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Photography Question 

John Gill
 

Pushing Film


Hi, I was just wondering how much the quality of a print would be decreased if I pushed a ISO 400 film to 1600 or even 3200. I usually use Fujifilm Press 400 or Professional 400 without a flash


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June 19, 2002

 

Tom Darmody
  What are you shooting?


Have you tried Fuji NGHII 800? I've gotten good results with it pushed to 1600 (8x10, with very little grain).

I wouldn't go more than double the asa when pushing anything. Your prints are going to be way underexposed.

Tom


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June 19, 2002

 

John A. Lind
  Some films are intended to be pushed. Two of them with multi-speed emulsions designed specifically to be pushed by two stops are Kodak's TMax P3200 and Fuji's Provia 1600. The nominal ISO rating for TMax P3200 is 800 (or 1000 depending on specific chemistry used to develop it). The nominal ISO rating for Provia 1600 is 400. If TMax P3200 is used at EI 3200 (and similarly Provia 1600 is used at EI 1600), it must be processed "Push 2."

Some films are "friendlier" to being pushed than others. Yet a third film, Agfa Scala 200X has a nominal ISO speed rating of 200. It can be pushed up to two stops to EI 800 or pulled by a stop to EI 100 (the opposite of pushing).

When pushed (or pulled) the film developing must be modified to compensate for the underexposure. The most significant modifications made are the time for some of the processing steps. Consumer labs cannot handle this, but full-service pro labs offer push (and pull) processing. Pushed and pulled film must be developed separately, apart from normally exposed film. One pays a premium for it with an additional charge tacked on to the normal film developing cost. It's usually several dollars per roll.

In general:
When pushed, contrast and graininess increase. When pulled, contrast usually decreases, and graininess may decrease (but not always).

-- John


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June 20, 2002

 
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