Am I wrong? Facts about film and development

Marsopa · 02-01-2009

After reading I would like to test if what I understand is right or not...

In situations of high contrast is better to use fast film and vice-versa, in low contrast slow film

When shooting high contrast is possible to underdevelop to mitigate the contrast and viceversa, when low contrast is possible to overdevelop to enhance the contrast

When developing more agitation imply more contrast in the final negative.

When in doubt is better to overexpose a bit and underdevelop consequently.

I'm in the correct way?

MichaelW · 02-01-2009

After reading I would like to test if what I understand is right or not...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marsopa

In situations of high contrast is better to use fast film and vice-versa, in low contrast slow film

Not sure about that. I would use the film that had the ISO & pictorial qualities that I desire for the scene & then try to control the contrast with exposure & development.

Quote:

When shooting high contrast is possible to underdevelop to mitigate the contrast and viceversa, when low contrast is possible to overdevelop to enhance the contrast

Yes, pull & push

Quote:

When developing more agitation imply more contrast in the final negative.

Yes, developing longer builds up the highlights

Quote:

When in doubt is better to overexpose a bit and underdevelop consequently.

Yes.

Pickett Wilson · 02-01-2009

With 35mm film, I've found it best to standardize on a developer, time and temperature and adjust ISO until you get the results you want. Then standardize at that ISO.

Saves a lot of frustration, unless your interest is specifically in playing with developers and developing times.

russianRF · 02-01-2009

I believe the axiom is expose for the highlights, develop for the shadows. I'd assume that means underexpose (so the highlights don't blow out) and over-develop (so the shadows come through).

So, when in doubt, it's better to UNDERexpose. Of course, this depends largely on the type of film you're using, more than anything. Which is why I avoid axioms...

dfoo · 02-01-2009

err.. isn't it precisely the opposite? You are supposed to over-expose and under-develop.

Al Kaplan · 02-01-2009

Expose for the shadows, develop for the highlights it is.

Michiel Fokkema · 02-01-2009

You're right. Except the first I'm not sure.
Read Ansel Adam's "the Negative"

Cheers,
Michiel Fokkem

russianRF · 02-01-2009

I guess I stand corrected. Maybe I was thinking about Efke film, which indeed isn't as good for overexposure...

philipp.leser · 02-01-2009

The rule "expose for the shadows..." applies to negative film. The opposite is true for slide film (and digital cameras). It's based on the fact that negative (b&w) film has a great latitude of 10-15 stops; so once you place your shadows in a usable part of the characteristic curve the danger of losing any highlights is not so big.

Slide film only has a latitude of maybe 5 stops which makes it very easy to blow out your highlights if you just look at your shadows. That's why you want to make sure that the highlights are still within the good range of the curve of your slide film.

clayne · 02-01-2009

Basically, the situation is this. As you overexpose, you compress the highlights and upper mids. Essentially the curve moves right in a non-linear fashion, but it doesn't clip like a digital sensor would. As a result, tonality of the highlights and near-highlights are compressed - but room for shadows and darks is effectively widened.

This is why you want to pull film - to reduce contrast at the expense of dynamic range of the highlights.

Al Kaplan · 02-01-2009

Film has the potential for a tremendous dynamic range. When printing B&W on variable contrast paper you can selectively print various areas with enhanced or subdued contrast. One easy trick to get a l-o-n-g tonal scale is make your overall exposure through a lower contrast filter, giving you a rather flat print with good highlight density but no true blacks. Then with your highest contrast filter in place make a second short exposure, just enough to give you that intense black. Quick, simple, no burning and dodging!

philipp.leser · 02-01-2009

Split grade printing results in exactly the same print as using the appropriate in-between grade (of course, it's easier to use grades 1 and 5 than grade 3.54, so that's an advantage).

The main advantage of split printing is when you combine it with dodging and burning.