Confused as to a pushable film dev combo for unrepeatable work

Ok after much trying we are having a baby and we want the birth recorded properly; On black and white film. I have spent the last few years using mostly 100asa and below stock settling on Foma 100 and Rollei RPX100 in R09, it gives me prints I am more and happy with. I want to minimise grain with out losing too much sharpness it will be shot probably on a combo of a Yashicamat, Mamiya 645 and an OM1 with a ring flash for a couple of shots. The OM will have most likely A 100 or 50 asa film in. So I have read up on all these dev and film combos and I am getting confused so I would like to try preferably a few 400asa films at 800 and maybe 1600 (I hope I don't have to) I have a pack of D76 and I think the Uni darkroom has HC110. So I am looking for advise on perhaps 2 more devs to try and what films work well being pushed, then the combos will be tested to see what works for me. I do not think I will print over 16" on the long side.

Tmax 400 low grain pushable great tonality for babies and moms alike in Tmax developer or Xtol or Delta 3200 grainier but good for Indoor hospital shots and doesn't need to be pushed.

Good luck and congratulations

Dominik

If you shoot Kodak T-Max 400 film (TMY), the Kodak recommendations for a one stop push (EI 800) are to use the same development time as for the standard speed (ISO 400). So you can mix shots taken at the optimum speed of 400 and an EI of 800 on the same roll.

They recommend either X-Tol or one of the two T-Max developers for maximum shadow speed with TMY.

Flash + newborn is not a good combo. Available light is advised.

Don't underexpose "unrepeatable work." It is like throwing away half of the image...you may want it later.

Rest assured I won't be using a flash for the baby. Thnaks for the reply I shall buy a few rolls and start testing.

alex66 said:

Rest assured I won't be using a flash for the baby. Thnaks for the reply I shall buy a few rolls and start testing.

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Flash can't harm the baby, but it can make a newborn very uncomfortable just like anyone else who isn't expecting the sudden burst of light. Except a baby's reactions are not tuned in yet, so if uncomfortable, they just cry, which on top of everything else going on is not what you or mother wants.

A ring flash is pretty focused. A bounce flash is much better if going for anything other than an extremity. Shots of hands and feet are beautiful. Congrats.

For 35mm, I love XTOL.

Whatever developer you pick, buy a new package/bottle, and mix it shortly before developing your rolls. Test on a sacrificial roll first. You want to be certain that the developer will work, so don't risk using old developer. And congratulations!

Mark Overton

For many years my choice for push processed 35mm work was XP1 then XP2 in C41 dev.

Ian

Dear alex66,

Well before the big day, just once try a roll of Delta 3200 or TMZ at box speed in stock Xtol. I remember being quite pleasantly surprised the first time I used that combination. In any case, don't wait for the big day to try any combination for the first time.

Congratulations!

Neal Wydra

I'm actually a big fan of fill and bounce flash and doubt the baby would care one way or the other. When I did baby photography in studio the strobes never seemed to phase the babes that were days old. As they get a bit older and more aware of details the strobes become a matter of wonder, not fear.

It's my experience that annoyance with strobes seems to come later in life and is related proportionally to how much or how little the subject wants to be photographed.

So if momma is cool with strobes I'd say use them.

With regard to the film, given the preference for high detail and low grain films, I think Ian's suggestion of XP2 is great. Given the availability of the tools and D76 though either Delta 400 or TMax 400 would be great. Add a bit of flash and any of these three films shouldn't even need a push.

TX-400/Acufine, EI 800, worked for me:



I was using my Canon New F-1 and the FD50/1.2L, but I think I was around f:2, 1/30 sec.

Keep it simple. It's not a time when you want to be messing around with too much gear.

Good luck, and congratulations!

Right I will go out and buy some Tri-x and T-max 400 along with a roll or two of Delta 3200 and test them out. David I love the photo. Thank you all for you time.