Here is a question for you negative souping masters. I was reading somewhere that someone only uses ISO 100 film (I think it was Delta 100). They use no other film. When they need ISO 400, they just take the ISO 100 and EI 400 with it.

Would it be better to expose ISO 400 or EI 400 (with ISO 100)? I know the trade-offs for pushing would be less shadow detail, more grain and more contrast. Which would look better in regards to finer grain and tonality?

I'm sure I could try it for myself but if someone has already done the experiement, inquiring minds would like to know! Thanks!

-- Johnny Motown (johnny.motown@att.net), May 31, 2001

Answers

Depends on what you want.

Here's the short version: If you want shadow detail and not too much contrast, use true ISO 400 film. If you don't care about shadow detail, and can live with the increased contrast pushing entails, push.

Pushing does not increase the true speed of the film (at least not notably, maybe by 1/3 f-stop or so), but it does increase contrast considerably. Therefore, there will not be any detail in the shadows if you use pushed film, and the negs will be rather contrasty. It's not the thing to try when your subject is already contrasty.

True ISO 400 film, on the other hand, will still have detail in areas that read about two f-stops below the midtones.

Regards, Thomas Wollstein

-- Thomas Wollstein (thomas_wollstein@web.de), May 31, 2001.

I always have 12 Asa, 25 Asa, 50 Asa, 100 Asa and 400 Asa films at home. :-)

-- Patric (jenspatric@mail.bip.net), May 31, 2001.

Thanks for your answers! I developed the roll last night and they are pretty contrasty (as to be expected). I just have to make sure they were developed properly. (see another question on this forum) I think they might be a challenge to print!

-- Johnny Motown (johnny.motown@att.net), June 01, 2001.