Pushing

[Anthony Martinez]

I've seen some examples of Tri-X pushed to ASA1600 in DD-X that looked quite nice, and it just so happens that my Retina IIa is loaded with Tri-X at this very moment.

I've not tried push processing yet, because I'm not sure I understand what it even means. To make that clear is it correct that I meter for ASA1600, shoot as if the film is in fact ASA1600, and then extend the development time to compensate and deliver a normal exposure?

To put numbers to it:

Film is ASA400, meter set to ASA400 says f/4, 1/250s and I shoot as such. I develop for 8min @ 20C per the Massive Dev Chart.

Film is ASA400, meter set to ASA1600 says f/8, 1/250s and I shoot as such. I develop for 14min @ 20C per the Massive Dev Chart.

In both cases I ought to have a good negative?

[zachary]

Yeah, I think that's pretty much it.

You over develop, but you lose tonality I believe.

[venchka]

Grasshopper is learning. Contrast increases. That can be good in flat light. Most of the time folks push film in high contrast situations. You get double whammy. The way you meter affects the final outcome as well.
Good luck.

[KJ Smith]

That is pretty much it.

A 2 stop push.

You will also build contrast and grain.


So if you are shooting a contrasty scene you probably won't like the result.

If you are shooting a flat scene it will help.

[wclavey]

Actually, you could just shoot it at 1600 and develop it in Diafine!

[KJ Smith]

Originally Posted by wclavey

Actually, you could just shoot it at 1600 and develop it in Diafine!

Or shoot TMY @ 800 and develop normally.

[zachary]

Originally Posted by wclavey

Actually, you could just shoot it at 1600 and develop it in Diafine!

Yeah, That's why I stick to asa100 film with diafine, 400 gets pushed to like, 800. The result is grainy.

[Anthony Martinez]

Thanks guys, I'm going to give it a shot.

In other news, I really like using this Kodak. I know I said I was done with 35mm (and thus my giving Adrian the Rebel) but I do believe the Retina has ousted the Isolette III as my walk-around camera. That's not to say that the Isolette III will get no love, it's certainly still coming on any and all trips I take so that I've got a compact means with which to take nice medium format photographs.

[zachary]

I started out on my b&w film journey in medium format, but have gone back to 35mm. I will one day get my Bronica repaired (when my taxes come back) but until then, and probably even after then, I will continue to shoot 35mm. Nothing wrong with that.

[Anthony Martinez]

I certainly still favor my medium format cameras in general, but for the purpose of an easy to carry around camera the Kodak wins for functioning easier/more quickly than the Isolette III. I think if I had a medium format folder with a coupled rangefinder it might be a different story. When all is said and done the cameras likely to remain in my collection are my Mamiya C3, Agfa Isolette III, Kodak Retina IIa, and Canon 5D Mark II. The Kodak will certainly get a lot of use, even if just to photographically scout locations/scenes I'd like to come back and shoot with one of the MF cameras. Nope, nothing wrong with 35mm - and the little Kodak has helped me realize that.

[wclavey]

Anthony, like I said before, if you want to just try a MF RF, and 645 is OK, you can borrow the Fiji GS645 - - then you can decide if a modern integrated RF on an MF camera is what you want. I love it... I carried it all over the Big Bend, whenever I was not out specifically for shooting...

[Anthony Martinez]

Wes, that sounds like something I could get behind. I rather like the slides that came out of Conor's Bronica, so I've got no problems with 645 at all. I'd still like to try to fix the Isolette II, and I need to bring you back your pinhole camera too.

[wclavey]

Did you get much out of the pinhole?

[Anthony Martinez]

I used it for two rolls, but I didn't do anything particularly inspiring with it. If I can't manage to fix the focusing element of the Isolette II, but can at least get the shutter functional enough to work on its bulb setting again I'm going to remove the lenses and mount a pinhole to it so I have a means of framing and a tripod mount.

[venchka]

Bessa III. Or one of the Fuji 6x9 rangefinders. They made several with different lenses.