XP2 SUPER 400 question

[kshapero]

If I shoot a roll of XP2 SUPER 400 at 800 ISO, do I need to tell lab to process differently? What results should I expect? Can I even shoot say half a roll at 400 and half at 800? What would happen?

 

[dfoo]

You don't need to tell the lab to push the film. What you'll find is that if you shoot at 800, much like shooting a regular 400 ISO B&W film at 800, is that you'll have less shadow detail.

 

[fixbones]

You can basically shoot XP2 anywhere from ISO 200 to 800 in a single roll and drop it at the photo lab for it to be processed as usual. Pretty cool eh....

I've always heard that XP2 does better when over exposed i.e rated between ISO 200 - 400. So far i've tried rating it at ISO 320 but can't seem to tell the difference. Might just rate my next roll at ISO 200

 

[faris]

You would have underexposed the film by 1 full stop; halving the light.
these films hate underexposure. there is quite a bit of overexposure latitude, however.

if the film is processed at a c41 lab normally, you can change the film
speed as often as you like, but results might be off.

 

[kermaier]

XP2 Super does better with overexposure than underexposure - grain is supposed to be reduced with a stop or more of overexposure. I typically rate XP2 at 320, mostly to protect against accidental underexposure, rather than because I see a big difference with 1/3 stop overexposure (I don't). I expect your roll underexposed by 1 stop will show increased graininess and poor shadow detail, but it should still be printable (unless the main subject is in the shadows).

Ari

 

[kshapero]

Thanks all. I really love this film since I stopped developing myself.

 

[Bob Michaels]

If I shoot a roll of XP2 SUPER 400 at 800 ISO, do I need to tell lab to process differently? What results should I expect? Can I even shoot say half a roll at 400 and half at 800? What would happen?

I believe we tend to assign some high level of precision to this iso thing that is unwarranted with negative film. Individual metering techniques, as well as the meters themselves can account for a one stop difference, sometimes more. That itself can account for shooting a film, marked as iso 400, from an effective 200 to 800. In zone terms, it is like putting something in zone 3 instead of zone 4.

Think of all the great photos made in the old days by people who eyeballed exposure or those made by box cameras. They certainly were not dealing with iso/asa computed to any significant level of precision.

 

[kshapero]

You don't need to tell the lab to push the film. What you'll find is that if you shoot at 800, much like shooting a regular 400 ISO B&W film at 800, is that you'll have less shadow detail.

Any 400 ISO COLOR print film, that can be used this way?

 

[dfoo]

I have found that color films become quite grainy when underexposed.

 

[payasam]

You're right about history, Bob, but that's no reason to not try to do things correctly. Films are not given speed ratings without a reason.

I agree with dfoo that C-41 films become grainy with under-exposure. I have a couple of rolls of XP2 Super sitting around, which Al Kaplan sent me, and I plan to expose one at 400 and the other at 250.

 

[kshapero]

In my experience XP Super exposes very nicely, sharp and tight grain at 250.