Provia 400X - experiences with push processing?

[martin-s]

<p>I have been digital for more than 10 years but I was recently asked what slide film to use for low-light hand-held shooting.</p>

<p>Fuji states their <a href="http://www.fujifilm.com/products/professional_films/color_reversalfilms/provia_400x/#overview">Provia</a> is suited to push processing up to 1600 and even 3200 ISO. If anyone has any reral world experiences or samples or alternative suggestions to share, I'd be very grateful.</p>

[JosvanEekelen]

<p>10 yrs ago I have used Provia 100F, pushed to 800 or 1600 ISO (I don't remember which one) with good results. I have only viewed the slide on screen, no pixel peeping, but the results were fine. </p>

[Colin O]

<p>Well Provia 400X is the only 400-speed slide film (with nothing faster, as far as I know), so if it has to be slide film, essentially it's the only choice.</p>

 

<p>I haven't had much success pushing slide film, but maybe I was asking too much. A one-stop or two-stop push might be fine, but three stops (even going by what Fujifilm say) might be expecting too much.</p>

[martin-s]

<p>Thanks, Jos and Colin.<br>

I agree that 3 stops sounds like way too much. What really shocked me though is how the market for film has almost completely dried up. I would never have expected that to happen this quickly.</p>

[ben_randall]

<p>Martin, I have shot provia 400x in medium format at ISO1600 and was not pleased with tthe results - grainy and lacking in detail. If you have to use slide then it is the only option, but Portra 400 exposed at 1600 or 3200 with a stop or two push would be a better option.</p>

[flavio_egoavil]

<p>Beware that many times what is seen as unexpected/unacceptable "grain" in scans (i.e. scanning from 800 or 1600-speed medium format film), is actually a side effect of grain aliasing on the scanner.</p>