birket
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Senior Member
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Posts: 1,007
Film photography, exposure and pushing or pulling the development
1 month ago
I'm steadily getting back into film photography using fully manual cameras and a light meter.
I was out shooting today, and the only film I had with me was Portra 400, so I stuck a roll in my camera.
The camera's top shutter speed is f45 and the top shutter speed is 1/500s.
Due to vignetting of the lens, I also used a 2x stop graduated circular ND filter
I was photographing the frosty conditions with low mist and frosty ground.
Using my light meter app (yet to receive my dedicated light meter in the post), even at f45, 1/500s and the 2-stop filter compensation, I was maxing out at 1/500 when targeting the misty areas of the scene. When targeting the frosty ground, it was dropping down to around 1/250.
What I am wondering is, when sending my film to be developed, should I ask them to develop at the box ISO rating (400), or would it be worth asking them to push or pull it?
I guess ultimately, the light meter app I was using (Light Meter Ultra v2.3.7 on an iPhone) is giving me a reading for putting everything within the spot to 18% grey. So, when pointing at the bright white misty areas, it was giving me a reading to make that mist 18% grey. Correct?
If I wanted that mist to remain white (or very close to white), I should have perhaps set the camera to 1f45 and 1/250?
I've never considered this sort of thing before, so I would welcome any feedback or thoughts. It was certainly challenging conditions for a novice.