Is it OK pushing black and white film for wet printing?

[Tim Gray]

I prefer shadow detail to pushing. I prefer a tripod to pushing, I prefer faster film to pushing. Pushing does not work because it does not put more shadow detail on the film, only exposure does that.

All pushing does is raise contrast on the meager image that does exist.

I agree with everything Ron is saying. Pushing doesn't create real speed. From what I understand, at best, it gives you 1/3-1/2 a stop depending on the conditions.

At the same time, if you have no choice but to underexpose a film, say TMZ at 3200, or detail in the shadows isn't important to you, overdeveloping plays an important role if you are going to print in the darkroom. With scanning, you can just underexpose the film, develop normally, and bring the contrast up to normal in photoshop. If you print in the darkroom, you could do the same, but at some point, you run out of grades to go to in an effort to increase contrast to put it where it should be. So, you overdevelop (push) the film in processing, allowing you to print your photo at around grade 2 or 3.

At least that's my understanding of it all.

 

[percepts]

I agree that it depends on the subject contrast range. The shorter the range the more development you need and the more development you use the less exposure you need. So pushing will give you more speed but that is the wrong way to look at it. And very importantly you must know that pushing increases film contrast.
If you want normal film contrast then you have to use a low contrast film such as Delta 3200 which is designed specifically to be developed in microphen. Using that combination at 3200 you will get normal contrast. But its quite grainy. Using any other developer and the speed drops off. However, using ddx and rating delta 3200 at 1600 gives normal contrast and reasonable grain.
All depends on subject contrast as to which way you should go. Low contrast subject then push normal film. Normal contrast subject in low light use highspeed low contrast film.

 

[kitaanat]

Usually, I use 400 ISO no push. But If some very important shots that I really need was taken in a difficult lighting I'll consider push/pull when develop to let the important shot looks best.

In my test of Lucky 100 ISO, a China made film, with 2 stop push. The result surprise me. The quality from my print looks great. (don't look at my scan because the quality of my scan vary depends on my time.) 😀

 

[elude]

Seriously... what's the difference if you go through the darkroom process ?
The information is still on the negative, you just have to adjust according to the scene and the film treatment.
I push and pull my films from 200 to 800 and print them all the same, and its good from shadows to white-still-defined-skies.

I even push my 1600 neopan to 3200 and use microphen, theres more informations that I would need.