  Our aims are to determine flux densities and their photometric accuracy for a
set of seventeen stars that range in flux from intermediately bright (<2.5 Jy)
to faint (>5 mJy) in the far-infrared (FIR). We also aim to derive
signal-to-noise dependence with flux and time, and compare the results with
predictions from the Herschel exposure-time calculation tool. The PACS faint
star sample has allowed a comprehensive sensitivity assessment of the PACS
photometer. Accurate photometry allows us to establish a set of five FIR
primary standard candidates, namely alpha Ari, epsilon Lep, omega,Cap, HD41047
and 42Dra, which are 2 -- 20 times fainter than the faintest PACS fiducial
standard (gamma Dra) with absolute accuracy of <6%. For three of these primary
standard candidates, essential stellar parameters are known, meaning that a
dedicated flux model code may be run.
