Fomapan Action 400 - 35mm Black & White Film

Fast Czech black and white that wants more light than its box speed suggests.

Foma says two stops of underexposure is fine. We would not test that theory on anything important.

Fomapan Action 400 35mm Film is an ISO 400 panchromatic black and white negative film made by Foma Bohemia in the Czech Republic, designed for poor light and short exposure times. Foma quotes a resolving power of 90 lines per millimetre and a latitude of ISO 200 to 1600 at normal development. Cellulose triacetate base, 36 exposures.

What Makes Fomapan Action 400 Habit-Forming

Built for Poor Light

Foma designed Action 400 for unfavourable light and short exposure times, meaning grey days and moving subjects. It does that job well, provided you give it a little more exposure than the number on the box.

More Detail Than the Price Suggests

Foma quotes a resolving power of 90 lines per millimetre, which is respectable for a film of this speed.

The Shadows Go First

This is where Action 400 shows its price. It tends to produce thin shadow density, so underexposed frames lose shadow detail quickly, and no amount of scanning brings back detail that was never recorded.

Treat 1600 With Suspicion

Foma's datasheet says Action 400 gives good results at ISO 1600 with no change to development. One careful latitude test found very little shadow detail at 800, and little shadow or midtone detail at 1600. If a job needs ISO 1600, it needs a faster film.

Rate It a Stop Slow

Foma's stated latitude includes a stop of overexposure, so rating Action 400 at ISO 200 sits comfortably inside the datasheet and gives denser, more printable shadows. For most general shooting, that is the setting we would use.

Developer Choice Matters

One tester found that Rodinal may not deliver full box speed with Action 400, which is another reason to rate it slower if that is your developer. As with all Fomapan, the anti-halation dye comes out in processing, so one-shot developers are a better match than reusable ones.

What ISO should I shoot Fomapan 400 at?

ISO 200 for most shooting, or box speed if you meter carefully. Foma's datasheet allows ISO 200 to 1600 without changing development, but an independent test found very little shadow detail at 800 and 1600. A stop of extra exposure stays within Foma's stated latitude and gives better shadows.

Is Fomapan 400 good for low light?

It is designed for it, within limits. Action 400 copes with overcast days and reasonably lit interiors, but its shadows thin out quickly when underexposed, so it rewards fast lenses and generous exposure. For genuinely dark conditions, a faster film will serve you better.

Best For Street, documentary and everyday black and white in grey British light, gigs and interiors with reasonable light, and anyone who needs ISO 400 black and white on a budget. Once you have shot it, send it our way. We develop, scan and print black and white in house.

Perfect for: Street shooters, owners of fast lenses, home developers learning to trust their own metering over the box, students working through a first bulk order, and anyone whose dependency keeps later hours than the light does.

Action 400 works well when you respect its limits and badly when you trust the box. Give it a stop more light than you think it needs and it produces solid, characterful negatives for very little money. Ask it to do ISO 1600 on the datasheet's say-so and you will find out exactly where the savings came from. Also available in the Fomapan 100, 200 & 400 bundle. More Fomapan film, posted from North Essex.