One Stop Underexposed

[LuisR]

Today I mistakenly shot some film one stop underexposed. Can I develop it N+1 (20% more development time) in the hope of recovering what I shot, even if it is slightly grainier? Or is there another development scheme I can use to hopefully recover the shots? Thanks.

[MIke Sherck]

N+ development will increase contrast but it could also help you print what shadow detail the negative captured. What kind of film?

Mike

[rcmartins]

I would go for extended development, N+1, but with a compensating developer, like divided pyrocat, but you might not use pyrocat at all. If I remeber correctly from other posts, you use HC110. You can try more diluted HC110 and semi-stand or less agitation.

[LuisR]

N+ development will increase contrast but it could also help you print what shadow detail the negative captured. What kind of film?

Mike

Mike, it was a roll of medium format PanF that I shot at iso100 thinking it was Acros that I almost always use. Perhaps N-1 might be better to tone down the contrast.

[LuisR]

I would go for extended development, N+1, but with a compensating developer, like divided pyrocat, but you might not use pyrocat at all. If I remeber correctly from other posts, you use HC110. You can try more diluted HC110 and semi-stand or less agitation.

My developer options are Pyrocat-HD Glycol or Rodinal.

[rcmartins]

My developer options are Pyrocat-HD Glycol or Rodinal.
Ah, sorry. My memory really is not my best friend :) Great. I also use those two. I would definitely go with divided pyrocat in which you can control contrast by changing the dilution of solution A and film speed by changing the time in solution B. So, for a situation like that I would keep the same dilution of solution A, or slightly dilute it to decrease contrast, and increase time of solution B by the time for N+1 - could be 20%. It will keep the shadow detail and tame the contrast by compressing the highlights. Rodinal would be troublesome since it brings the film speed down, at least in my experience.

[polyglot]

Use a speed-increasing developer, e.g. Xtol 1+1 or semi-stand development in Rodinal. Don't shorten the development time because that will lose you a lot of shadow.

What was the scene contrast like? If it was flat, then definitely go ahead with doing an expansion, which will get you a little more shadow detail. If it was already very contrasty then you're in trouble, especially if you wanted to wet-print it.

[LuisR]

Use a speed-increasing developer, e.g. Xtol 1+1 or semi-stand development in Rodinal. Don't shorten the development time because that will lose you a lot of shadow.

What was the scene contrast like? If it was flat, then definitely go ahead with doing an expansion, which will get you a little more shadow detail. If it was already very contrasty then you're in trouble, especially if you wanted to wet-print it.

This was a roll of medium format film. Some of the scenes were sunny, some were in shadow, and some in hazy sun.

[LuisR]

The Massive Dev chart has Pan F in Rodinal 1+50, rated at iso80 which is fairly close to the 100 I originally used, for 13.5 min (35mm film, but in the past I have not paid attention to the film type and have used the time they gave interchangeably with MF or LF successfully). Any thoughts on this? Unfortunately there is only one choice for Pyrocat HD but at iso50.

[Peter De Smidt]

Develop normally with Divided Pyrocat.

[LuisR]

Develop normally with Divided Pyrocat.

Clear enough, however should I use a development time recommended for iso100 or iso50? Keep in mind that I only have data for developing it at iso50 and not 100.

[Peter De Smidt]

See: http://www.pyrocat-hd.com/html/mixing.html

There is no need to vary the development time. 6 minutes in A and 5 minutes in B, following all of the directions, especially the point to agitate continuously for at least a minute when the B solution is added.

[evan clarke]

I would use the developer you have the most experience with. If the roll is important to you, don't experiment..

[Peter De Smidt]

You can always shoot a test roll under similar conditions. Develop that. If it turns out ok, you can then develop your film that way. Otherwise you can make adjustments based on your results.