Pushing Superia & Natura 1600 film

[russ_butner___portland__or]

<p>Have any of you pushed Superia 1600 or Natura 1600 one stop (1600 exposed @ 3200)? If so, how were the results?</p>

<p>Thanks<br>

Russ</p>

[randrew1]

<p>I haven't done it for my own pictures, but I've seen a one and a two stop push on this film. I don't like it at 1600 with normal processing. I find it too grainy. The grain increases with underexposure and pushing. If I really needed to shoot film at 3200 I'd first try for a wider aperture, longer shutter speed, or bigger flash. If I really really needed 3200 speed and it had to be film, I would shoot 800 speed film and push it. </p>

[karl_fermedfor]

<p>Please don't take this as my being rude, Ron, but can you actually prove, with a densitometer or some test that Kodak, Fuji pro or amateur 800s out-perform Fuji Press/Superia 1600?</p>

<p>I wish I could get Natura. Isn't it much improved over Superia but only sold in Japan?</p>

<p>I saw a test from a few years back, done in Russia, and admittedly full of typos (might have mixed up GOST and ISO speeds too), and 1600 clearly had a better speed than 800.<br>

Interestingly enough, none of the 800s or 1600s were at their true box speed. IIRC, 1600 was a true 640 or so, and the 800s were only 4- or 500s.<br>

400s were mostly 320, contradicting Kodak's boasts about Portra 400 (although I still love the stuff.)</p>

[randrew1]

<p>Karl, questions are always welcome. My comments were based on a detailed picture comparison I saw about 5 years ago. I wont absolutely guarantee my memory over that time span, but I recall being impressed (unfavorably) by the graininess. The 1600 speed film is clearly faster than 800 speed offerings, but it is also much grainier. With a microdensitometer to generate RMS granularity measurements, I believe I could prove that 800 speed film shot at 3200 speed and pushed would have finer grain than 1600 speed film. </p>

<p>I believe it could also be proven that 800 speed films are more efficient, that is, the speed grain ratio is favorable. For films that are equally efficient, the graininess increases by 7 "grain units" for each stop in increased film speed. (A grain unit is a 'just noticeable difference".) With the jump from 800 to 1600 speed, the grain difference was a more than 7 grain units.</p>

<p>One caveat: The 1600 speed film will have better shadow detail since it really is faster. The shadows will be very grainy.</p>

<p>FWIW, I believe the following ISO speeds reflect the true film speeds.<br>

Kodak Max 400: ISO 500<br>

Superia 800: ISO 640<br>

Kodak Max 800 and Portra 800: ISO 800 (it is on the low side of 800, but it is closer to 800 than 640.)<br>

Natura 1600: ISO 1200</p>

[russ_butner___portland__or]

<p> Over the weekend, I burned a roll of Superia 1600 and a roll of Natura 1600. Exposed them both @ 2500, and having them one stop pushed. I'll let you know how they look.</p>

<p>Russ</p>