How do you shoot 1600 film?

[exe163]

I have been shooting tri-x at 400 iso for a while now. However I find iso 400 very limiting espeically at night. Usually I just put the camera away when the sun sets. Since I don't have the time to shoot that much normally and I don't have two bodies, I am not sure how to shoot 1600 film (can push trix to 1600 right?) and still be able to use the same roll during day time. My camera can only do /1000 and my lens only stops down to f/16. I just want some insights on how people shoot 1600 film without dedicating a camera just for night time/indoor shooting.

 

[edge100]

In full daylight, you're looking at 1/1600 f/16 ISO 1600. You're a little less than a stop over that at 1/1000. Tri-X can handle a 1 stop overexposure; this isn't digital we're talking about. And if it's overcast, you can even open up a bit.

Seriously though, I'd try to use up the roll at night and to back to 400 in the day.

 

[back alley]

or try something like xp2 chromogenic film.

 

[maddoc]

A two-stop ND filter (ND4) helps a lot.

 

[dct]

Typically I load a 1600 film (HP5+ 400, superia 1600) or a 3200 ISO one (Delta 3200) when I'm out for low light photography. But most of the rolls got not finished at the end of the night.
Then I usually fill the roll in daylight situations using very short shutter speeds (1/4000 or 1/2000). This allows still setting medium apertures. Having only 1/1000 or slower I would also opt for a ND filter.

 

[Lauffray]

I second the filter suggestion
Like was mentioned before, shooting 1600 @ f/16 1/1000 is ok and gives decent negatives, gives you some faster speeds in the shadows too and around sunset hours. If you can live with shooting always around f/8 to f/16, it's perfect. Or you can try shooting @800, which is a little more limiting at night but more flexible during the day, you have to see which one you shoot more often.

 

[Roger Hicks]

At the risk of sounding pedantic: remember the difference between EI and ISO.

Delta 3200 is my standard film in my Pen W: minimum speed and aperture 1/250 and f/22. A couple of stops' overexposure in bright sun just doesn't matter.

Sorry it's such a small picture: it's what happens to be on my drive. It was an upgrade after I'd finished shouting at the can hire company.

Cheers,

R.

 

[thegman]

or try something like xp2 chromogenic film.

I second this, it's an outstanding film (Kodak BW400CN seems to be pretty much the same too) and I've shot the same roll in broad daylight and at night. At night, just give it as much exposure as you can, and it seems to turn out well every time.

 

[Murchu]

With a fast enough lens, there should not be much you will not be able to shoot at 400 iso. F2 is the price of entry, and will leave you down at 1/15th or 1/8th of a second in low light. f1.4/ 1.5 is much better, and will leave you around 1/30th or 1/15th at worst usually. Just something to bear in mind, if you're a 50mm or 35mm shooter, where such fast options exist reasonably.

EDIT: the above, and something like a 3 stop ND filter, should allow you to shoot wide open in daylight too, giving you a very flexible range of options with just one speed of film, I find.

 

[BardParker]

+1 on BW400CN and XP2-Super at night.

Olympus XA; Kodak BW400CN; San Francisco 3/2012

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52210007.jpg by KentWebb, on Flickr[/IMG]

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52210014.jpg by KentWebb, on Flickr[/IMG]

Regards,

Kent

 

[dct]

HP5+ @1600, evening during summertime (natural light outside, fluorescent source inside)

CV50/2.5 Color Skopar on Konica HEXAR RF f5.6 1/125

 

[notraces]

ND filter by day...

 

[Rob-F]

To keep the daylight exposures within the range of your camera and lens, you could rate your film at EI 1000. That will have the benefit of preserving more shadow detail compared to 1600.

 

[Keith]

I offer it a last cigarette then blindfold it.

Sorry! 😱

😀