Black-and-white negative film · In production

Foma Fomapan 400 Action

Foma Fomapan 400 Action is a black-and-white negative film rated at ISO 400, developed in Black-and-white. Below: specs, an exposure guide and similar stocks.

ISO 400Black-and-whiteIn production135-24/3617m30.5m
ISO 400
Box speed
Black-and-white negative
Type
Black-and-white
Process
In production
Status
1994-
Years made

Film specifications#

Manufacturer
Foma
Film
Fomapan 400 Action
Speed
400
Process
B&W
Formats
135-24/36, 17m, 30.5m, 50m, 120, Sheet film
Base
T/P
Made in
Czech Rep.
Status
In production

Character & history#

Traditional general purpose panchromatic film. 135 (T base), 120 and Sheet film (P base).

Description adapted from Wikipedia’s “List of photographic films” (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Exposure guide at ISO 400#

Sunny 16 for this film: f/16 at 1/400 s in bright sun. Negative film tolerates 2–3 stops of overexposure; slide film needs accuracy within about ⅓–½ stop.

Lightf/2f/4f/8f/16
EV 16 · Snow / beach, bright sun———1/1000 s
EV 15 · Bright sun——1/2000 s1/500 s
EV 14 · Hazy sun——1/1000 s1/250 s
EV 13 · Cloudy-bright—1/2000 s1/500 s1/125 s
EV 12 · Overcast / open shade—1/1000 s1/250 s1/60 s
EV 10 · Sunset1/1000 s1/250 s1/60 s1/15 s
EV 8 · Bright interior1/250 s1/60 s1/15 s1/4 s
EV 5 · Home interior at night1/30 s1/8 s0.5 s2 s
EV 3 · City street at night1/8 s0.5 s2 s8 s

Push & pull options#

Tell your lab how many stops you pushed or pulled so development is adjusted for the whole roll.

AdjustmentRate the film atEffect
Pull 1 stopEI 200Lower contrast, finer grain
Push 1 stopEI 800More contrast and grain
Push 2 stopsEI 1,600Strong contrast, coarse grain, blocked shadows
Push 3 stopsEI 3,200Strong contrast, coarse grain, blocked shadows
Developing Black-and-white: Traditional black-and-white development (e.g. D-76/ID-11, HC-110, Rodinal, XTOL) — easy to do at home.

Long exposures#

Most films suffer reciprocity failure beyond about 1 second: they need more exposure than the meter says. As a rule of thumb add ⅓–1 stop for 1–10 s and 1–2 stops beyond 10 s for older emulsions; modern T-grain films (and Fuji Acros) need much less. Check the manufacturer's datasheet.

More Foma films#

Frequently asked questions#

What ISO is Foma Fomapan 400 Action?

400 — set your meter to ISO 400 for box speed.

Is Foma Fomapan 400 Action still made?

Yes, it is currently in production (1994-).

How do I develop Foma Fomapan 400 Action?

B&W process. Traditional black-and-white development (e.g. D-76/ID-11, HC-110, Rodinal, XTOL) — easy to do at home.

Is Foma Fomapan 400 Action available in 35mm?

Yes — formats: 135-24/36, 17m, 30.5m, 50m, 120, Sheet film.

Sources & licences#

Last updated October 03, 2026 · How we calculate · Sources

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