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Pushing HP5 to 3200 or Ilford 3200
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 11:15 am    Post subject: Pushing HP5 to 3200 or Ilford 3200 Reply with quote

Hi all,
I am on a business trip in Washington DC and I am thinking to try some street photography at night. I guess only iso 3200 would give me speeds fast enough to have some fun.
The two options I have is either pushing a HP5 or buying this Ilford 3200 film. Which of the two options would you consider as better to try?


Regards
Alex


PostPosted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 12:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

HP5 pushes poorly, Delta 400 is better, but 3200 is a bit much; try 1600 and then use Microphen to develop it.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 1:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you only have one camera, I would go for either the ISO 1600 or 3200. Maybe pick up a 2 stop neutral density filter too.

With all the photo opportunities, shooting ISO 400 in the daytime and high ISO for night should not be too much problem. Sacrificing a few frames on a roll of film doesn't cost that much. Just change out the film as necessary.

Phil


PostPosted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi,
I bought a HP5 that I might push to 800 and an ilford 3200 delta for night shooting. I hope 3200 iso would be enough for shutter speeds of 1/125 and apertures around 8 to 11... If not I would have to push it to 6400

Regards
A


PostPosted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi,
I bought a HP5 that I might push to 800 and an ilford 3200 delta for night shooting. I hope 3200 iso would be enough for shutter speeds of 1/125 and apertures around 8 to 11... If not I would have to push it to 6400

Regards
A


PostPosted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've pushed Foma 400 to 3200 and 6400, both with fine results. Foma pushed better and retains less grain than HP5+.


PostPosted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi I mean pushing the iso 3200 ilford film to 6400 and not the hp5 to 6400.

It is more how much iso I need for night photography (light coming from street lamps and signs)

A


PostPosted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Man, you guys sure are pushy! Wink


PostPosted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 8:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pushing films or not one more question (so I do not flood forum with multiple posts).

I want to try some shoots with great depth of field at sunset. I have a 28-85 (3.5-5.6) lens and if I am not if I want large depth of field while keeping as large as possible the aperture (to allow light to get iinside) I should be shooting around 28-35 with apertures of 4-8.

What would be your iso film choice if you knew that the maximum shutter speed your camera had is 1 second.

Reformulating:
Shooting at sunset and sunrsire conditions with an aperutre of 4-8 and with maximum shutter speed of 1 second (no chance to shoot B at my cheap tripod) what would be your iso preference to start with?


Regards
Alex


PostPosted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sunrise and sunset can be pretty bright. Light reflecting from clouds can be photographed at relatively low ISO and shutter speeds from 1/60 on up, f11 to 16. Bracketing by 2 or more stops can change the colors dramatically. Look at Flickr, [/url]https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=sunsets[url] for some guide to exposure. Lots of the posted photos have EXIF data attached.

Phil


PostPosted: Wed Sep 03, 2014 6:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You are right. I had a a look and people even use short shutter speeds.
At dawn or dusk situation seem to be different

https://www.flickr.com/photos/keviikev/14527017137/in/photolist-o8GL5H-oHBSkq-oeKv8B-o8cnj2-oyaC3i-ovaiAS-oKE2yo-obvD6D-ooJM8Y-oXGEjW-oeTmky-oHeAVj-oHy89i-oKJmhG-oo2fK9-opq4ac-oApqaS-otnNHU-obQf5E-oouPdQ-oJZW4G-o9br9U-osgxzK-or6LGW-oKdGUg-oa3Kem-oHDJSi-orTuye-oeCg9Z-oNZhir-obpx5d-oNyC12-ov6NWj-oEScku-oqWKYS-oGTaVX-oFfjyG-ocrpw4-omSfAJ-orEFBn-oHcnfB-osPBPk-ouSREm-oEtwas-oaPmU1-oDCh2f-oDXSs5-oLevP5-ooabKq-odPH7V

the first shot needed 30 seconds... which is quite a lot given that I have maximum shutter speed of 1 second...


PostPosted: Thu Sep 04, 2014 3:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi,
just to update. I took delta 3200 for a walk. I was metering at 3200-1/2 which I guess it is iso 2500. I would develop though for 3200.

I found that 3200 to not be enough for outdoor shooting, at night, when you have only city lights available. I would try next time at 6400 or even more.

Regards
Alex


PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 1:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Get a tripod!

Seriously, if iso 3200 isn't enough, you need to modify your technique.


PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 9:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well a tripod would never allow me to freeze movement at night.
How do you freeze a mussician with a tripod? How do you freeze people walking just by city lights?
I still think I need faster iso for the type of shooting I am looking for.


I would let you know
A


PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 11:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A flashgun of course!

Check out the work of Weegee (Arthur Felig); he produced amazing street photography in New York in the 30s, 40s and 50s and he was definitely not using fast film!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weegee

Quote:
Most of his notable photographs were taken with very basic press photographer equipment and methods of the era, a 4x5 Speed Graphic camera preset at f/16 at 1/200 of a second, with flashbulbs and a set focus distance of ten feet.


Another photographer to study would be Brassaï (Gyula Halász) who produced many nighttime shots in Paris in the 30s and 40s:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brassai

For me, Brassai was the best nighttime street photographer of them all:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=brassai&safe=off&client=firefox-a&hs=9ys&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ppYJVPfRJajb7AbezIDQDA&ved=0CKQBEIke&biw=2144&bih=1053&dpr=0.9#safe=off&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&channel=sb&tbm=isch&q=brassai%20street%20photography&revid=1445792946&imgdii=_

I'd chose a fast prime such as a 50mm 1.7 or 1.8, if I was using an SLR, although the best solution would be a rangefinder such as a Kiev or Contax with either the 1.5/50 or 2/50 Jupiter/Sonnar. I've taken shots with my Contax and 1.5/50 Sonnar at 1/25sec that have no shake - the heavy body and lack of mirror and other moving parts is a big advantage over an SLR when it comes to handholding at low speeds. Alternatively, use an AF compact camera with a fairly fast prime such as a 2.8/35 that has an AF illuminator to enable focusing in the dark.


PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 3:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi,
thanks for the nice material you provided me. I will study them later on when I will have time Smile

from my side I am sending you those two links for increasing iso to sexy levels


http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/choosing%20bw%20films.html
(search for "Drummer, New York City")

http://the35mmproject.org/2013/10/26/ilford-delta-3200-pushed-to-12800/


PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 8:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'd stick to digital for this type of thing.

If you must use film, use a wide aperture lens, zooms lose too much light, use at least a f1.8 prime on your Minolta, f1.4's were designed with this type of work in mind.

Assuming you were shooting at say, 15th at full aperture with 3200 ISO film and a medium zoom lens, with a 1.8 lens you could shoot at 30th but at 800 ISO.

Alternatively use the film at normal speed and bounce a flash off the ceiling. Flash guns for your Minolta can be had for just a few pounds/dollars/euros

Pushing a film this much is going to give low quality images. You'll have grain like golf balls - nay, footballs.


PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 10:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For pushing, no more than 2 stops and use a speed-increasing developer like Microphen.

Modern T-grain emulsions like Delta 400 or TMAX 400 are the best for this, you will get golfball-like grain, but as Phil said, with older emulsions, you will get football grain. Smile


PostPosted: Fri Sep 05, 2014 11:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks I enjoyed for your comments.

I do not have any prime with me but I would try both
to shoot with primes and also try once iso 6400 and see.

Btw do you always carry primes for that? To be honest I find zoom to be a great compositional tool by trying very fast different compositions. With a prime one has to do a lot of walking back and forth.
My fastest prime though is the 45mm minolta with f/2 that I like to shoot stopped down (I guess that would be 2.Cool

Regards
A

btw did you see the shots on the links I sent? They look intresting to try