Neopan 400 @ 3200 in Microphen

[fredus]

Hi there,

 

I've developed a test roll yesterday of Neopan 400 pushed at 3200 and

developed at 20 degres C. for 16 minutes in Microphen. 3 agitation

every 2 minutes ... I'm losing a lot of shadow details. Pictures were

taken in bar during the night ...

 

What could I do differently to get more shadow details ? Less agitation ?

 

Thanks !

 

Fred

[eric merrill]

I'm not trying to be a smart ass, but how much shadow detail do you expect when you underexpose a film by 3 stops and compensate by overdeveloping?

 

At some point, there just isn't enough light hitting the film and there is *no* additional detail to be gained.

 

Theoretically, lowering the agitation and increasing the dilution will help with shadow detail...to a point.

 

 

Eric

[bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa]

This film pushes fine to 1600, but for 3200 I'd recommend faster film. Try Delta 3200. Try Neopan 1600 or Tri-X.

[lex_jenkins]

Shadow detail is exclusively the domain of exposure. No developer or developing technique can rescue shadow detail that was never recorded.

 

Pushing film, especially with a speed enhancing developer like Microphen, helps bring up the low midtones. This helps minimize large expanses of featureless blacks and helps skin tones by maintaining good gradation. Microphen also helps minimize blown highlights. But it can't create non-existent shadow detail.

 

Try T-Max 400 or Tri-X. I've used both pushed to 1600 and 3200 in Microphen with surprisingly good results. Very useful for live theatre and other performance photography.

 

For the best shot at getting some shadow detail, tho', you'll need to use Delta 3200, T-Max 3200 or the faster version of Neopan. Delta 3200 has a true ISO speed closer to 1200-1600 but pushes easily. T-Max 3200 is reportedly closer to 800-1000 but I've seen some very nice results from this film.

[profhlynnjones]

Of course you lack shadow detail, you are 3 stops under exposed. If you just keep increasing the developing time, you raise the density of the middle tones and highlight, increase the contrast of them, but nothing happenes to the shadows!

 

There are two thing that you can do to increase the film speed 2 or more stops, but you still will have poor quality. First use one of my unliked developers, Tmax 1:4 which will increase the film speed a stop, then use water bath development (I hope you like being in total darkness for 45 minutes).

 

If you really want ASA 3200, buy a roll of Ilford 3200, it is real!

 

Lynn