Problem with the shots..

[Indescribable]

Hi guys, after developing and scanning my first roll of film (at triple D), I brought back and view it on comp and realize that the pictures seems grainy to me. Even at broad daylight its very grainy. I'm wondering if it is the scanning problem, as one of my friend think that it was being over-sharpened by the lab..

Here are some pics for reference.


Difference. by C.ZiHeng, on Flickr


- by C.ZiHeng, on Flickr


Asleep. by C.ZiHeng, on Flickr

 

[oceanpriest]

What film did you use?

 

[Jollin]

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/threads/872210-Are-these-grains-or-over-sharpening

 

[Indescribable]

What film did you use?

I used tri-x 400 film, without pushing.

 

[excelsius]

It's the lab. Depending how and what they use to develop the film and subsequently how the scan, e.g sharpening etc.

That's why I prefer to do everything myself. So I control everything from shooting to printing and can correct my workflow if anything goes wrong.

 

[raytoei]

grains are caused by:

* over-exposure and underexposure.

overexposure example:
(you get this effect, when you adjust an almost dense "black" negative to show details, the effect is unsharp + grainy)

Underexposure example:
(black black and at extreme example, a lot of screen artifacts)

* Film Emulsion / Developer Combination
Expired film example, tmax3200 expired since 2002:

I do not have a tri-x and rodinal example, the grains are huge.
Here is an example of fomapan developed in rodinal stand for a whole hour at 30c.

* Overdevelopment and overexposed example (similar to first image):

If I may make an guess, i think yours is underexposed, and maybe overdeveloped (push) symptoms. How do i know ? you blacks have little shadow details, your whites are contrasty. if you exposed at 400iso, may not be a bad thing to test your in-camera battery against another light meter. i once had 4 rolls done with a Olympus XA with a failing battery, every roll i developed got darker and darker...LOL.

But frankly, if you look at classic B&W photos, you would find that your picture is perfectly acceptable. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

raytoei
ps. just to really confuse you further, try this link http://www.ephotozine.com/article/assessing-negatives-4682

 

[raytoei]

actually, when you think about it, there are so many variables, I am not surprised that many photographers embraced dslr when it first came out, no need for development and printing, no need to dodge and burn etc. Of course, many of them are coming back because DSLR are too clinical, too perfect etc etc.

 

[pikapig]

Recently alot of posting on lab scanning, why not try scanning by urself?

this is my triX at 400 recently developed at triple X, don really face such issues...

 

[Scandiacus]

Recently alot of posting on lab scanning, why not try scanning by urself?

this is my triX at 400 recently developed at triple X, don really face such issues...

Interesting, do you only do developing there or did you scanned your negs there as well?

 

[kgston]

All I can say is that those are some seriously over sharpened scans.. As whether to continue to outsource, find a new source or DIY, it is entirely dependent on your budget, expectations and time and effort you are willing to invest into film photography