Push Portra 800 to 1600?

[Derek Lofgreen]

Okay, I just looked at the Kodak product page for the Portra 800. On this page http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/products/films/portra800/portra800.jhtml under "key features" it says it can be pushed to 1600. Does this simply mean it has such a wide latitude that you can "shoot" at 1600 not "push" to 1600?

D.

 

[Derek Lofgreen]

I looked at the tech sheet for portra films http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/e190/e190.pdf and on page 12 it has 3 charts, one for normal process, one for a one stop push and another for a two stop push. So Kodak says you can push this to 3200. I thought C-41 couldn't be pushed. Am I missing something?

D.

 

[pentaxuser]

My understanding is that C-41 can be pushed but if you know that a faster speed is likely to be called for then it may be better to choose a film with a speed of ISO 1600. Fuji have one at 1600. I'd be interested to hear from experts as I have the opportunity this weekend to attend a Music In The Air Show which is an aircraft display with a full orchestra. It goes on into the evening with fading light so fast colour neg film is important.

pentaxuser

 

[OldBikerPete]

I have used C-41 pushed two stops by a lab. I becomes very contrasty but is usable.
C-41 can be pushed - it is done in the usual way, by extending development time, I don't know any details of that.

 

[HerrBremerhaven]

Depends upon the lab, since not all labs want to do this. I was given some of the Portra 800 by the local Kodak reps just to try out that way, since they know I do crazy push processing with E200 (transparency film). My comparison basis was more to an older film called Ektachrome P1600, which can easily be used at ISO 6400. So after a test, the Portra 800 worked better than the old P1600 (transparency film), because I felt it had less grain and less colour shifting.

I did not feel it worked better than E200 pushed 4 2/3 stops, though I will admit that the Portra 800 was easier to use and more forgiving of exposure (as one might expect from colour negative). The other negative factor for me is that the primary lab I use has to ship out my film for push processing Portra 800, but can easily do the E200 there.

So check with your lab first. If they don't understand push processing C-41, then the bad part is they might just try to make prints off your one or two stops underexposed film . . . that would be really grainy.

Ciao!

Gordon

 

[Helen B]

I use quite a lot of Portra 800 pushed two stops, but I don't set my meter to 3200, I set it to around 2000, depending on the subject. It has a lot of overexposure latitude to begin with, so the pushing doesn't lead to too-high contrast and blown highlights - but it does have more contrast than normally developed Portra 800. I also use Fuji Natura 1600 which produces a lower contrast, and doesn't require special processing. I'm happy with both solutions for fast colour neg film. Unlike reversal film, I don't think that it is worth pushing colour neg by one stop - if you want 1600 speed push Portra 800 by two stops and set your meter to 1600.

Best,
Helen

 

[msage]

Okay, I just looked at the Kodak product page for the Portra 800. On this page http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/products/films/portra800/portra800.jhtml under "key features" it says it can be pushed to 1600. Does this simply mean it has such a wide latitude that you can "shoot" at 1600 not "push" to 1600?

D.

Yes C-41 can be pushed. I have pushed this film one stop with good results. I don't know about other labs, but we routinely push and pull E-6 and C-41. Lighting conditions and subject contrast play a major part in the results.
Michael