[Beepaitch]

Hi, I’d like to play about with pushing film. Having had a good read I think I understand the relationship between the EV compensation and/or ISO settings, and also how I can use 3200 if needed. It’s all very neat how ‘stops’ work isn’t it?!!

So my final question, and I fear it’s an obvious stupid one: If I shoot a roll of HP5 (400) pushed to 800, when I get it developed I’m going to have to tell my lab I’ve done this yes? Otherwise every shot will be underexposed by 1 stop?

Told you it was stupid...

[K-Three]

You've got it right, the processor needs to know you've shot the film differently, because it needs to be developed longer.

If you are not doing your own processing, you need to talk to your lab before you shoot that roll, and be certain they can accommodate you. Many labs use automated equipment that can't easily be adjusted for a single roll.

[photoptimist]

There are no stupid questions -- the truly stupid are too proud to ask and thus doomed to live in stupidity.

Yes, you will need to tell the lab. Push processing is about changing the chemical processing steps to change the effective ISO of the film. That's also the reason you can not shoot half a roll at one ISO and half at a different ISO -- the whole roll is processed for one ISO setting or another.

[Bob 256]

"Pushing" is increasing film ISO by extending film development time and "pulling" is decreasing film ISO by decreasing that time. Be sure you're clear to your processing lab which you want. I had the unfortunate experience of the lab getting 6 rolls of Kodachrome (when it was a widely used film) pushed when they were supposed to be pulled (and yes I was clear in my instructions) which resulted in a total loss for those shots.

By telling them you want to increase the ISO, it should be pretty clear, but make sure they understand.

Also, the extent film can be pushed is determined by the film (in your case, you should be fine). You will have more grain & contrast, and fog will increase when you push the ISO of a given film so be ready for that.

One of the advantages of digital cameras is the ISO can be varied from shot-to-shot whereas with film, you're limited to single rolls as Photoptimist mentioned (unless you clip those rolls into segments and do the processing yourself).

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Last edited by Bob 256; 11-02-2019 at 09:51 AM.

[aaacb]

My local camera store offers the option to push both c-41 and black and white. If yours doesn't, check online labs, they all do for 1-2 stops but it takes a while because of mail time and it may be more expensive overall. And yes, you need to tell them specifically that you want this, it usually costs $1-2 more. I've pushed bw film at home and it was quite easy, i've developed iso 400 film for 800 and 3200: check your developer can push (of what I've used, ilfsol 3 isn't great, dd-x works fine), look up values in the "massive dev chart", and have patience for the additional time

[gofour3]

And yes, you need to tell them specifically that you want this, it usually costs $1-2 more

Or even higher. My Lab charges $5.00 CDN ($3.75 USD) to push/pull a roll of E6, C41 or b&w.

Phil.

[Beepaitch]

Great, thanks for all the replies.
I just checked my local lab and apparently they will develop ±1 stop for no additional cost, which is nice!
HP5+ loaded and set to 800! Fun fun!

[Eyewanders]

Great, thanks for all the replies.
I just checked my local lab and apparently they will develop ±1 stop for no additional cost, which is nice!
HP5+ loaded and set to 800! Fun fun!

That's unusual. Good on them. And good for you. Push away.

[Beepaitch]

Cost/process wise, if I took in a 400 film, and a 200 pushed a stop, what difference does it make to them?
Do they perhaps use the DX label ordinarily, and have to manually set it up otherwise?

I have a P30T I’d also like to push some film on but it has no ISO setting, so I’m thinking of getting some DX labels (I saw them available somewhere).

[TwoUptons]

Cost/process wise, if I took in a 400 film, and a 200 pushed a stop, what difference does it make to them?
Do they perhaps use the DX label ordinarily, and have to manually set it up otherwise?

I have a P30T I’d also like to push some film on but it has no ISO setting, so I’m thinking of getting some DX labels (I saw them available somewhere).

When commercially developed film is processed "normally", it is just run through the machine in its standard configuration, regardless of what the film is.
So 100/200/400 ISO film would all be developed the same. And they never look at the DX coding... that's for the camera only.

When film is pushed or pulled, it needs a different workflow, and that always costs more.

It's therefore a lot easier and cheaper to shoot 400 at 400 and develop it normally than it is to shoot 200 at 400 and push it if you develop your film commercially.

If you do it yourself, it's probably in small batches and isn't any extra bother (apart from a little more time in the developer) to push film.

With a P30, you can push up to two stops by using exposure compensation on the roll.
Intentionally underexposing two stops on 200 ISO film would be the same as setting the ISO to 800 through a DX sticker.

-Eric

[tonyzoc]

I used to use Acufine developer on Tri-X shot at 1600 with decent results...while grain was there it was smooth and tonal range remained full. I don't know if they still make it.

[StiffLegged]

Paterson don't make any of their film chemicals now AFAIK. I did see a bottle of Acutol on eBay once which had been kept in storage, "sealed and unopened." Since it was at least 7 years since Paterson made any, I wouldn't risk any important film with that archaelogical sample! ;-))

[johnha]

DX coding was introduced by Kodak for mini-labs, most probably so the machine knew how many exposures were on it. I guess some custom labs may have been configured to use the exposure latitude and ISO but yes - all usual C41 speeds would have gone through the same processing.

You need to be careful with some specialist films. Ilford Delta 3200 has a base ISO of 1000 - in order to get 3200 you need to push it (it's designed to push well). I've only done this myself as discussing with a lab seems prone to error.

ISO is a scientific standard related to recorded density for a given exposure with 'normal' development, while Exposure Index (EI) refers to the speed set when shooting. I.e. HP5+ pushed one stop has an ISO of 400 but EI of 800. Delta 3200 has an ISO of 1000 but if shooting at 3200 for extended development, it's EI is 3200.

---------- Post added 11-03-19 at 10:23 AM ----------

In very low light you're likely to run out of meter range - where the meter might just flash 'under' or wrap round to 'over'. The solution to this is an LX 🙂

[Beepaitch]

ISO is a scientific standard related to recorded density for a given exposure with 'normal' development, while Exposure Index (EI) refers to the speed set when shooting. I.e. HP5+ pushed one stop has an ISO of 400 but EI of 800. Delta 3200 has an ISO of 1000 but if shooting at 3200 for extended development, it's EI is 3200.
.....
In very low light you're likely to run out of meter range - where the meter might just flash 'under' or wrap round to 'over'. The solution to this is an LX

Aha! Thanks for explaining the ISO / EI thing, that’s a bit of nomenclature I was missing.

What’s special about metering on an LX?

[johnha]

Aha! Thanks for explaining the ISO / EI thing, that’s a bit of nomenclature I was missing.

What’s special about metering on an LX?

It meters off the film plane rather than from the viewfinder. In manual mode it meters before the exposure like most other cameras. In Auto it also meters continuously during the exposure, during long exposures it keeps the shutter open until enough light has hit the film. Pentax give the shutter speed range to two minutes in auto, but several users report it will stay open much longer in very low light.

---------- Post added 11-03-19 at 12:38 PM ----------

Check out LesDMess's review of the LX: Pentax LX - Pentax Manual Focus Film SLRs - Pentax Camera Reviews and Specifications