How to handle underratings?

[Alex Fuchs]

When I underrate a film do I have to pull the material during the development about the factor (maybe 1 stop etc.) I underrate it? Is it right, that a underrating means an overexposure and an overrating means an underexposure? Is it right, that under/overrating means, that I expose a stock in f-stop steps to get the next/undernext ASA value?

Cheers, Alex

[Adam Frisch FSF]

By overrating the stock, you underexpose. And vice versa, yes. No need to compensate anything in the lab unless that's what you want to do. For instance, on a recent project I pushed the film 1 stop in the lab, thereby getting a ASA rating of 1000 from a 500 stock. If I hadn't pushed the film 1 stop, but still rated it 1000ASA, I would have underexposed the stock by 1 stop (lit at key, that is).

[John Pytlak RIP]

Do remember that a "Push-1" ECN-2 process gives added density to a negative that has been underexposed by one stop so it prints/transfers like a normally exposed and processed negative. But it does NOT give a true stop of added speed. Expect some loss of shadow detail and increased graininess.