Pushing Kodak BW400CN

[anoldsock]

I was going to experiment with pushing bw film so I loaded my camera with Kodak BW400CN and shot off a couple of frames at ASA 1600. However, I just realized that the film I have isn't a true bw film but really a color film that shoots black and white. So I'm thinking that you can't push it like you would say neopan...

Is this true? Can someone confirm that you can't really push the kodak bw400cn and get the same effects like you would a true b+w?

 

[Graham Line]

You need to find a processor who will push-process C-41 films by two stops. Probably cost a few dollars on top of the standard development price.
My choice, if you need that speed, is Neopan or Delta 1600 rated at about 1250 with standard processing.

 

[funkaoshi]

Most places that develop C41 won't push it, so yeah, you're really just underexposing a roll of film. There are a few labs in Toronto that will push it if you ask, though they usually charge more.

 

[MartinP]

To be honest, I would suggest getting a "traditional" roll of film, unloading the BW400CN and replacing it with the normal film which you can then rate as you wish. Presumably you have a lab that will push-process the traditional process film, or will be doing it yourself ?

You can keep the unloaded chromogenic film for when you want a roll shot at 400asa - just write on the end of the unloaded roll how many exposures you used so far, then keep the lens-cap on and fire off that-many-plus-two when you want to use it up. You will need to accept that the previous shots will be two stops underexposed though.

If you might ever be printing these rolls yourself then the Ilford equivalent film (XP2 Plus) could be more practical to use, as there is no orange tint to the film-base the normal variable-contrast papers can be used more easily.

 

[vha]

Not sure there is much effect of pushing the BW400CN .. some year ago i did lots of strange things with the Ilford XP-2 to learn it properly, and pushing it to 800 did not work at all .. but overexpose it like 12 iso went surprisingly fine 🙂

But interesting, would give it a try, since i work in a store all summer it could be done pushing the film my self, 40 secs a stop as far as i remember.

vha

 

[anoldsock]

Thanks for the comments, I was just wondering if it was possible to push BW400CN since it's actually a chromatic negative rather than a true bw film. I'm just going to shoot the rest of the roll at the speed it's rated for.

I'll try it again with TMAX 400 since I just got a bunch of them in the mail.

Thanks again everyone!

Not sure there is much effect of pushing the BW400CN .. some year ago i did lots of strange things with the Ilford XP-2 to learn it properly, and pushing it to 800 did not work at all .. but overexpose it like 12 iso went surprisingly fine 🙂

But interesting, would give it a try, since i work in a store all summer it could be done pushing the film my self, 40 secs a stop as far as i remember.

vha

 

[Hephaestus]

I've had decent luck underexposing BW400CN by one stop and then just dropping it at the one-hour lab for standard processing. However, I think two stops is too much of a stretch. You might just want to switch to Tri-X is you want that kind of latitude. 😉

 

[mackigator]

BW400CN Push to 800, Olympus XA:

 

[Doug]

Usually the highlight areas of a chromogenic film are "bullet-proof"; that is, essentially impossible to overexpose with standard C-41 processsing. I have found, though, that when I ask my lab to push a roll one stop, that extra development can block up highlight areas totally, besides the expected contrast increase. Best to reserve underexposure+push to lower-contrast scenes without bright highlight areas, or where the highlights are "throwaways" anyway.

Your result looks pretty good, Mackigator!