I bought a new lens for my Hasselblad 500 c/m, (that’s another story) the Carl Zeiss Sonnar 150mm f/4 (the only Hassie lens I could afford), and needed to test it out.
I had a roll of Kodak Tri-X 400, but needed more light indoors, so I figured it was a good time to test out pushing this film all the way to 3200. I have previously pushed it to 1600 and liked my results, so why not keep going. I am really enjoying these (new to me) experiments with film.
I developed this film in Kodak D-76 for 11min and fixed it for 6min.
I shot these pictures using my handheld Sekonic meter and I am really surprised at how dark they came. Shots I have taken in the same light with Delta 3200 pulled to 1600, came lighter for some reason and that’s with letting in less light.
Right Pic: Kodak TX 400 at 3200
Even though these did come out very dark, I am kind of digging the look it gave my photos. They definitely wouldn’t print well though.
You can see in the two examples below, that both films at 3200 start to blow the highlights.
Right Pic: Kodak TX 400 at 3200
Final Thoughts
While pushing this film to 3200 does not fit the parameters I am looking for in my particular quest to find a film to shoot handheld in my home, I do like the look for certain themes and will keep that in mind for projects in the future.
That is what has been so fun about this journey for me. I am searching for a particular look, but at the same time I am finding out what different films look like at different settings and that will only add to my skill set as I grow as a film photographer.
My favorite film on this quest continues to be Ilford Delta 3200 at 1600. The price tag is just a bit much. What film should I try next that may look like Delta 3200 at 1600? Let me know in the comments.
I hope you have had fun too. I will continue to experiment with film and I hope you will continue to come along with me. Please sign up to follow my blog through email. You will only ever get an email when I post a new article. Please share, like, and comment on this article so that I know you are all enjoying it.
If you would like to help me out with the cost of film, developing chemicals, and the upkeep of this website, please consider making a small donation. If you would rather purchase one of my zines, that would also help.
Until next time, stay motivated and keep shooting.