Foma Bohemia
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA Czech photographic-materials manufacturer best known for black-and-white films, photographic papers, and processing chemicals.
Last updated August 26, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile yet.
Overview
Foma Bohemia is a privately held Czech photographic-materials company headquartered in Hradec Králové. Its origins reach back to 1919, when engineers Evžen Schier and J. Bárta established a Prague-Nusle business producing photographic plates under the Ibis brand. The company moved to Hradec Králové in 1921 and adopted the name Fotochema, which became the basis of its subsequent industrial development. In 1995, following the privatisation of the state-owned enterprise, it was renamed Foma Bohemia Ltd. The company received ISO 9001 quality certification in 1997. Foma developed from a producer of photographic plates and darkroom chemicals into a diversified manufacturer of imaging materials. It began making black-and-white photographic papers in 1931 and roll films in 1933. After the Second World War, its portfolio expanded into medical X-ray films, industrial radiography materials, graphic arts films, cinematographic film, and perforated 35 mm film. The company also pursued colour photography, introducing Fomacolor colour papers in 1958, colour-negative film in 1964, and Fomachrom colour-reversal film in 1971. Industrial X-ray materials marketed under the INDUX name were added in 1988. Following the political and economic changes of the early 1990s, Foma concentrated more strongly on black-and-white photographic products and specialist radiographic materials. Its current public identity is particularly associated with Fomapan films, a family of black-and-white films available in common still-photography formats such as 135 and 120, as well as sheet film and bulk rolls. The range includes traditional and modern-grain emulsions at ISO 100, 200, and 400, together with specialised products such as Retropan 320 Soft Retro, Ortho 400, and Fomapan R 100 black-and-white reversal film. Foma also supplies film for motion-picture applications, including 8 mm and 16 mm formats. The company’s photographic-paper portfolio includes fibre-based and resin-coated enlarging papers sold under names such as Fomabrom, Fomaspeed, Formatone, Retrobrom, and Fomapastel. These products differ in surface, contrast control, tonal character, and paper base, serving conventional darkroom printing as well as warm-tone and experimental work. Retrobrom, introduced in 2019, is positioned for deliberately retro-looking prints with a warm green-brown tone. Foma continues to manufacture photographic chemistry, including film and paper developers, fixers, stop baths, wetting agents, and toners. Its chemistry brands include Fomadon, Formatol, Fomafix, Fomacitro, Fotonal, and Formatoner. Beyond consumer and professional photography, the company supplies medical and industrial X-ray films, processing chemistry, and personal dosimetry film. It formerly produced aerial and surveillance films, reflecting the broader specialist-imaging capabilities developed during its industrial history. Foma Bohemia occupies a distinctive position in the surviving analogue-imaging market. Rather than competing as a general consumer-electronics brand, it focuses on emulsion-based imaging, darkroom printing, cinematographic film, radiography, and related chemistry. Its continued production of multiple film formats and darkroom materials has made it relevant to analogue photographers, laboratories, educators, filmmakers, and specialist industrial users. The available reference material does not provide a complete account of its ownership structure, executive leadership, revenue, or geographic sales distribution.
History
Foma Bohemia’s history began in 1919, when engineers Evžen Schier and J. Bárta founded a photographic-plate manufacturer in Prague-Nusle. Its products were sold under the Ibis brand. In 1921, the business moved to Hradec Králové and changed its name to Fotochema. The early product range consisted mainly of photographic plates and processing chemicals, establishing the company as a vertically oriented imaging-materials producer rather than solely a film manufacturer. The company broadened its photographic activities during the interwar period. Black-and-white photographic-paper production began in 1931, followed by roll-film production in 1933. After 1949, Fotochema added medical X-ray film under the MEDIX name and materials for industrial non-destructive testing. During the 1950s, its portfolio grew to include graphic films for the printing industry, black-and-white cinematographic positive film, and perforated 35 mm film. Foma also developed colour-imaging products. In 1958 it introduced Fomacol colour papers, followed by colour-negative film in 1964 and Fomachrom colour-reversal film in 1971. Ongoing research and development supported additional specialist products, including reprographic materials and films for aerial photography. In 1988, industrial X-ray materials were expanded through the INDUX line. The political and economic transformation after 1990 changed the company’s commercial priorities. Fotochema increasingly focused on black-and-white photographic films, papers, and chemistry, while retaining medical and industrial X-ray products and their associated processing baths. In 1995, the state-owned company was privatised and reorganised as Foma Bohemia Ltd. The company subsequently achieved ISO 9001 quality assurance certification in 1997. In the analogue-photography market, Foma became particularly associated with the Fomapan family. Fomapan 100 Classic serves general-purpose, fine-grain panchromatic photography; Fomapan 200 Creative provides a medium-speed general-purpose option; and Fomapan 400 Action addresses higher-sensitivity applications. The company also maintains more specialised emulsions, including Retropan 320 Soft Retro, Ortho 400, and Fomapan R 100 black-and-white reversal film. These products are offered in formats including 135, 120, sheet film, and bulk rolls, with selected motion-picture formats available for R 100. Its paper portfolio developed in parallel. Fomabrom and Fomaspeed cover fibre-based and resin-coated enlarging papers, while variable-contrast, warm-tone, pastel-base, and retro-oriented products serve more specialised darkroom practices. Retrobrom was introduced in 2019 as a fibre-based paper designed to produce warm green-brown prints with a deliberately historic visual character. Foma’s chemistry range supports both film and paper processing. Products include general-purpose and specialised developers, liquid concentrates and powder formulations, acid fixers, stop baths, wetting agents, and chemical toners. The company’s specialist imaging business also includes medical X-ray materials, industrial radiography products, and personal dosimetry film. Historical references indicate that it formerly manufactured aerial and surveillance films, although these are not presented as central current products. The supplied material does not establish detailed ownership information, current executives, financial performance, or a precise international distribution network.
- 2019
Retrobrom photographic paper introduced
[1]Retrobrom was launched as a warm, retro-oriented fibre-based darkroom paper.
- 1997
ISO 9001 quality certification
[1]Foma achieved ISO 9001 quality assurance certification.
- 1995
Privatisation and renaming as Foma Bohemia
[1]Fotochema was privatised and established as Foma Bohemia Ltd.
- 1988
INDUX industrial X-ray materials added
[1]Industrial radiography products were expanded under the INDUX name.
- 1971
Fomachrom colour-reversal film introduced
[1]The company entered colour slide-film production through Fomachrom.
- 1964
Colour-negative film added
[1]Fotochema expanded its colour portfolio with colour-negative film.
- 1958
Fomacol colour paper introduced
[1]The company began producing Fomacol colour photographic paper.
- 1949
Expansion into medical and industrial X-ray materials
[1]The product range was extended with MEDIX medical X-ray film and materials for industrial defectoscopy.
- 1933
Roll-film production begins
[1]The company expanded into roll films.
- 1931
Black-and-white photographic papers introduced
[1]Fotochema began producing black-and-white photographic papers.
Products and positioning
A specialist European analogue-imaging manufacturer serving black-and-white photography, darkroom printing, cinematography, medical and industrial radiography, and photographic processing.
Black-and-white film
Fomapan 100 Classic
A general-purpose ISO 100 panchromatic film with a traditional fine-grain character. It is available for 135 and 120 cameras, as sheet film, and in bulk rolls.
Black-and-white film
Fomapan 200 Creative
An ISO 200 general-purpose panchromatic film using a combination of conventional and tabular grain technologies. It is offered in 135, 120, sheet-film, and bulk-roll formats.
Black-and-white film
Fomapan 400 Action
An ISO 400 traditional panchromatic film designed for situations requiring greater sensitivity. It is available in 135, 120, sheet-film, and bulk-roll formats.
Black-and-white film
Retropan 320 Soft Retro
A specialised ISO 320 panchromatic film with low contrast and broad halftone rendering. Its visual character is intended for portraits, still life, architecture, landscapes, contact printing, and deliberately retro treatments.
Black-and-white film
Ortho 400
A fine-grained, high-speed orthochromatic film supplied in 135, 120, and sheet-film formats.
Black-and-white reversal and motion-picture film
Fomapan R 100
A black-and-white reversal film intended for motion-picture production and adapted for still-camera use. It is associated with 8 mm, 16 mm, and 135 formats and can be processed through specialist laboratories or with Foma’s direct-reversal chemistry.
Fibre-based photographic paper
Fomabrom
A baryta fibre-based enlarging-paper family offered in graded normal and hard contrast grades, with glossy, matte, and velvet surfaces and neutral to moderately warm image character.
Resin-coated photographic paper
Fomaspeed
A resin-coated darkroom-paper family available in graded and variable-contrast versions. Surface options include glossy, matte, and velvet finishes.
Warm-tone photographic paper
Formatone
A variable-contrast paper range offered on fibre-based and natural paper bases. It is designed for warm-tone printing and includes multiple surface and base variants.
Fibre-based photographic paper · 2019
Retrobrom
A fibre-based graded paper introduced in 2019. Its warm green-brown tonal character is intended for retro-style darkroom prints.
Specialty photographic paper
Fomapastel
A variable-contrast fibre-based paper with semi-gloss surfaces and coloured paper bases, including yellow, red, green, blue, cyan, and magenta variants.
Photographic chemistry
Fomadon and Formatol
Foma’s developer families cover film and paper processing. Products include powder and liquid formulations for fine-grain, general-purpose, higher-contrast, warm-tone, and traditional developer workflows.
Photographic chemistry
Fomafix, Fomacitro, Fotonal, and Formatoner
These products cover fixing, stopping, wetting, and toning stages in darkroom processing, including acid fixer, stop bath, wetting agent, indigo toner, and sepia toner formulations.
Radiographic film · 1949
MEDIX and INDUX materials
Specialist imaging materials for medical X-ray applications and industrial non-destructive testing. The company’s broader specialist range also includes personal dosimetry film.
Brand decisions
1995
Transition from Fotochema to Foma BohemiaStrategyBackground
The former state-owned Fotochema was privatised during the post-1990 economic transition in the Czech Republic.
Action taken
The business was reorganised as Foma Bohemia Ltd and subsequently placed greater emphasis on black-and-white photographic materials and specialist X-ray products.
Aftermath
The renamed private company continued manufacturing films, papers, photographic chemistry, and radiographic materials.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/foma-bohemia · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled