Petition for new Foma film

[LikeAPolaroid]

Hi there

(Foreword: I asked permissions to moderators before posting)

It all started as a joke, and it still maybe is, and it's really nothing more than a few guys, longtime friends, who have been shooting film since they were in their cribs. Passion for film, darkroom, has never left us. We live and breathe film

The "petition" was born a few days ago when we were talking about 25 ISO films and how good the Efke was before they dismissed their production due to unrecoverable faults in their equipment.
So we said "would Foma do a new one?" and we thought if we could tell them there's a few thousands people willing to have it from them, if they'd make them...
That's how it all started.

So, for those of you who are on Flickr too, check out this group:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/newfoma/

where we are gathering in a sort of petition-style the desire of many people to have Foma produce new films.
Check it out, join and give a +1 if you agree.

Before you start: yes, we know, many could argue that this is an open-eyes dream, that these things are ineffectual, that we would better be off shooting films rather than writing here, etc. We know all of that. We received already our daily dose of insults - would like not to get more of them here We know all of that.

Sure - volumes have decreased. It won't be as it was. Companies will need to rationalise their processes to survive. This is what Ilford did with Harman. Kodak did not do that. Foma has been on this market for a century. Efke had old emulsions and equipment and they decided to reinvest in other businesses (they do other things than film photography). Foma is a nice reality, they are producing great films, fantastic papers. They went through a major re-engineering of their Fomapan 200 - sure it still has some issues but they worked on it - they want to stay in this business. Foma coats papers and films for others.

Foma are experienced business people. If they don't want to do something, they won't. Therefore, there is no harm in asking. If nothing else, it will give them an idea of whether there is a market out there for new films. Adding +1 takes no time and may make a difference. It probably won't but it can do no harm.

BTW, for those who are wondering: no, we are not related in any way to Foma. See this as an impromptu marketing analysis. Your +1 is your voice to be heard!

Thanks!
Stefano, Marcello, Luca, Emanuele, Francesco.

[Rudeofus]

Not trying to dissuade you from your efforts but the most common arguments will likely be: Adox already has this CMS20 film in their portfolio, Ilford has PanF+ (even in larger formats if you need image detail), and if you can live with T-grain type film, T-MAX 100 is very fine grained, too.

[jim appleyard]

Count me in! It's not always about the grain, tho'. I shoot a lot of waterfalls in the Adirondacks, Green Mts., etc. and I really need something slow that I can shoot at 1-2 sec @ f/22. Sometimes I need a hight speed film and that's no problem, but it's when I can't get slower, then I'm in trouble. I've been known to shoot APX 25 @EI 16 to get what I want.

I know there is a liimited market for slow films, but I could sure use it.

[StoneNYC]

Only if they make it in 127 format that's what I was upset about the efke death. Though at a reasonable price like $3-4 not $10...


~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

[steven_e007]

Now that Harman have decared that they will not be making an IR fil...maybe we could vote on this, also?

[Roger Cole]

Now that Harman have decared that they will not be making an IR fil...maybe we could vote on this, also?

This is my "+1." I understand why others want a slow film but I don't need it and wouldn't buy it. But a true IR film now that Efke is gone, THAT I want!

[RalphLambrecht]

+1

[afrank]

+1

[Athiril]

Not trying to dissuade you from your efforts but the most common arguments will likely be: Adox already has this CMS20 film in their portfolio, Ilford has PanF+ (even in larger formats if you need image detail), and if you can live with T-grain type film, T-MAX 100 is very fine grained, too.

Adox CMS 20 is difficult to use at ISO 20 even it's dedicated developer.

[Barry S]

Fomapan 25 would be awesome. The real speed would probably be something like ISO 12, which would actually be great for using barrel lenses with no shutter. Count me in for some boxes of 8x10.