My Provia Dilemma

[bvy]

So I had a roll of expired (by one year but freezer kept) Provia 100F that I thought I'd have fun with. I loaded it into my Lubitel 2 and took it to the beach. My plan all along was to cross-process the roll in C-41 chemicals.

Well as these things go, I ended up with a handful of frames (portraits) that I'd rather not chance. Since I wasn't using a light meter, I think I may have overexposed these frames by, at most, one stop. They were taken in full sun, f/11 at 1/250, though I doubt the shutter is quite that fast (1/200 maybe).

So I'm wondering, do I want to cross-process the film myself, or send it off to a lab... and what -- ask them to pull it by one stop? (I'm not doing E-6 at home quite yet.) Does cross-processing buy me any latitude? How is Provia's latitude compared to other slide films?

The other factor here is that I'd really like to print these frames optically. So another point for cross-processing, since any post-Ilfochrome attempt to print the slide (e.g. RA-4 reversal) is going to give me offbeat colors anyhow. But if I did nail the exposure, I think these will be beautiful chromes. What to do, what to do?

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Tony-S]

Provia 100F is has about the best push/pull characteristics of any slide film, -1/2 to +2. But without knowing the exposure rating you probably have to rely on sunny 16 to guestimate your exposure.

 

[bvy]

Thanks. I'm guessing the exposure was right for sunny conditions, though l'm factoring in another stop for the sand (even though it doesn't figure prominently in the scene, if at all).

 

[DanielStone]

just process it normal

 

[tnabbott]

just process it normal

+1

Optical printing aside, all factors based on your post support normal processing. If these are keepers as you suspect they are, then you may have to accept that you will only be able to scan and digitally print. Cross developing, in my view, is not something to apply to keeper images.

 

[DanielStone]

I've found that a slight overexposure also helps with x-processing as well. Albeit I haven't done much of it, but I do have in mind a portrait project I might utilize it however.

 

[cliveh]

As others have said I would also process as normal (no push/pull) and don't cross process. You can always make copies later to produce false colour, but at least you will have the original set.

 

[bvy]

Thanks all. Since the majority is suggesting normal (E-6) processing, apparently I haven't described a situation that sounds hopeless. I'm thinking even a half-stop pull would be equivalent to splitting hairs -- or just a waste of a few extra dollars. Printing will be another matter.