400 | 7.5 min |
| Adox Rodinal | 1+50 | 250 | 10.5 min |
| Kodak XTOL | Stock (Pure) | 400 | 7 min |
| Kodak HC-110 | Dilution B | 400 | 6 min |
Camera Market Pro Tip: The Magic of Red Light
Loading 120 format spirals in absolute darkness is the biggest thermal nightmare for any darkroom beginner.
The lab master technique: Foma Ortho 400 is completely insensitive to the red spectrum. This means you can turn on your red safelight (the same one you use for printing paper) while you open the back and thread the film onto the spiral of your Paterson tank. Being able to see perfectly what you are doing prevents kinks, crescent marks ("kink marks") and fingerprints on the negative. In addition, the more experienced can practice inspection development, opening the tank toward the end of the time to look at the actual density under the red light.
#gap-1289214556 { padding-top: 10px; }
#image_1903537893 {
width: 100%;
}
Physical Behavior and Scanability
We address here the biggest challenge of this polyester support, assuming a frequent battle for those who digitize at their desk.
Planarity (Film Curl)
The base used for Foma's 120 format has a terrible character. After drying, the thick strip will tend to curl aggressively in the shape of a roof tile. It is mandatory to hang it using metal drying clips with a very considerable weight as ballast. If after drying the curl makes it impossible for you to work, store it inside a heavy book in its parchment sleeves for 72 hours before putting it in the scanner.
Inversion profiles (Scanning)
The base exhibits a characteristic grayish-blue tint. Inverting Foma Ortho 400 in Negative Lab Pro demands a great deal of caution. Always apply linear or flat curve profiles. The emulsion already injects strong contrast from the capture, eliminating warm tones. If you add digital contrast, the shadows will collapse to absolute black and you will lose all the detail.
At the Limit: Extreme Exposure and the Zone System
Know the inflexible photochemical red lines of this Czech film roll to safeguard your session.
Reciprocity Failure
It is the cross of Fomapan. It suffers a gigantic light collapse in slow exposures. From the first second, the emulsion depletes rapidly. If your light meter reads 10 seconds, the film will demand the brutality of 80 real seconds of light. Reject it for urban night astrophotography without heavy mathematical tables.
Extreme Push and Pull
It detests pushing. Pushing this film to ISO 800 melts the shadows into an unrecoverable black abyss. Its chemistry begs for the opposite. It loves being overexposed (Pull). Shooting it generously at ISO 200 and developing gently will tame its tonal harshness, delivering wonderfully classic transitions.
Dynamic Range Map
It shows a dangerously narrow exposure latitude at its lower limit. It punishes any underexposure relentlessly. If the deep shadows do not receive enough photons, they will block up into solid black instantly. Always meter incident light rigorously.
#gap-90763354 { padding-top: 10px; }
Expert Technical Management Medium Format Lab.
We extract the green antihalation layer and tame the harsh contrast for you. Send us your exposed 120 roll so we can apply a handcrafted compensating process and an incredibly sharp TIFF scan.
Request Professional 120 Development
#gap-795163183 { padding-top: 15px; }
Camera Market Pro Tip: The deadly danger of filters
A huge mistake among medium format landscape photographers is screwing on their usual intense yellow, orange or deep red filters (used to darken the sky) while shooting Foma Ortho 400 120.
The secret of optical physics: Being a strictly orthochromatic emulsion, its chemistry is 100% blind to red light. If you place a red or strong orange filter on your lens, you will be physically blocking the passage of blue and green light, which are the only ones this film can record. The irremediable result will be a transparent frame, with no image. With ortho films, shoot with a bare lens or use mild blue/green filters. The sky will darken dramatically on its own.
#gap-988949023 { padding-top: 10px; }
#image_1421560307 {
width: 100%;
}
#gap-1629361640 { padding-top: 10px; }
Frequently Asked Questions about Foma Ortho 400 120 (FAQ)
What does it mean that it is an orthochromatic film?
It means that its emulsion is only sensitive to blues and greens, being "blind" to red. In practice, this makes warm tones (such as lips, freckles or bricks) register much darker than normal, providing an old-fashioned, dramatic aesthetic with a very special micro-contrast.
Why does intense green liquid come out when prewashing the film?
Don't worry, it is completely normal. Foma 120 rolls include a dark green antihalation layer that dissolves on contact with water. We recommend performing a prewash with water at 20°C for a couple of minutes to remove this tint before pouring in the developer and thus keeping the chemistry clean.
What is the difference between Foma Ortho 400 and Ilford Ortho Plus?
The main difference is sensitivity. While the Ilford option is a slow, ultra-fine grain film (ISO 80), Foma Ortho offers a real ISO 400. This allows handheld shooting in medium format even on cloudy days, offering a bolder, more pronounced grain with plenty of personality.
How much does it cost to develop this roll at Camera Market?
We apply our cheapest base rate for manual black and white development in 120 format. Despite being a very affordable film, in our lab we treat it with the same rigor and premium chemicals as high-end brands. You can add high-resolution digital scanning on our website.
Will the 120 backing paper leave marks on my photos?
There were formerly reports about ink transfer from the backing paper, but Foma has updated its materials and manufacturing processes to solve this problem. For greater safety, we recommend not exposing the rolls to humidity or extreme temperatures once finished.
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"FAQPage","mainEntity":[{"@type":"Question","name":"What does it mean that it is an orthochromatic film?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"It means that its silver halides are only sensitive to short-wavelength light (blue and green) and are 'blind' to red. Photographically, warm colors (lips, reddened skin, bricks) will appear much darker or black, providing a very dramatic and unusual vintage aesthetic."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Why does intense green liquid come out when pre-washing the film?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"All Fomapan 120 rolls include a powerful dark green antihalation layer on the back to prevent reflections inside the camera. On contact with water, this dye dissolves. It is mandatory to pre-wash the tank with water at 20°C for 2 minutes to extract it and not ruin your developing chemical."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What is the difference between Foma Ortho 400 and Ilford Ortho Plus?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"The enormous difference is the sensitivity and the grain. Ilford Ortho performs at a very fine and slow ISO 80, requiring a tripod almost always. Foma Ortho offers a very high ISO 400, allowing handheld shooting in medium format with a much thicker and rounder grain."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"How much does it cost me to develop this film roll at Camera Market?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"We apply our cheapest base laboratory rate for 120 format in black and white. Despite the low price of the roll, we treat it with the same artisanal rigor and premium chemicals that we use for elite brands. Check our website to add digital scanning."}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Will the 120 backing paper leave marks on my photos?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Quite a few years ago, Foma had problems with the ink of the backing paper numbers transferring to the emulsion due to extreme humidity. They have updated their materials to completely prevent this. Even so, we always suggest not storing exposed rolls in hot places."}}]}
Develop while seeing what you do Red safelights.
Loading 120 format in the dark is hell. Take advantage of the fact that Foma Ortho is blind to red. Use our inactinic safelights to thread your spiral comfortably while seeing every step.
AP Farol Cuarto Oscuro 10W Rojo
69,59 €
+
Quick View
Paterson FAROL LABORATORIO ROJO
63,56 €#gap-156898071 { padding-top: 10px; }
Unleash orthochromatic drama at maximum speed
The Foma Ortho 400 120 is a technical miracle: the only film on the market that allows you to inject the magical red-blind aesthetic of the early century while shooting handheld. Its resounding contrast and unmistakable texture crown it as the mandatory ammunition for character portraits and architectural landscapes. Do not let low sensitivity limit your classic creativity. Add an arsenal of rolls to your cart right now and benefit from our fast insured shipping in 24/48 hours. Remember that our laboratory masters are eager to tame the contrast of your huge negatives under the red light of our facilities.
120 Fomapan 400 Ortho is in <strong>perfect working condition</strong>. Each unit has been rigorously inspected by our specialized technical team, guaranteeing optimal performance.
The specific cosmetic condition (possible signs of use, superficial scratches, etc.) is detailed in the actual photos of the product and in the full description.
The purchase includes the 120 Fomapan 400 Ortho and a <strong>warranty</strong> against manufacturing defects. As this is a second-hand product, accessories (caps, lens hood, case…) <strong>vary by unit</strong>.
Want to know exactly what this specific unit includes before buying? <strong>Message us via the website chat</strong> and we'll confirm right away.
All our products include a <strong>warranty</strong> covering any manufacturing defect or technical failure.
<strong>You can extend the warranty of your item:</strong>
- <strong>12 months</strong> of full coverage for only <strong>{price_12}</strong> (one-time payment)
- <strong>24 months</strong> of maximum peace of mind for <strong>{price_24}</strong> (one-time payment) — <em>recommended</em>
We also offer <strong>14-day no-questions-asked returns</strong>. If you're not completely satisfied, you can return it for a full refund.
At Camera Market, most of our items are imported from Europe, so orders can take up to <strong>14 calendar days</strong> to arrive at your address.
However, we offer expedited delivery of <strong>4 to 5 business days</strong> for selected products with immediate availability. All shipments include a <strong>tracking number</strong> so you can track your order in real time.
Comprar the 120 Fomapan 400 Ortho reacondicionado y certificado en Camera Market te ofrece <strong>múltiples ventajas</strong>:
- <strong>Significant savings:</strong> Prices up to 40-60% lower than new, without compromising quality or performance
- <strong>Guaranteed quality:</strong> Each product is inspected, tested and verified by specialized technicians
- <strong>Warranty included:</strong> standard coverage, extendable with the optional extension
- <strong>Sustainable purchase:</strong> You contribute to the circular economy and reduce the environmental impact of electronics
- <strong>Accessible professional equipment:</strong> Get high-end models at more competitive prices
Our refurbished photography equipment maintains the same optical and technical performance as new. Depreciation does not affect image quality or performance, only the price.
