Should I experiment with pushing Tri-X?

Hi, i don´t develop myself just send to a workshop, and a few months ago i pushed it to 1600...results were perfect, can´t complain.

Although using a tripod could make better results IMHO.
 
Back in the day I shot a lot of Tri-X at 1600, and developed in Diafine or Acufine. It held up pretty well. Results at 3200 weren't very good, though, shadow areas lost most of their details.

Much more appealing was shooting it at 200 and pulling the development 20%. Makes for a nice, long tonal scale.
 
Should be fine with a speed increasing developer, if not try Delta 3200 which will give marginally better shadow detail at 1600 especially in DDX/Microphen.
 
You should give it a go. Since Neopan 1600 disappeared from the shelves I have pushed Tri X quite frequently with good results.

Rodinal 1:100 stand development works well but I did find the results touch grainy for my tastes.
 
Tri-X @ 1600 is a no brainer - use Xtol though - you can go even higher (of course) - 25,600 even; in Rodinal - stand development. Do a search here on threads by "Merciful" - the thread is titled "Push it, Push it good"

Cheers,
Dave
 
Should be fine with a speed increasing developer, if not try Delta 3200 which will give marginally better shadow detail at 1600 especially in DDX/Microphen.

Yep...good advice. Delta 3200 pulled to 1600 and developed in DDX will yield very nice negatives.
 
"Pushing" doesn't really increase film speed--all it does is increase contrast, leaving the shadows even more empty because they will get less exposure rather than more. Your shadows won't gain a thing, and the highlights will get brighter. It seems like a church interior, with deep shadows and spots and streaks of full light is exactly the place you do NOT want to increase contrast.

Use a tripod, instead.
 
Are you talking about static shooting of the interior only, or for activities such as sermons/wedding?

If the former, a tripod will indeed give you better shots. Also, consider painting with light.
 
In the end you are the only person who can judge what will work for you best and get you what you want. Why not push one roll, pull one roll and use a tripod on another? Find what you need/want and go with that. I presume you want a "stately" look so you might think about a bigger negative.
 
if you don't mind empty shadows, then do it.

long tonal scale isn't for everyone. sometimes I think people get too caught up in believing their way is the right way, rather than the right way for them. I prefer blocked shadows myself. b&w is already an abstraction from reality, so do whatever you like. I know what look I would be going for shooting the inside of a church and it's not tri-x @ 200 in bright sunlight, that's for sure. YMMV.
 
I shoot all my Tri-X @ 1600 and develop in Xtol. I like the higher contrast and the grain from Xtol is not much more pronounced than rating Tri-X @ 400 and developing in D76.
 
You guys are giving me a lot to think about. Thanks!

In answer to some of the questions: I have developed about 40 rolls of film so far. I have not experimented with a lot of developers--following the advice to stick to one or two developers to begin with, in my case D76 and Rodinal. I do have XTOL unmixed, haven't used it yet so this might give me an opportunity to do so. Diafine has not been on my radar screen.

I am not in control of the camera as of yet . . . not able to identify and achieve specific looks. I want to capture the mystery of a cathedral; maybe exaggerate the effect of light entering or isolate a particular feature of the architecture within the vastness of the space.

One thing I have done is eliminate film type as a variable, for a while anyway. I have 60 rolls of Arista Premium 400 (Tri-X). I can afford to do some experimenting--try different approaches. Oh yes, no tripod--and no opportunity to carry one (at least for now). I will be shooting my Bessa-T.
 
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