Black-and-white negative film · Discontinued

ORWO PAN 400

ORWO PAN 400 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-whiteDiscontinued135120
ISO 400
Box speed
Black-and-white negative
Type
Black-and-white
Process
Discontinued
Status
1991–1994 1995–c1999
Years made

Film specifications#

Manufacturer
ORWO
Film
PAN 400
Speed
400
Process
B&W
Formats
135, 120
Base
Triacetate
Made in
Germany
Status
Discontinued

Character & history#

General purpose high speed panchromatic film. Most likely NP 27 in DX-coded cassette.

Description adapted from Wikipedia’s “List of discontinued 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 ORWO films#

Frequently asked questions#

What ISO is ORWO PAN 400?

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

Is ORWO PAN 400 still made?

No, it has been discontinued (1991–1994 1995–c1999).

How do I develop ORWO PAN 400?

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

Is ORWO PAN 400 available in 35mm?

Yes — formats: 135, 120.

Sources & licences#

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

Last posts

  1. Best Budget Wacom Alternatives for Photo Editing
  2. Best Mice for Precise Photoshop Brushing and Retouching
  3. Best Dials and Controllers for Lightroom Editing
  4. Do You Need a Graphics Tablet for Lightroom Editing
  5. Buying Spare Memory Cards for New Cameras
  6. Should You Put a UV Filter on a Used Lens Immediately
  7. Gift Ideas for Young Photographers to Build Real Skills
  8. Should You Update Camera Firmware Immediately After Purchase
  9. Should You Register Your Camera and Lenses with the Manufacturer
  10. Best Gifts for Film Camera Fans That Go Beyond the Gear