Three stops overexposed FP4+
The moron operating my camera this morning neglected to close down the lens to the taking aperture for one holder, with the result being that my N-2 exposures on FP4+ were overexposed by 3 stops. I'd like to try to salvage the negatives, not because they're great art (Moonrise Over Hernandez they ain't) but as an experiment and an opportunity to learn.
Any suggestions on development time relative to that of properly exposed negatives? I use Pyrocat-HD 1:1:100 in trays if that matters.
I've had a long talk with my assistant and he promises never to do such a stupid thing again. Fortunately there was nobody around to see me talking to myself.
Re: Three stops overexposed FP4+
Develop the way you normally would have. You can't correct for overexposure by changing contrast.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Steve Goldstein
The moron operating my camera this morning neglected to close down the lens to the taking aperture for one holder, with the result being that my N-2 exposures on FP4+ were overexposed by 3 stops. I'd like to try to salvage the negatives, not because they're great art (Moonrise Over Hernandez they ain't) but as an experiment and an opportunity to learn.
Any suggestions on development time relative to that of properly exposed negatives? I use Pyrocat-HD 1:1:100 in trays if that matters.
I've had a long talk with my assistant and he promises never to do such a stupid thing again. Fortunately there was nobody around to see me talking to myself.
Re: Three stops overexposed FP4+
Steve, I like your sense of humor. It's always a valuable companion at times like this. I've had to confront my assistant a few times, too.
I'm not a Pyro user, but in principle I would tend to agree with Michael, since you had already planned N-2. The additional exposure the lowest values received will be less affected than the high ones, as you know, and trying to compress the negative further with development may not get you very far in this case. Perhaps others with more overexposure experience and Pyro knowledge will suggest otherwise.
I would only add that FP4 may still get you in range of your intentions, with some careful printing. In my experience, it doesn't block up quickly at the high end.
Re: Three stops overexposed FP4+
I also have mistakenly overexposed by 3 plus stops on a couple of occasions, and also was using FP4 plus. I processed the film in Diafine and the resulting negatives were totally printable. I don't especially like Diafine as my "normal" go to developer, but when I've overexposed a negative, I have no problem using Diafine.
Re: Three stops overexposed FP4+
I would as suggested, develop as you intended. The shadow area(s) (without me knowing what they are), will be quite buoyant... Pyrocat-HD is great at taming high values.
Re: Three stops overexposed FP4+
Pyrocat HD will do the best job possible with these negatives. Give it a go at your expected time and temperature.!!
Re: Three stops overexposed FP4+
If you go by the old rule of expose for the shadows and develop for the highlights I would think you would want to do less developing. At the very least a N-2, that may be what some of the others were suggesting when they said to develop normally. I would be a little more aggressive and do at least a N-3 or N-4 development. You will definitely benefit from using Pyrocat. Let us know how it works out
Re: Three stops overexposed FP4+
I developed them N-2 which was the "normal" development I had planned when I made the exposures. They are certainly dense! I don't think I'll be able to start working with them for a few weeks, but will follow up.
Re: Three stops overexposed FP4+
Sorry to chime in too late...but as Michael W. also suggested - I'd have pulled back on development time...by about twenty five to thirty percent - and if the subject brightness range was high, I then would have also agitated a bit more gently/less frequently.
Re: Three stops overexposed FP4+
I once shot with empty film holders - talk about under exposed.