Acros 100 pushed to 400

[Alex Muir]

Has anyone tried this? I have to cover a family lunch tomorow. I would normally take my Leica Minilux, but it has Acros 100 in it which I had started using at 400 ASA to see how it looked pushed. Problem is that I've never done this before and don't know how it will work out. I can take another camera, but would use the Minilux if the results are likely to be ok. I don't want to rewind the Acros and substitute another film. I would just change camera as the easier option. Any advice/experience would be appreciated. Alex

 

[polyglot]

Take another camera and some TMY2 (good for 800 trivially, 1600 if you have quite flat light and don't mind contrasty images).

Acros doesn't get anywhere near 400 really; 200 is a struggle. Pushing is not one of its strengths.

 

[Alex Muir]

Thanks. I have a Nikon N75 which is quite discreet for an SLR and Delta 400 I can use. I'll be using flash, so 400 should be enough. I'm now thinking I should finish the Acros already loaded at 100ASA.

 

[DREW WILEY]

You're not pushing it. You're merely underexposing it and lopping off most of the shadow values. You can overdevelop to keep texture in the
midtones and highlights, but those shadows will be just plain gone, i.e., blocked up unless it's a very low contrast setting to begin with.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Another vote for a different camera and some 400 speed film if thats an option. Acros is a gorgeous film at 80-100 but not a good candidate to push.

 

[JLP]

Nikon D800 with a max Iso setting of 1600.
Let the punishment begin, I will take it as it comes.

Ok, I know it is a joke but it just had to as this question again shows lack of testing of the film and developers we use.
It is not that difficult to shoot a few rolls of film under various lighting conditions, develop the film and know the limits and then adjust. Film is cheap, developer is cheap. shoot and test, shoot and test.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I've done this many times. Before I stopped using ISO 100 speed film I would routinely use Acros and TMax 100 at EI 400, and then process in Xtol 1:1.
The final results looked a lot like Tri-X320 (TXP), but without the grain.
Before you develop important rolls, please try a couple of other rolls first, to make sure you're hitting your targets. It works well in low to medium contrast. In high contrast you have to give more exposure.

 

[brucemuir]

I'm gonna jump on the bandwagon and strike up the tune once again.
Acros & TMX does NOT do well with any underexposure (even a little).

Do yourself a favor and document your family real quick if you need to use up the last half a roll or so.

Maybe its due to grain structure but I have found TMAX films suck for trying to eek out and shadows unless generous exposure takes place from the get go..

I have no idea how it would react to diafine...

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I'm gonna jump on the bandwagon and strike up the tune once again.
Acros & TMX does NOT do well with any underexposure (even a little).

Do yourself a favor and document your family real quick if you need to use up the last half a roll or so.

Maybe its due to grain structure but I have found TMAX films suck for trying to eek out and shadows unless generous exposure takes place from the get go..

I have no idea how it would react to diafine...

Funny Bruce. My experience is exactly the opposite of yours. But you NEED a developer that is efficient in the shadows.

 

[pbromaghin]

If you are going to use a flash, what's wrong with 100 iso film at 100 iso?

 

[wblynch]

Or you could take the camera to a dark bag and cut off the previously exposed film and develop it, leaving the rest of the roll to use at asa 100.

 

[Gerald C Koch]

It is usually preferable to use a faster film rather than to push a slow one. When you under-expose a film you lose shadow detail. Pushing also increases negative contrast because you extend development which can be a problem. Pushing is an perfect example of TANSTAAFL.

 

[Alex Muir]

I used the Nikon camera with 400 Delta. I actually rated that at 300 as previous testing with a densitometer suggested 320, but the N75 can only adjust film speed by half stops via exposure compensation. The Acros was the first roll of this film I had tried. I had bought it due to recomendations regarding its good reciprocity characteristics. I do a lot of night and low-light work. I then needed to use it when I had nothing else in stock, but a 400 speed film was required. I'll finish it at that speed and develop to the Massive Dev recomendation to see how it looks. I've stocked-up on plenty of Tri-X today to avoid this sort of dilema in future! I prefer to use 400 with the built-in flash as it seems to give better results. Alex