Negative Exposure Latitude - Development or Scanning?

[speed12]

Hi All,

I generally shoot digital (Canon 60D), but have been dabbling with film photography using an OM-2n for a year or so and have loved it. Looking to start using it a bit more but have a, hopefulyl quick, question about the exposure latitude you get with negative film (and some of this probably applies to slide film as well).

I've seen various reports of films such as Ektar, Portra etc, having a huge exposure latitude, with maybe up to 4 stops either side of metered exposure being able to produce decent results.

My question is - is this recovered during development or scanning?

Example: I shoot a roll of film at stated ISO and due to not getting my metering right, some of the shots are underexposed, some are overexposed, some are ok. Would I develop the film at base ISO and then push/pull the exposure using the scanner settings? Or would I need to develop the film differently in some way?

A better example may be this:

http://www.onlandscape.co.uk/2011/05/kodaks-new-portra-400-film/

The series of shots from -4 to +6 shown have the same 'exposure' in terms of how it looks. Is this achieved purely by scanning at a different exposure?

Hope that makes some sort of sense?!....

I suppose the main thing would be to have a play around, but any information appreciated!

 

[AJQS]

scanning, you can push or pull process it but it's not recommended (or even necessary) with c41 film. You will need a hell of a scanner to get -4EV though, -1 is inadvisable really if you want shadow detail to remain. On the plus side however, knock yourself out, +6EV will kill off the highlights but I bet they'd still be better than digital!

 

[speed12]

Great, cheers for your reply. The -4, +6 was very much purely hypothetical (just based on that article), but good to know that it is theoretically possible! It was more to compensate within EV or 2 each way just in case of slightly random exposure on my part.......will have a play around!

Cheers!

 

[freecom2]

Potentially from both, but most examples you will see will be from scanning and then manipulation in post.

 

[excalibur2]

H'mm how could you get the exposure sooo wrong these days But OK we all make cock ups and am surprised what scanning can do to get some sort of picture when on looking at the neg it looks hopeless and could be well past 4 stops out.

 

[joxby]

........Looking to start using it a bit more but have a, hopefulyl quick, question about the exposure latitude you get with negative film (and some of this probably applies to slide film as well)..........

You don't get exposure latitude with slide, its very tight, not as tight as digital but it exposes similarly, in that it soaks it up slowly before the highlights blow all of a sudden.
Depends on the film but generally you can afford a half stop cock-up either side of perfect, although its surprising how close to acceptable you can get with scan software.