Neopan 1600 or pushing TMax 400?

[aim54x]

Just a bit of a query that hopefully someone can help me with. I have ready access to TMax 400 and Ilford FP4, but can get some Neopan 1600, and was just wondering how much difference I would get by buying the Neopan 1600 or pushing the TMax 400 to 1600ISO?

I use TMax developer, and realise that using the Neopan will mean a shorter developing time and have heard that the Neopan is a really nice film for high ISOs.

Please help me with this, as I am only starting to play with different films and have never push processed before.

[Antsl]

I would be going with the Neopan 1600 if you intent is to work at 1600 ISO. The fact is that as you push a film you actually reduce its dynamic range and what you will notice in particular is that you start to loose the shadow detail within an image. It is for this reason that I have always preferred to use T-MAX 3200 and pull the film down to 2000 ISO just to help control the shadows. Hope this is a help ... have fun with it!

[aim54x]

Thanks mate, I'll get some Neopan, push the Tmax, and for the sake of it, if i still have time push the FP4 to 800, and see what I get. I guess there is no harm in it.

So the money is on the Neopan 1600 giving better results than the TMax 400 pushed to 1600. That should have been a no brainer. Now I wonder what will be better at 800!!

I'll have to play and find out.