making negatives thicker

ymc226 · Jul 16, 2009

I just exposed some 35mm film (Tmax 400 and Fuji Neopan 1600) at box speed using a Sekonic Studio lightmeter (incident) and some of the negatives look thin as they were underexposed whereas others look OK on the same strip. I used Xtol stock (using the manufacturers development time) to try to maintain film speed.

I will print them soon to see if there are enough details in the shadows. Other than rating down the speed, would longer developing time "thicken" up my negatives?

trexx · Jul 16, 2009

if some are OK and others are thin, I would think metering would be the issue. What is your subject and what were the lighting conditions. What was your process in metering. Refer back to your notes, you do take notes don't you, on what the subject, lighting and exposure were so you can judge the outcome.

TR

ymc226 · Jul 16, 2009

I used incident meter outside for the Tmax with the subject usually lit from the front by the sun. The meter was held at camera location pointed over my right shoulder. The Neopan 1600 I exposed indoors (one roll at 1600 and one at 800). The 800 exposed roll on the whole looks better exposed but still has some thin negatives. I got closer to the subject and used incident metering off the subject directly pointed to the camera.

I don't take notes as my subjects are my young kids who don't stay still for long or complain if I tell them to move from shade to sun and back so I can practice metering and shoot test rolls.

Nikanon · Jul 16, 2009

An increase in development will change the characteristic curve of your film based on how much you increase it by, you will notice almost no change in the low values but have a higher density increase in the high values, if you want uniform increase in density i recommend water bath development, other than that i think trexx is right and its a matter of incorrect exposure mostly.

Christopher Walrath · Jul 16, 2009

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I concur. Pilot error. You change your processng and you change every frame, even those exposed correctly. Definitely an exposure calculation mishap.

ymc226 · Jul 16, 2009

Thanks, I can live with exposure error. I just started metering this way (used Pentax digital spot with good results but too slow). I will have to remember how I metered to see if I am succumbing to basic mistakes.

trexx · Jul 16, 2009

Keep the Spot around and use to compare with what the incident, you gain experience in how the incident works. You will get a feel for when to apply compensation to the reading.

Anscojohn · Jul 16, 2009

ymc226 said:
I just exposed some 35mm film (Tmax 400 and Fuji Neopan 1600) at box speed using a Sekonic Studio lightmeter (incident) and some of the negatives look thin as they were underexposed whereas others look OK on the same strip. I used Xtol stock (using the manufacturers development time) to try to maintain film speed.

I will print them soon to see if there are enough details in the shadows. Other than rating down the speed, would longer developing time "thicken" up my negatives?

*****
If you are certain you metered correctly, then set the shutter speed and aperture correctly, then I suspect a fast-running shutter to be the source of your problem.

Richard Wasserman · Jul 16, 2009

I'd suggest that Neopan 1600 is a great EI 640 or maybe 800 (on a good day) film, anything higher I think is a push and the shadows tend to get thin.

Richard Wasserman

ymc226 · Jul 16, 2009

trexx, thanks for the great idea. I didn't think of that. Now if my kids will stay still while I compose, focus, incident meter, spotmeter . . . (guess I need to provide snacks)

Anscojohn, some shots appear OK while others are underexposed. I guess it is my unfamiliarity with incident metering when the subject is backlit. I had my M2 CLA'd so the shutter speeds should be about right.

disfromage, unfortunately I think your right. Indoors at 1600, way underexposed. At 800, some OK but 50/50 underexposed. I think I will try at 640. Too bad, I need a fast film sans flash for indoors at night. I guess 640 is better than nothing.

DutchShooter · Jul 17, 2009

For fast indoor shooting I use delta 3200 at EI1600-6400...works nicely in microphen.

Delta 3200@6400 in Microphen (stock, 12min):

making negatives thicker

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