Ferrania Orto: 2023 via 1923

We are proud to release our second product since achieving continuous film production status at our manufacturing base in Cairo Montenotte, Italy.

Ferrania Orto is P30's quirky cousin and features the same high silver content, inherently strong contrast and practically invisible grain as P30 - but this time, distinctly ortochromatico

Still from Harold Lloyd in Speedy (1928)

The past century's problems are today's features!

In the earliest days of silent cinema, film stock was blue-sensitive or orthochromatic. Hollywood relied on cosmetics as a “corrective” for on-screen actors. One hundred years later, the very “flaws” that plagued our predecessors are now the creative features that distinguish orthochromatic films today.

Ferrania Orto packshot
QR code

Every roll of Ferrania film is unique - literally.

Every roll of Ferrania film carries a unique code. This code provides information about your particular film roll.
Check out the Who Am I? app here »

Orto Best Practices

Shoot at box speed

We understand that modern films are very flexible, but Orto is based on a classic chemical formula that responds best when shot at the listed ISO of 50.

Make Your Own Scans

Our films are unique compared to most  modern films. As a result, we have found that typical lab scanning can yield blocked-up hyper-contrasty images. If this happens to you, try scanning the negatives yourself for better results.

Enjoy It!

Our films are created to be enjoyed, not analyzed. For that reason, feel free to ignore the "rules" and do whatever you like. Share your results with us and if you have questions or comments, we are always available by email.

Development Guide

Ferrania Orto  is chemically similar to P30 and, as such, the development instructions are roughly the same.  Please understand that this is not a classic data sheet or dev chart, but a collection of best practices collected from users' feedback - and so it is subject to users' personal and evaluative tastes.

Developer Dilution Temp. EI 50/18 (minutes) EI 64/19 (minutes) Procedure
Kodak D-76stock20ºC/68ºF8-Small Tank: Continuous inversions, or roll tank back and forth Rotary Tank: Continuous rotation
Kodak D-76stock20ºC/68ºF-7Small Tank: Inversions for 10 seconds each minute Rotary Tank: Continuous rotation
Kodak D-96stock21ºC/70ºF88Small Tank: Continuous inversions, or roll tank back and forth Rotary Tank: Continuous rotation
HC 110 Dilution G1:11920ºC/68ºF30-45-Stand: This is for normal to low contast scenes. EI 50. 5 minute prewet at temp. Agitation 1st minute, one inversion each 5 seconds. Stand for remainder of time. Ideal for Scanning.
HC 110 Dilution G1:11920ºC/68ºF30-Stand: This is for high contrast scenes where you need to keep maximum highlight and shadow detal. EI 25 - 40. 5 minute prewet at temp. Agitation 1st minute, one inversion each 5 seconds. Stand for remainder of time. Ideal for Scanning
DiafineStock21ºC/70ºF3+3-Small Tank: standard Diafine Routine. Ideal for Scanning. Produces a slight speed increase to EI 64 / 80.
510 Pryo1:50021ºC/70ºF60-Stand: 5 minute prewet at temp. Agitation 1st minute, one inversion each 5 seconds. Stand for remainder of time. Usable EI 6 - 64 Ideal for Scanning
Barry Thorton Two-BathStock~ 21ºC/70ºF4+4-Small Tank: As instructed, gentle agitation for 4 minutes in Bath A, no rinse, 4 minutes in Bath B - wash and fix as usual.
Bath A - Metol 6.5g / Sodium Sulphite 80g / Water to 1 litre • Bath B - Sodium Metaborate 12g / Water to 1 litre
Rodinal1:5020ºC/68ºF14-Small Tank: NO PRE WET. First 30 seconds two inversions per 5 seconds. Remainder of time 10 seconds of agitation per minute (4 inversions) till complete. Important: Gentle Agitation and keep the developer temp at 68F as heat and agitation causes grain to grow with rodinal. Best EI is 50
Ilford DD-X1:520ºC/68ºF7.5-Rotary Tank: Continuous rotation with 5 Minute prewet. EI is a solid 50 but has a range I am sure down to 32 and out to near 80/100 on a good scanner.
Ilford DD-X1:520ºC/68ºF8.5-Small Tank: 1 minute Pre Wet at temp. Continuous inversion for first 30 seconds, two inversions each five seconds. For remainder of time 10 per minute (4 inversions). EI similar to JOBO with a very solid EI 50.
*D-76 and D-96 are the only developers tested by FILM Ferrania internally at this time.