Using FP4 Plus in very bright light: HELP!

[terry_m1]

In four days I will be attending a 1-year-old boy's birthday party

at his parents' house around their swimming pool. The light will be

immensely bright. I will be using FP4 Plus in my Leica R8 and M6

TTL. I am in need of information about, perhaps, reducing the film

speed from ISO 125 and changing the development time from the

standard at that ISO to something else in order to capture shadows

accurately yet not blow out the high amounts of highlights that will

be present since the pool is surrouned by bright cement. Since I

know nothing about the Zone System, can someone give me some

concrete recommendations in detail as to film speed, developer,

developer dilution ratio, and development time that work for you in

similar or identical circumstances? Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[art_haykin]

Your problem will be not so much brightness as it will be contrast, so simply over expose by about 1/2 stop, and undeprocess by about 15%. Then, print on a lower grade of paper, if still necessary. Change the figures as required, and keep notes. In a nut shell, the Zone System is little more than overexposing and undeveloping to reduce contrast, and the opposite to increase it. The exact amounts have to be arrived at through experimentation. Read up on the classic Nine Negative Test.

[john_finch]

I agree with Art... Set the film speed to EI80.. and under delevop by 15% and you should be

happy with the results. To get your meter reading take a meter of the shadows, at EI80,

that you want a little detail in (under that bush or behind that filter unit, lets say, for

instance 250/F4 - could be anything), close down 2 stops (set on camera 250/f8) and

shoot. With metering, and therefore exposing - with correction, for the shadows, and

developing for the highlights (-15% to bring down the highlights to a printable value) you

will get great results. Detail in the shadows and not burnt out (over developed) highlights.

[terry_m1]

To: John Finch

 

Re: "and under develop by 15% at ISO 80", neither Ilford's Web site, "The Darkroom Cookbook", nor any other Web site gives developing details re reducing the ISO to 80. So, when you state the above, are you implying that I am to use Ilford's recommendation re dilution and timing at the native ISO of 125 and subtract 15% of the time when using the 80 ISO? If so, how do I calculate that 15%? If not, please explain further. Thank you.

[test11664875106]

Terry, I don't know what characteristics of water you have out there, but I'm very pleasant with results of FP4 rated at ISO 80 developed for 10.5 minutes in perceptol 1+1 if light is harsh. Ilford's standard time for FP4 in perceptol 1+1 is 15 minutees if I remember correct. Usually I develop for 13.5 minutes and rate at ISO 100 unless light is harsh. Hope this helps.

[john_stockdale2]

The instructions for exposing and developing film seem so authoritative and precise, but you will often see some fine print that says something like:

 

The development times ...... are only a guide and and may need to be adjusted to suit .... individual ...preferences. Higher or lower contrast negatives may be preferred by some to suit their individual requirements, adjust the recommended development times until the desired contrast level is obtained.

 

This one is out of the Ilford pdf file for powdered developers, but is general advice.

 

For pictures of people in full sun, you will want to reduce contrast to prevent shadows having little or no detail (especially the shadows around the eye sockets). I think the advice already offered is good, but I would go further, and meter at 64 or even 50. The Ilford pdf for fp4+ has dev times for EI=50.

 

Go to www.ilford.com and follow the links to Products then black and white.

 

Remember that the film speed set on your meter is only part of the process: your metering technique with this type of camera is also important. B+W neg film has wide latitude in the overexposure direction, but much less for underexposure unless you can accept black empty shadows.

[dave_redmann]

If glare off of the pool is a big part of the problem, it may not solve everything, but how about a polarizer? (Which may be easier to use with the R8 than the M6.)

 

Also, not one but TWO LEICAS for a one-year-old's birthday party?

[terry_m1]

Yes, two Leicas: my R8 loaded with Fuji's Reala color print film and my M6 loaded with FP4 Plus. I showed the parents both black and white 5 x 7 photos printed in my darkroom via negatives exposed via both cameras as well as 5 x 7 photos printed at a wonderful lab again exposed via both cameras and they were blown away by the outstanding sharpness and tonality!

[dzeanah]

You might want to try a compensating developer, or at least play with it.

 

This is from a FP4+ test roll, shot at EI 250 and developed in Diafine. White dog, 4 PM (Florida), patch of sun on the dog, full shade behind. I think it compensated well.

 

(I've got some wedding negs here next to me that were Acros on a beach in full-sun without fill, but figured FP4+ would be better to post, even if it's a dog shot.)<div></div>

[santacruztacean]

Use fill flash.

[art_haykin]

If you don't know to calculate 15% of anything, you may be in for a bit of trouble, but here's a hint. If you wish to reduce a given developing time by 15%, simply multiple the time, in seconds, by .15, subtract that from the origihnal number and then divide the answer by 60 for minutes. 15% is approximately 1/6th.

[bill_napper]

Shoot at 250 and develop in Diafine!

Best thing I know of to control contrast and prevent wash out.

Should have GREAT DOF. Like maybe F/22!

[lex_jenkins]

Ditto the recommendation for EI 250 and souping in Diafine - very good contrast handling ability.

 

If you don't have or can't get Diafine conveniently, try EI 64 and develop in ID-11/D-76 @ 1:1 dilution for 9 minutes at 68F, normal agitation. Works very well in contrasty and mixed lighting.

[gaius1]

I've gotten good results with FP4+ in bright sunlight on water by using an orange filter.<div></div>