Noob Question!

[Thomas Keidan]

Hi All,

If I have a roll of Kodak 200 expired film from 10 years ago and I am following the rule of pushing by 1 stop does this mean I expose at 100 or 400? I'm a bit confused with pushing and pulling! I hope this makes at least some sense! Thanks

 

[macfred]

I would rate your expired film @ ISO100 and develope for box speed.

 

[BAC1967]

I agree with macfred, I have had great results with expired Kodak Gold 200. Shoot it a 100 and develop normally. Only being 10 years out of date it should do great unless it was stored in a very hot place for all that time.

 

[Thomas Keidan]

I agree with macfred, I have had great results with expired Kodak Gold 200. Shoot it a 100 and develop normally. Only being 10 years out of date it should do great unless it was stored in a very hot place for all that time.

So to push is to reduce ISO value? And to pull is to increase ISO value? I'm very confused with the terminology!

 

[eddie]

It's really not about push or pull. It's about film losing sensitivity with age. It requires more exposure after 10 years. By shooting it at 100, you open the lens a stop, allowing for the extra exposure required.

 

[macfred]

This has nothing to do with pull- or push - it's about overexposing an expired film.

--
Eddie was faster ...

 

[MattKing]

Technically, if you expose film using a meter setting different than the ISO speed of the film, you are using an "Exposure Index" or EI rather than the ISO or box speed.
If you meter after setting an EI on your meter which is higher than the film's ISO setting, you end up exposing the film to less light. Many who are forced to deal with low light levels resort to doing this.
If you meter after setting an EI on your meter which is lower than the film's ISO setting, you end up exposing the film to more light.
Sometimes, film becomes less sensitive to light due to age and other factors. In response to that, people sometimes increase the amount of light reaching the film by setting a lower EI on the meter.
They also may elect to modify the contrast of the film by adjusting development. That is where "pushing" and "pulling" come in.
A "push" development is one where the development time is extended. Its main benefit is that it increases the contrast of images that have too little contrast to start with. As it has the effect of increasing contrast, it tends to make exposed film look slightly better when it has received less than ideal exposure.
A "pull" development is one where the development time is decreased. Its main benefit is that it decreases the contrast of images that have too much contrast to start with. As it may also involve a slight decease in film sensitivity, it is often used with a slight increase in exposure.
Technically, the phrase "push" doesn't actually refer to exposure, but because a lot of people combine under-exposure with increased ("pushed") development, many use "push" to refer to both underexposure and increased development.
For 10 year old expired amateur market colour film, I wouldn't normally adjust development. The normal, ISO or box speed would probably be appropriate for exposure, but as colour negative film is very tolerant of over-exposure, I might consider increasing exposure of the film by a stop by setting my meter to an EI that is one stop lower - 100 rather than 200 in the situation you describe.
For clarity: changing the speed setting on your meter doesn't constitute pushing or pulling film - you need a corresponding change in development as well before you apply those terms.
By changing the setting on the meter, you are simply increasing or decreasing the exposure.

 

[eddie]

Eddie was faster ...

Only because it's earlier, here...

 

[MattKing]

And I'm slower than both of you, because I'm more long winded

 

[macfred]

And I'm slower than both of you, because I'm more long winded

Matt, you brought this to a successful conclusion ...

 

[Thomas Keidan]

Technically, if you expose film using a meter setting different than the ISO speed of the film, you are using an "Exposure Index" or EI rather than the ISO or box speed.
If you meter after setting an EI on your meter which is higher than the film's ISO setting, you end up exposing the film to less light. Many who are forced to deal with low light levels resort to doing this.
If you meter after setting an EI on your meter which is lower than the film's ISO setting, you end up exposing the film to more light.
Sometimes, film becomes less sensitive to light due to age and other factors. In response to that, people sometimes increase the amount of light reaching the film by setting a lower EI on the meter.
They also may elect to modify the contrast of the film by adjusting development. That is where "pushing" and "pulling" come in.
A "push" development is one where the development time is extended. Its main benefit is that it increases the contrast of images that have too little contrast to start with. As it has the effect of increasing contrast, it tends to make exposed film look slightly better when it has received less than ideal exposure.
A "pull" development is one where the development time is decreased. Its main benefit is that it decreases the contrast of images that have too much contrast to start with. As it may also involve a slight decease in film sensitivity, it is often used with a slight increase in exposure.
Technically, the phrase "push" doesn't actually refer to exposure, but because a lot of people combine under-exposure with increased ("pushed") development, many use "push" to refer to both underexposure and increased development.
For 10 year old expired amateur market colour film, I wouldn't normally adjust development. The normal, ISO or box speed would probably be appropriate for exposure, but as colour negative film is very tolerant of over-exposure, I might consider increasing exposure of the film by a stop by setting my meter to an EI that is one stop lower - 100 rather than 200 in the situation you describe.
For clarity: changing the speed setting on your meter doesn't constitute pushing or pulling film - you need a corresponding change in development as well before you apply those terms.
By changing the setting on the meter, you are simply increasing or decreasing the exposure.

Thank you so much, that has really broken it down for me! I really can't thank you enough