Foma: Kern River Field, 1984

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9098 Location: Houston, Texas

Some photos taken with Foma back when I worked for Getty Oil Company at its Kern River Field facility just outside Bakersfield, California. These would date to 1984. Developed with D-76. Shot with a Canon FTb. I don't remember which lenses I used in the following photos, but back then my inventory wasn't very large -- a Canon FL 35/2.5, FD 50mm f/1.8, a couple of Albinars -- 28/2.8 and 80-200/3.9 -- and a Sigma 600mm mirror. I was really fond of the FL 35 back then, so some of the shots were probably taken with it.

I don't know if it's the same stuff as back then, but as you can see, the grain was pretty coarse. Contrast was good, though, and I liked the effect of having coarse grain with good contrast.

mo · Expire: 2016-07-30

It does look good gives it a aged look...... #3 very apocalyptic

Nesster · Expire: 2014-02-20

Excellent excavation of old film. I especially like 2 through 4, there's some mighty fine industrial detail.

martinsmith99 · Expire: 2013-11-18

Nice series. Grainy B&W really suits this.

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9098 Location: Houston, Texas

Thanks, folks. I guess what I especially like about this film was that, even though it was rather grainy, it was good at capturing fine detail. I think #3 is a good example of this.

Those of you who shoot the modern Foma, is this sort of graininess still characteristic of it?

I don't remember anymore which ISO (well, it would have been ASA back then) it was. The film edges don't say. It's grainy like 1984-vintage ISO 400, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was ISO 100.

trifox · Expire: 2014-05-29

Hi cooltouch .. very documentary set..

We used the FOMA in tons - film or paper -

Back to 1984 - I was 15 and I can confirm that the FOMA film ISO 100 (21 DIN) always has had superb DETAILS with fine grain and also we used this material at school where I used to go at - school for printing industry Smile

I hated all these things around film material, gradation curves, temperature of developers, bla bla etc ... -- it was something boring for me in age of 15 Smile

FOMA ISO 400 has more visible grain but still nice details..

tf

marty · Joined: 09 Apr 2009 Posts: 767 Location: Italy

Excellent documentary set. Technically unexceptionable, stunning tonal rendition. I like the grain , exactly the effect I would look for if I had to photograph a similar subject.

Cheers, Marty.