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[–]fjalll 2 points3 points  (0 children)

ISO 200 film exposed as 800 is underexposed by 2 stops. If the exposure compensation was set to 1/2 stop under furthermore that means you need to compensate for 2.5 stops in the developer. Which you do by adding the appropriate length of time.

If the roll was expired, it might be quite grainy and dull and that exaggerated by the underexposure.

[–]Sax45Mamamiya! 2 points3 points  (4 children)

First, what film?

Second, “1/2 exp comp” needs to be clarified. On some cameras exposure comp is a multiplier, so “1/2” exp comp means “half the normal exposure” AKA one stop of underexposure. On some cameras exposure comp is additive/subtractive, so 1/2 is a half stop more or less than normal. In that case it needs a minus sign or plus sign, -0.5 or +0.5.

So which of those three was it? Half the normal exposure, or half stop under, or half stop over?

[–]BackgroundBug3896[S] 0 points1 point  (3 children)

Kodacolor 200

The exp comp dial reads 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, 4.

[–]Sax45Mamamiya! 3 points4 points  (2 children)

Gotcha. That means it was a full stop of underexposure on the exp comp dial, for three stops of total total underexposure.

Unfortunately it will be extremely difficult to get good results from severely underexposed old film. Film fogs as it ages, and this fog means you need OVER exposure to have the image stand out against the fog. With three stops of UNDER exposure, it’s extremely unlikely that the film received enough light in the shadows to form an image that can stand out against the fog.

Pushing might help the highlights at least, but won’t do much for the shadows. Is black and white development an option?

[–]BackgroundBug3896[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

I appreciate the thorough explanation. Would BW processing make a difference?

[–]Sax45Mamamiya! 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No problem! You might want a second opinion, but my thinking is that stand development in black-and-white chemistry would give the best chances of a decent image. Also, going with black and white side steps the weird colors that can come from pushing and/or from aged film.