How far can 400 push?

[itf]

Hi, I've never pushed film beyond 3 stops over it's rating (3200 for 400). I've always assumed this was about the limit, but I'm curious about whether another stop could be wrung out of it. Anyone ever pushed 400 to 6400? What are the results like?

 

[rogue_designer]

would be an interesting experiment.

provia 400 would be a good candidate if you can find a lab who'll let you push 4 or more (or if you soup your own).

 

[Pablito]

There is no magical cut off point. It all depends on how much grain you find acceptable, how much loss of shadow detail you find acceptable. It's a personal thing.

 

[aad]

Someone here has pushed to like 64,000 or so with TriX. Maybe a search would work.

 

[Limpovitj]

That would very much depend on which 400 film, as well as which developer you'd be using. As an example, Tri-X in Microphen (a slightly speed increasing developer) can push much farther, than, say, APX400 in Rodinal (APX400 never pushed as well (as Tri-X) and Rodinal is slightly speed decreasing).

As Pablito says, it all depends on what you find accpetable. You can push Tri-X really hard and end up with some kind of image. Except for those who like the gritty black-and-white-and-nothing-much-else extreme push look, it maybe won't be of much use.

In the end, trying it yourself is the only way to find out. I'd recommend, as above, Tri-X in (Ilford) Microphen to start out. Others will perhaps recommend some different combination.

 

[erikhaugsby]

I run Tri-X regularily at 3200, but like you I've never gone farther. Merciful has shot extensively in the 6400+ range, and there was a thread of his a while ago with a portrait shot at 12800 that looked like my Tri-X at 400.

Rodinal is a must for me to push Tri-X, nothing else seems to work as well.

 

[Trius]

The Merciful 12800 push thread

 

[rogue_designer]

wow - a wealth of information in there.

His pushing method is similar to mine, only I use HC110, and don't go quite as extreme as he does.

 

[Don Parsons]

When I worked at the paper shooting high school basketball in a dungeon masquerading as a gym, we didn't even rate the film. 1/250@2 or 2.8.

Then we'd dump it into hc-110 (can't remember which dilution), go across the street to Burger King and eat dinner. When we got back, we'd pull the film out of the developer and fix it.

Grain didn't matter, the paper repo killed most of it anyway. We just wanted an image.

 

[itf]

The Merciful 12800 push thread

WOW! Who needs fast lenses!?

 

[Limpovitj]

The Merciful 12800 push thread

In my reply above I was, sort of, in a round-about way, not recommending Rodinal for pushing. Everybody disregard that! ;-)

 

[40oz]

In my reply above I was, sort of, in a round-about way, not recommending Rodinal for pushing. Everybody disregard that! ;-)

To be fair, your stated opinion on Rodinal for pushing is not unique. IMHO, it is an acquired taste. I don't like it personally, even if images turn out.