Processing Ferrania Solaris FG400 for 1600 ASA. An introduction is unnecessary since the intention is obvious.
Methods and Materials. Film: Ferrania FG400 Camera used for test exposures: Pentax P30 with SMC Pentax-M 50/1.7 and VMC Vivitar 135/3.5. Processing: Tetenal Colortec C-41 Rapid Negative Kit in Kindermann s/s tank rotated at 9 rpm in water bath at 45 degree angle. Temperature held at 38C plus/minus 0.1C by a Lauda laboratory thermostat with circulating pump. Film stabilised and dried at room temperature. Scanning: Negatives were scanned in an Olympus ES-10S at 2400x1600 pixels. The monitor used with the PC is a Nokia Multigraph 447X at 1156 x 864. Monitor was set-up using the PhotoShop 6 utility. Experimental. Exposure was measured using the camera metering. The test was carried out in slightly overcast conditions in the morning. The natural lighting was from behind the camera and uniform. Normal exposure as determined by the camera would have been 125/8. Three exposures were made - 125/8, 250/8 and 500/8 - of several different subjects. The normal lens (Pentax-M 50mm f1.7) was exchanged for a Vivitar 135mm f3.5 after the first three frames. The film was processed in a Kindermann s/s tank held to within less than +- 0.1C of 38C for 20% longer than the normal. Developing time was 288 seconds. Bleach fix (8 minutes) and rinsing was done at 38C. For stabilisation the temperature was not controlled. The film was dried at room temperature. The film was scanned without compensation of any kind besides focussing. After scanning the slight colour cast of the selected, correctly exposed pictures, was removed in the PC with the automatic feature of Paint Shop Pro. Results. The third frame in each case, 1/500 at f8, was correctly exposed for the subject chosen. The third of each set of test exposures can be found at http://personal.inet.fi/cool/don.williams/hold/index.htm . Included are scans of blank frames taken from a normally exposed and processed FG400 film and the push-processed film. These scans were reversed so that the increase in density of the mask and the slight colour cast in the case of the push-processed film would be visible to the eye. The slightly exaggerated grain can also be observed. Note: The colour cast is also reversed. Conclusion. A speed increase to 1600 using Ferrania Solaris FG400 can be achieved with acceptable results. The increase in density and the slight colour cast can be easily eliminated with image processing software. The rough grain, a characteristic of this fast film, does not appear much more intrusive in a push processed film. It works, Don Dr E D F Williams http://personal.inet.fi/cool/don.williams Author's Web Site and Photo Gallery Updated: March 30, 2002 - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
