Neopan 400 example & kodak 125iso question

[jason_mekeel2]

Here is a scan of Neopan 400. Scanner V700. Mamiya 645E. 35mm Lens 1:3.5. I just provided this picture as an example of neopan 400

developed in Rollei RHS. Technical information: F4 @ 1/60. Yellow #12 Tiffen filter.

 

 

Question: I am out of 400 speed film. Does Kodak 125iso PX push to 500 EI very well?<div></div>

[lex_jenkins]

Dunno, but some folks have reported good results with Plus-X at 400 in Diafine. If forced to push Plus-X I'd try Diafine or Microphen, just because I'm familiar with those developers.

 

I doubt you'll get results as good as this photo from pushing Plus-X tho'.

[larrydressler]

400 for Plus-X is ok in Diafine but I shoot it at 320 to be on the safe side.

[jason_mekeel2]

I have two developers to choose from: Rollei RHS or Ilford Ilfotec HC. These kids are going back home soon and I don't

have any 400 speed film left. I have: Tmax 100, Foma 200 or Kodak 125PX. thats it.

[jason_mekeel2]

Oh, I also have a roll of Adox 100 film.

[lex_jenkins]

Gack, not much choice. TMX is out, doesn't push worth a hoot. Dunno a thing about Foma or Adox. I'd take my chances with Plus-X, tho' I'm not sure I'd go to 400 or 500. If you can get by with 250 that might work. But if it's a matter of 500 or no photos at all, and these are more for the memories than purist art, what the heck, push away.

[frank.schifano]

"Question: I am out of 400 speed film. Does Kodak 125iso PX push to 500 EI very well?"

 

No it does not. Nor does TMX, nor Foma 100. I can't say from personal experience that ADOX does not either, but I'd bet

money that it doesn't. We're talking medium to slower speed films here and these are inherently more contrasty than faster

media. Pushing will only up the contrast and leave you with completely blank shadows. TMX does OK if underexposed by

one stop and developed normally. Plus-X not so much. You have two choices. Use more light, or get faster film.

[Mike Gammill]

I've rated PX at E.I. 200 in both Microphen and HC110-B. The PX/HC110 combo is my favorite for a little more contrast on a cloudy day. Still not terribly contrasty in sunlight. At 400 I would think you would need very flat lighting to offset the gain in contrast. I would recommend experimenting first to see if you like pushed PX.

[jason_mekeel2]

It was Foma 200, not Foma 100. I don't want more light, I am shooting in open shade with the F4 @ 1/iso rule, handholding

with a filter that gobbles one stop of light. I have absolutely no interest in shooting in direct sunlight. I don't have more film

and can't obtain more before they leave. Please don't give me choices I don't have. I already listed my available choices.

[jason_mekeel2]

Lex you probably have the only solution: one push stops. PX will probably go to 250iso no problem, and Foma 200 should easily go to 400

and Adox 100 says it has no problem going to 200iso. maybe I just have to lose the filter but I really like what the yellow #12 is doing to

skintones.

[pc_b]

Hi Jason

 

I wonder how you wind up with f.4 and 1/60 out in the open even on an overcast day. Neopan400 minus your yellow

is still about 1/160, maybe 1/125 at 11 (Sunny 11 rule for generously exposed portraits...) minus 3 stops for

overcast wheather makes 1/160 or 1/125 at f.4 - but 1/60? Looks like overexposing by at least a whole stop.

 

Another thing: yellow filters have different effects (on skin tones) with different films (sometimes even

different filter factors!). Thus, what works for you with lovely Neopan400 might look odd with Fomapan (that's an

example, I do not know Fomapan200).

 

I think TMX gets the same skin tone effect without yellow filter you experienced with Neopan400 with it, so I'd

expose TMX at 200 and would developed it in RHS with a dev time between E.I. 100 and 200 - not to risk the

lighter skin tones.

 

Cheers, Pete

[lex_jenkins]

Jason, the skin tones in that sample photo are lovely. Reminds me of some portraiture from a local photographer I saw several years ago. He'd shoot Tri-X 320 at 100, souped in Microdol-X (if I'm recalling correctly), only outdoors in open shade. The background highlights were blown out which was entirely appropriate since it put all the viewer's attention of the portraits. Magnificent skin tones. It's a technique I'd like to explore.

 

I'm not sure TMX would produce the same effect. In my experience it tends to produce ruddier skin tones. I prefer it for landscapes and architecture, tho' I've seen some dramatic portraiture with it too.

[adam_n.1]

i've done plus-x at 250 in hc-110 and it works very well. i don't think i'd go beyond that though.

[jason_mekeel2]

How do I get the settings I use? Does it matter? The image is perfectly exposed and developed. Maybe I got a good

image cause I have been doing it for years. If you must know, it was a bracket between F4 @ 1/125 and F4 @ 1/60. Not

only was it completely overcast and raining, I was under a few tall trees so it makes it more like the F2.8 shady day rule.

F2.8 @ 1/400 = F4 @ 1/200 add one stop of light for filter and it is F4 @ 1/100. It just means I used a 250 EI. And the

Yellow #12 t filter is darker than a normal Yellow #8 so it may actually be a 1.33 filter stop change so I may have used 320

EI or if the filter is even darker than I exposed it at 400 EI.

[User_502260]

I just got back from a trip to the Burlington, VT area. While I was there I walked into LeZot Camera. I didn't have as much time as I would have liked. There were many nice old cameras and lenses. I went into the back area with the darkroom stuff and found two 1 quart cans of Acu-1 which looked kind of shopworn and had faded labels. Developer in metal cans seems to last just about forever so I got both for $5. The side of the can shows Plus-X at 250 in Acu-1 at 1:10 at 68F for 10 minutes. If I remember this developer it's a concentrated form of Acufine which is used as a one shot solution. Acufine is usually used either undiluted as a one shot developer or with replenishment. Undiluted, it's pretty expensive. Replenishment is something you have to be very careful with of you want consistent results.

[profhlynnjones]

It looks very good to me, Jaason.

 

I used to use Nopan 400 in Microphen, it was very sharp and suprisingly little grain.

 

Lynn