FOMA Ortho 400 120 Film: Grain, Tonality and Who It Suits
By WALKENS House of Film | Published: 2026-10-15
Category: Product Reviews
FOMA Ortho 400 is a budget 120 black and white film with an orthochromatic twist. We compare its grain, tonality and red sensitivity against Rollei Retro 400S and Kodak T-Max 400.
Quick answer
FOMA Ortho 400 is a budget-friendly 120 black and white film with an orthochromatic sensitivity that darkens reds and lightens blues, giving portraits and landscapes a distinctive tonality. Its grain is fine for ISO 400, and it responds well to standard developers like CineStill D96. Choose it if you want a classic ortho look without paying premium prices; choose Rollei Retro 400S or Kodak T-Max 400 if you need panchromatic colour response or maximum exposure latitude.
What orthochromatic sensitivity does to your photos
Orthochromatic film is sensitive to blue and green light but not red. In practice, that means red objects—lips, brickwork, autumn leaves—render darker than you might expect, while blue skies and shadows can appear lighter. This is the opposite of panchromatic film, which sees all colours and tends to darken blue skies. FOMA Ortho 400 uses this older sensitivity to create a distinct look: portraits gain smoother skin tones with darker lips, and landscapes show more separation in foliage and clouds. If you shoot a red filter, it will block most light and act like a strong neutral density—useful for long exposures, but not for contrast control.
Grain and sharpness at ISO 400
FOMA Ortho 400 is a fine-grain film for its speed, with good resolving power and contour sharpness according to Foma's spec sheet. In 120 format, the larger negative means grain is less noticeable than in 35mm, even at 400 ISO. You can expect a crisp, detailed image with a traditional tonal curve. If you develop in CineStill D96, the motion-picture formula gives a dynamic S-curve contrast with forgiving highlight control, which suits the ortho look well. For maximum sharpness, use a fine-grain developer and rate the film at box speed; pushing to 800 will increase grain and contrast.
How it compares to Rollei Retro 400S and Kodak T-Max 400
Rollei Retro 400S is a panchromatic film coated on a synthetic base. It sees red light, so it renders skin tones and red objects more naturally than FOMA Ortho 400. Retro 400S is described as a reliable all-round film for changing light and available-light photography. Kodak T-Max 400 uses T-GRAIN emulsion for very fine grain, high sharpness and wide exposure latitude—it is the most forgiving of the three if your metering is off. FOMA Ortho 400 sits apart because of its orthochromatic sensitivity: it is not a general-purpose film, but a creative tool. In terms of price, both FOMA Ortho 400 and Rollei Retro 400S are budget options, while T-Max 400 costs more.
Choosing a developer for ortho film
CineStill D96 is a powder concentrate that makes one litre of reusable stock solution or two litres of single-use 1+1 dilution, enough for 16 rolls or 100ft of 16/35mm film. Its S-curve contrast and highlight control pair well with FOMA Ortho 400's tonality, especially for portraits where you want rich midtones and controlled highlights. If you prefer a more standard look, any general-purpose black and white developer will work, but D96 gives a slightly more cinematic response. Because D96 is a motion-picture formula, it is also a good match for Rollei Retro 400S if you want to compare the two films under identical development.
Trade-offs to weigh before you buy
- Creative tonality vs colour accuracy: FOMA Ortho 400's orthochromatic sensitivity darkens reds and lightens blues, which can be striking for portraits and landscapes but will look wrong if you need faithful colour rendering—especially for red clothing or warm-toned skin. Choose FOMA Ortho 400 for its look, not for documentary accuracy.
- Budget price vs exposure latitude: FOMA Ortho 400 and Rollei Retro 400S cost less than Kodak T-Max 400, but T-Max 400's wide exposure latitude and T-GRAIN emulsion give you more room for error and finer grain. If you often shoot in tricky light, the premium may be worth it. If you meter carefully and develop consistently, the budget films deliver excellent results.
- 120 format vs 35mm availability: FOMA Ortho 400 and Rollei Retro 400S are available in 120, while Kodak T-Max 400 is listed here in 35mm. If you want the large negative and ortho look, you are limited to the 120 options; if you need 35mm, T-Max 400 is the panchromatic alternative. Match the format to your camera system before comparing film stocks.
Products in this comparison
- FOMA Ortho 400 120 Film: FOMA Ortho 400 is an orthochromatic black and white film with good resolving power, contour sharpness, fine grain and high maximum density. It delivers a distinctive tonality with dark reds and light blues, and its fine grain makes it suitable for detailed landscape and portrait work in 120.
- Rollei Retro 400s 120 Film: Rollei Retro 400S is a 400 ISO panchromatic black and white film on a synthetic base, suitable as an all-round film and for available light. It offers natural colour response and flexibility in changing light, making it a safer choice if you need predictable results across different subjects.
- Kodak T-Max 400 35mm: Kodak T-Max 400 is a panchromatic 35mm film with T-GRAIN emulsion, very fine grain, high sharpness and wide exposure latitude. It provides the finest grain and most forgiving exposure of the three, but is only available in 35mm here, not 120.
- CineStill D96 B&W Motion Picture Developer Powder Concentrate: CineStill D96 develops 16 rolls or 100ft of film, makes 1 litre of reusable stock or 2 litres of 1+1 single-use dilution, and offers dynamic S-curve contrast with forgiving highlight control. It is an economical developer that complements the tonality of FOMA Ortho 400 and can be used to compare it with Rollei Retro 400S under identical conditions.
Who should buy FOMA Ortho 400?
Best for
- Photographers who want a distinctive orthochromatic look with dark reds and light blues in 120 format.
- Budget-conscious shooters looking for an affordable 120 black and white film for portraits or landscapes.
- Experimenters who develop their own film and want to try a classic emulsion with modern fine-grain characteristics.
Not for
- Photographers who need accurate colour rendering or natural skin tones in mixed lighting—choose a panchromatic film like Rollei Retro 400S.
- Shooters who rely on wide exposure latitude and very fine grain in 35mm—Kodak T-Max 400 is a better fit.
- Anyone who needs a film that behaves predictably with red filters for contrast control; ortho film will block red light almost completely.
