Need exposure tips for shooting film.
Dec 26, 2015 13:08:47 #
I am looking for tips related to exposure settings for shooting film, i.e. underexpose, overexpose, ASA settings, etc.. I had read one opinion to shoot 50 ASA slide film at 80 ASA not 50 ASA.
I will be using a Nikon 35mm camera and a Polaris light meter. I have fresh film from B+H. Fujifilm Velvia 50 Color Slides and Kodak T-Max 100 Black +White Print Film.
I shot film for years but always on auto hoping for the best. I want to use it again but can't afford to spray and pray with how hard it is to get developed and scanned.
I am mainly interested in scenery, beaches, mountains, waterfalls, and expansive landscapes.
I will be using a Nikon 35mm camera and a Polaris light meter. I have fresh film from B+H. Fujifilm Velvia 50 Color Slides and Kodak T-Max 100 Black +White Print Film.
I shot film for years but always on auto hoping for the best. I want to use it again but can't afford to spray and pray with how hard it is to get developed and scanned.
I am mainly interested in scenery, beaches, mountains, waterfalls, and expansive landscapes.
Dec 26, 2015 13:14:55 #
everything you need to know:
http://www.lighting-essentials.com/using-a-lightmeter-and-placing-the-photographic-exposure/
http://www.lighting-essentials.com/using-a-lightmeter-and-placing-the-photographic-exposure/
Dec 26, 2015 13:25:27 #
par4fore wrote:
I am looking for tips related to exposure settings... (show quote)
Your AS A is limited by the film you have chosen. Learning how to properly use your light meter will answer all your other exposure questions as you only have two variables left to consider.
Dec 26, 2015 13:28:21 #
par4fore wrote:
I am looking for tips related to exposure settings... (show quote)
This is just my opinion. As a long time film shooter, I never used anything but full manual. The ASA (same as ISO ) of the film is a given, unless you are doing your own development. I would use the camera meter, and the light meter in combination to get the best exposure. If in any doubt bracket 1 stop under and 1 stop over. If either the camera or the light meter has spot metering- I would use it. Again, just my opinion- hope it helps. 1 more thing. Metering off a grey card isn't a bad idea.
Dec 26, 2015 13:31:12 #
MT Shooter wrote:
Your AS A is limited by the film you have chosen. Learning how to properly use your light meter will answer all your other exposure questions as you only have two variables left to consider.
Thanks, I should have said; I am looking for tips related to purposely underexposing and over exposing. I had read one opinion to shoot the 50 asa slide film at 80 asa not 50 asa.
Dec 26, 2015 13:44:40 #
romanticf16
Loc: Commerce Twp, MI
par4fore wrote:
I am looking for tips related to exposure settings... (show quote)
Two different tecniques. With the transparency you do not want to overexpose your highlights or you lose them. With the B&W neg you can overexpose a bit to capture more shadow detail, and compensate in the printing. Why not use the meter built into the Nikon camera?
Dec 26, 2015 13:45:15 #
romanticf16
Loc: Commerce Twp, MI
par4fore wrote:
I am looking for tips related to exposure settings... (show quote)
Two different tecniques. With the transparency you do not want to overexpose your highlights or you lose them. With the B&W neg you can overexpose a bit to capture more shadow detail, and compensate in the printing. Why not use the meter built into the Nikon camera?
Dec 26, 2015 13:58:06 #
par4fore wrote:
Thanks, I should have said; I am looking for tips related to purposely underexposing and over exposing. I had read one opinion to shoot the 50 asa slide film at 80 asa not 50 asa.
Purposely "biasing" exposure of certain films is part of the creative process that was derived by testing. For each scene/lighting type Bracket your exposures +/- 1 stop and see which works better. But purposefully underexposing or over exposing an entire roll of 36 (doesn't sound like a lot for digiheads but @ $20+ for buying and processing a roll.....) doesn't make sense. Instead use your exposure compensation on a scene by scene basis.
A better approach is for the Velvia is to use your spot meter to expose for the mid shadows not the blacks or lit foliage but the shadows cast by a tree that still shows the detail of the ground underneath. Place that 1 stop below your middle exposure. That should yield a pleasing and still saturated landscape with details in the highlights.
For the Black and White try the same approach again being sure to not over expose your highlights.
Have fun betting back to the basics. And enjoy the different resolutions and palettes film offers that are only available in digital by changing bodies and sensors or adding plug ins to PP.
Dec 26, 2015 14:07:43 #
MT Shooter wrote:
Your AS A is limited by the film you have chosen. Learning how to properly use your light meter will answer all your other exposure questions as you only have two variables left to consider.
Now THIS is some pretty lame advice.^^^^^^^
Remember the cardinal rule of film, "expose for the shadows and print for the highlights".
Of course you can only take advantage of this if you are doing your own printing.
Film is much more forgiving for overexposure as the emulsion actually burns off slowly compared to a sensor and can tolerate a lot of light.
Learn to use your post(printing) filters. If you've exposed the shadows correctly, you just need to get the rich blacks and whites by learning to use your filters during printing. The secret here is lots of test strips.
And film developing times will affect the thinness of your negs.
If your camera does not have a meter, you can be very successful by knowing the sunny16, forwards and backwards!!!! Good luck. ;-)
SS
Dec 26, 2015 14:28:07 #
par4fore wrote:
I am looking for tips related to exposure settings... (show quote)
From what I recall you have some DSLR equipment already. Have you considered using your digital systems to take prelim shots in the way people used to use Polaroids prior to taking the main shots with a medium format camera and so on?
Dec 26, 2015 15:02:59 #
Kiron
Loc: Wales and Florida
par4fore wrote:
Thanks, I should have said; I am looking for tips related to purposely underexposing and over exposing. I had read one opinion to shoot the 50 asa slide film at 80 asa not 50 asa.
I used 400 ASA Tri-X for years at 1600 ASA, developed in Rodinol for 58 minutes. Did my own printing. Got great low grain results too. The technique was known as FFDD. Fast Film Dilute Developer. The Rodinol was an AGFA product which was diluted by a factor of 4 and develping time increased by a factor of 4. My main camera was an original Canon F1.
Dec 26, 2015 15:39:25 #
par4fore wrote:
I am looking for tips related to exposure settings... (show quote)
Fujifilm Velvia 50 Color Slides will have a profile and
Kodak T-Max 100 Black +White Print Film. will also have one.
Your not going to be able to say this is a black & white film do this because they are as individual as camera's if not more so.
http://filmdev.org/film/show/1025
This page lists 183 development recipes for kodak T-max 100.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/fuji/velvia-50.htm His page on velvia
he recommends this lab
http://www.northcoastphoto.com/additional_services.html#processing
Maybe you should talk with whoever is going to process your film.
Dec 26, 2015 15:46:41 #
In my film days shooting Kodachrome, I always bracketed my exposure. So assume It was to be 1/60 5.6. I would bracket plus or minus 1/2 a step. I never missed a shot for poor exposure. I also always read my exposure off a 18 percent gray card.
par4fore wrote:
I am looking for tips related to exposure settings... (show quote)
Dec 26, 2015 20:26:01 #
(Sorry I misread this as having only to do with long exposures. Nevertheless this information is valuable in thinking about exposure.)
The major thing to keep in mind with long exposures and film is reciprocity failure.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reciprocity_(photography)
The reciprocity chart for Tmax 100 is here in the technical data.
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/f4016/f4016.pdf
Most films hold up the law of reciprocity up to about one second. Fuji Acros is well know for handing long exposures without needing much more exposure.
The major thing to keep in mind with long exposures and film is reciprocity failure.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reciprocity_(photography)
The reciprocity chart for Tmax 100 is here in the technical data.
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/f4016/f4016.pdf
Most films hold up the law of reciprocity up to about one second. Fuji Acros is well know for handing long exposures without needing much more exposure.
Dec 26, 2015 22:07:58 #
par4fore wrote:
I am looking for tips related to exposure settings... (show quote)
Here are my tips.
Use a hand held meter by all means, no reason not to.
Negative film doesn't mind being overexposed even more than a few stops.
I'd start by shooting your film at box speed, and then I'd set your ISO 1 stop slower; i.e. if you are shooting 400 speed film, set your camera to 320 or even 200. Then meter normally.
You just about cannot blow the highlights on negative film. Overexposing some won't hurt it a bit and lots of folks like the look.
Slide film is just the opposite; you can blow the highlights if you are not careful, and thus...a slight underexposure is called for.
The rule is:
Negative film: Meter for the shadows
Slide film: Meter for the highlights.
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