Topic: SLVR - Extreme Pushing Video

[SLVR]

It's short and sweet. To the point with some graphics to illustrate how I managed to get the results from extreme pushing Delta 3200.

https://youtu.be/RXjjYVySrmQ

[Indofunk]

Excellent video! I like your dry humor (he's gonna get lung cancer!)

I guess Xtol is good for pushing? I doubt this will work with HC110... Also I'm surprised that the grain is acceptable! I'd expect baseball-sized grain

[Francois]

You can push film with HC-110 too.
I've pushed HP5 to 1600 with no problem. Could have easily gone to 3200.

Delta 3200 can be pushed to EI 6400 in HC-110 dil.A according to the Ilford paperwork. That's just one stop from 12500...

[SLVR]

haven't experimented with pushing with HC110 so I wouldn't be the best person to ask about it.

I've always loved xtol for its grain solubility as well as linear curve. I feel like out of all the developers kodak offers its likely the best one to bring back as much shadow detail as possible since the others tend to have more of a curve to them, you'd have a chance of toasting your highlights in an attempt to save some shadow detail.

You should do a test with it stand developed. I never tried it but it is possible with HC110.

[Francois]

It's a bit funny but I've never stand developed a single roll!
I think I might have a roll of Delta 3200 in the freezer.... But I can't remember.

[Indofunk]

I've dev'd a few rolls of Delta 3200 in HC110, both stand developed and pushed to 3200. Never liked the results, especially pushed. Pushing gives better contrast but a lot more grain, stand developing is smoother but overall lower contrast. Basically my problem with 3200 in HC110 is all that damn grain

[Francois]

Don't forget that SLVR's film was in the 120 format. I guess 35mm would put grain over the fence.

I just checked my freezer and I don't have any 3200 in stock... So I can't test.

[calbisu]

Loved the video! 

[Indofunk]

Don't forget that SLVR's film was in the 120 format. I guess 35mm would put grain over the fence.

Excellent point. My 3200 was in 135.

[Jeff Warden]

My experience is similar to those commenting here; D3200 has worked well for me at several speeds in 120, but grain was unacceptable to me in 35mm format even when I exposed fairly conservatively (iso1600/DDX).

I've never needed iso 12,800 but it's nice to know it's there.  Thanks for the video! 

[MiguelCampano]

Hello,

Sorry for *hijacking* the thread by asking this question, but...

I'm going to an indie rock concert in early May (The Black Angels) and I know for a fact that light will be an issue at the venue. I have plenty of rolls of Tri-X 400 and I've seen people who "push it" to 800 or 1600. My question is, how do I "push" film? Do I manually adjust the ISO to, say, 800 and then develop accordingly using the DevChart? Also, would it be recommendable to get a roll of D3200 and expose at either 1600 or "box" speed? Could I do the same "push" process with HP5?

Thank you,
Miguel.

[Francois]

Well, you definitely won't get the same results with pushed HP5 as you would get with D3200. Don't forget that when you push a film, you expose the entire image in the shadow portion of the film, so contrast goes up a lot.
For pushing film, you simply take a film and set the meter to make it think it's a faster film and then over-develop the whole thing to get more density out of the shadow portion of the film. But this means you also get bigger grain since the development times are longer.

The usual rule is to use the correct film for the correct situation. Push only if necessary.
For me, D3200 is quite expensive at +8$ a roll locally, so I tend to push the film since I have no other option.

There are some weird things that can be done like vapor hypersensitizing, but I don't think you want to get into that.

[MiguelCampano]

Well, you definitely won't get the same results with pushed HP5 as you would get with D3200. Don't forget that when you push a film, you expose the entire image in the shadow portion of the film, so contrast goes up a lot.
For pushing film, you simply take a film and set the meter to make it think it's a faster film and then over-develop the whole thing to get more density out of the shadow portion of the film. But this means you also get bigger grain since the development times are longer.

The usual rule is to use the correct film for the correct situation. Push only if necessary.
For me, D3200 is quite expensive at +8$ a roll locally, so I tend to push the film since I have no other option.

There are some weird things that can be done like vapor hypersensitizing, but I don't think you want to get into that.

Sounds fancy, like one of those workout supplements label. While D3200 is quite expensive here too, I might give it a shot since it's for a one-of-a-kind event. The grainy/contrast effect of pushing might come in handy for the type of concert/venue... After all, nearly everyone there will be tripping on LSD and/or any other sort of drug, so.... 

Thank you for the advice,
Miguel.

[Indofunk]

Miguel,

I regularly push Tri-X to 1600 with great results, as long as the scene itself is decently lit. What venue will this be in? If the stage lights are good you shouldn't have a problem. Load up your Tri-X, set the meter to 1600, and fire away. When you get home, you can either follow the Massive Dev Chart's recommendation for Tri-X @1600 in Ilfosol (that's your developer, right?), or do what I do and semi-stand develop it. I don't know what the recommended concentration for stand developing in Ilfosol is, but I use HC110 1:100 for 1.5 hours, with one agitation at the very beginning and one halfway through (at 45min).

Here are some examples: https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=12485750%40N05&sort=date-taken-desc&text=tri-x%201600&view_all=1

As you can see, when the stage is well-lit, the shots come out well. When there's only light on the singer's face, then the face comes out well, but the background is completely black. I like the results, personally, but you may not.

[MiguelCampano]

Miguel,

I regularly push Tri-X to 1600 with great results, as long as the scene itself is decently lit. What venue will this be in? If the stage lights are good you shouldn't have a problem. Load up your Tri-X, set the meter to 1600, and fire away. When you get home, you can either follow the Massive Dev Chart's recommendation for Tri-X @1600 in Ilfosol (that's your developer, right?), or do what I do and semi-stand develop it. I don't know what the recommended concentration for stand developing in Ilfosol is, but I use HC110 1:100 for 1.5 hours, with one agitation at the very beginning and one halfway through (at 45min).

Here are some examples: https://www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=12485750%40N05&sort=date-taken-desc&text=tri-x%201600&view_all=1

As you can see, when the stage is well-lit, the shots come out well. When there's only light on the singer's face, then the face comes out well, but the background is completely black. I like the results, personally, but you may not.

Nice photos! The venue is Union Transfer in Philly.

[Indofunk]

I love Union Transfer! I've played there a couple of times The light there is great, you'll have no problems

[MiguelCampano]

I love Union Transfer! I've played there a couple of times The light there is great, you'll have no problems

Perfect... I jut have to get some approval to get my camera in, as they don't tell you whether or not you'll be allowed to take pictures until the very day of the concert