BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: Traditional Film Photography

Denise Ms Goulet		Pushing a film Hello! I would like to know if its true when we are pushing a film, we give it more exposure thath a meter-reading indicates is necessary or this is the oppoosite, we give it less exposure. Thanks! To love this question, log in above July 15, 2007

Christopher A. Vedros		It's the opposite. If you have a roll of ISO 200 film and you are going to have it push processed to ISO 400, then you want to underexpose it by 1 stop. The underexposure during shooting will be compensated by overdeveloping the film. If your camera will let you manually set the ISO speed, go ahead and set it to the speed at which it will be processed. Then your camera's meter will give you the proper exposure. If your camera doesn't let you override the ISO that is set when it reads the coding on the film spool, then set your exposure compensation to -1 stop. If you shoot in Manual mode, instead of adjusting your aperture and shutter speed to line your meter with zero, adjust until it lines up with -1 instead. Chris Vedros To love this comment, log in above July 15, 2007

Lazar D. Kaufman		Chris is right. Usually pushing or pulling is done for b&w films and the photographer is responsible to self develop its roll. If you use color film you do nothing to compensate for 1 stop up or down. I hope you can find lab to develop your color film pushed or pulled 2 or more stops. To love this comment, log in above July 17, 2007

- Gregory LaGrange Contact Gregory LaGrange Gregory LaGrange's Gallery		I wouldn't say nothing, but the latitude of print film lets you shoot 1 away with acceptable results. But even a place like Ritz/Wolf can push or pull film. Just ask for it during their slow periods because they have to wait for all normal film to get out of the machine. To love this comment, log in above July 17, 2007

Bob Cammarata		Pushing one stop is common practice among serious slide film users when that one extra stop of shutter speed might make the difference in stopping the action (or not) on a critical shoot. This setting would of course apply to the entire roll. Chris is correct in that you have the ability to shoot at a shutter speed a stop faster than the ASA the film would allow at any given aperture, thus under-exposing the roll (...and requiring over-developing to compensate). This practice should not be counted upon as an alternative to having a faster film on hand since like everything else, there are trade-offs to push-processing...such as as color shifts and minor image degradation. Bob To love this comment, log in above July 17, 2007

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