high ISO needed...

[pegaz]

Hello,

So I've got some specific idea to take some pictures but I've got kind of big problem. I'd like to shoot indoors on colour negative and the problem is lack of light, because I'd like to shoot moving objects (also known as humans, not so fast moving ones but still... like walking). Could you recommend me which material gives best resoults at high ISO speed? Which colour negative material is the best for forcing?
I think that the photographed scene fits in 5 EV.
Thanks for help!

Peter

ps. I shoot on 4x5 sheet.

[Ron Marshall]

I think the best you can do is a three stop push with E6. So a 400 becomes 3200. For EV5 this will give you 1/60 f4. If your subjects are sitting, and co-operative, then 1/30 is good enough. But if they are walking, then 1/60 will be too slow to stop all motion, and you will have difficulty holding focus with such a wide aperture (I assume you will use LF).

I think the best you can do from C41 is a 2 stop push, but neg should handle underexposure better than transparency.

[bspeed]

beg borrow or steal some strobes ?

[Armin Seeholzer]

For this part take the Nikon D 700 digital and you are the winner!!

There is not any neg mat with any chance, against the D 700!

Cheers Armin

[mandoman7]

Sometimes the best shots happen when there's a blend of the equipment's limits with the visuals that the subject is presenting.
In general, I would say a lot of photographers have gotten frustrated with trying to use LF in situations where other formats have done better, such as social settings in low light. I mean, if everything's going to be out of focus, and you're starting to get a lot of grain, then why deal with the film costs etc..?

On the other hand I'm reminded of a Joel Meyerowitz photo of a girl at party (shot in 8x10) holding still, looking into the camera, while the people in the room are moving about. That's an incredible shot, and a clever use of the equipment's limits and advantages.

JY

[Frank Petronio]

Porta 400NC color neg, pushed one stop, is the best you can do for color 4x5. It will not work out at EV 5 handheld however, don't waste the film.

Add, if possible, a line of tungsten lights bounced off a wall to up the overall illumination. You can handhold to 1/30th wide open but hitting focus is a crapshoot with casual subjects.

That Ilford 120 film that is ISO 3200 B&W is pretty nice, you could always use 6x12.

[pegaz]

D700 - it could be solution, but I would like to use film anyway...

strobes - I think it's not possible to use strobes there because of the area (it's too big, about 10 x 25 meters or bigger) and logistics...

Delta3200 on 120 film - first I could try to use hp5+ on 3200. but I want it in colour (and I won't sit in front of PS to make it colour..)

three stop push with E6 - sounds interesting... anybody tried it?

I described light conditions in a bad way. The scene is not 5 EV but it fits in 5 stops. That's what I meant.

[Brian Ellis]

I've seen some 8x10 prints from a Nikon D3 using ISO 25,000 (or something like that) in a semi-dark room full of people and they were pretty amazing. I understand preferring film in general but for your specific job a digital camera with an ISO in that kind of range seems like the best tool. Not that you should rush out and buy a D3 for $4,000 or whatever but there are other digital cameras for a lot less money that have ISOs in that range.

[Ron Marshall]

[QUOTE=pegaz;453786]
three stop push with E6 - sounds interesting... anybody tried it?

QUOTE]

Why not shoot a test roll on 35mm and push it 3 stops. I did three stops with Ektatchrome about 30 years ago, and the colours were more vibrant and contrasty. I was shooting an indoor motocross race, and the effect suited the subject.

[Keith S. Walklet]

I routinely push Provia 100 two stops and dimly recall seeing examples of the 400 pushed two and three stops at the Fuji booth at Photo West years ago. Its character changed little.

[Gordon Moat]

I have pushed Kodak E200 up to 4 2/3 stops, with exposure compensation. The lab I use charges extra for anything over 5 stops, so I have not tested beyond that. I would recommend Fuji 400X pushed, though it needs about 1/3 stop exposure compensation at ISO 3200. You could try ISO 6400 with Fuji 400X, but you need to add 1/2 stop more exposure. In other words, it's not really exposing at ISO 6400; more like ISO 4000 to ISO 4500, depending upon light sources.

I have pushed every E-6 film I have ever used, which is many. I do it so often, that the lab I use for most of my work actually makes a note on my drop-offs when it is normal (un-pushed) processing. Nearly any E-6 film will push one stop without any exposure compensation, a few will do two stops without exposure compensation, and very few can be pushed beyond three stops without increasing exposure compensation. Most E-6 films do not push in a linear manner at greater push intervals.

Lighting can alter some of your exposure compensation choices. If it is dance floor and nightclub lighting, often the strobes are near 5000º K. Pubs and restaurants are more like 3000º K to 3400º K, and might require some blue filtration. Kodak E200 goes more blue at greater than 3 stops push, meaning an 82A or 82B filter is enough blue. With Fuji 400X, it tends to a more green blue at higher push settings, and it is more sensitive to florescent lighting; you can try an FD-L filter, or just let it go more towards a Matrix (movie) look; 82A or 82B work fine, so it would be rare to need an 80A. Remember that filters cut your exposure, 1/3 stop for an 82A, 2/3 stop for an 82B, etc.

I have shot Kodak Portra 800 with a one stop and two stop push, but the grain is very contrasty. I think any C-41 film would be a bad choice for you, unless you want colourful grain. E-6 films might seem like a pain, but they will get you night colour shots.

I would recommend a rollfilm back on your 4x5, rather than sheet film. You will have more shots to experiment with settings, and most rollfilm backs are good at avoiding fogging. The other aspect is that you have more film choices in 120 rollfilm.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography (http://www.gordonmoat.com)