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Newbie question - Correct exposure for Velvia
Hi All,
I just shot my first roll of Velvia on my new (secondhand) F80. I loved the colours, and the detail, especially on some close up flower shots. However, the images were all underexposed. Very dark in the shadows with little or no detail. I was using Aperture Priority mostly, so the camera was choosing a shutter speed to provide what it thought was a correct exposure. I was using 3d matrix metering and mostly taking shots outside. I let the camera choose the film speed via dx. Is this normal? Is there a rule of thumb for getting a more even exposure? Should I bracket my next film? I hope this isn't a dumb question, I'm new to photography, not just velvia. Any thoughts appreciated, Marc |
#2
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Dmitry ) wrote...
I just shot my first roll of Velvia on my new (secondhand) F80. I loved the colours, and the detail, especially on some close up flower shots. However, the images were all underexposed snip Is this the first roll of slide film that you've put through the camera? If so, it's possible that the meter is a little bit off in your camera. You'll probably never notice with colour negative film, as it has a much greater exposure latitude, and the processing lab can "correct" any errors in your exposure at the printing stage. Slide film is not so lenient. Check your meter against a friends camera if you can, or else against the "sunny f/16" rule. This basically states that on a sunny day the exposure of a well-lit scene (with the sun behind you) should by the reciprocal of the film speed at f/16. More info: http://www.photomigrations.com/articles/0403200.htm Regards, Ian -- Ian Riches Bedford, UK |
#3
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Dmitry ) wrote...
I just shot my first roll of Velvia on my new (secondhand) F80. I loved the colours, and the detail, especially on some close up flower shots. However, the images were all underexposed snip Is this the first roll of slide film that you've put through the camera? If so, it's possible that the meter is a little bit off in your camera. You'll probably never notice with colour negative film, as it has a much greater exposure latitude, and the processing lab can "correct" any errors in your exposure at the printing stage. Slide film is not so lenient. Check your meter against a friends camera if you can, or else against the "sunny f/16" rule. This basically states that on a sunny day the exposure of a well-lit scene (with the sun behind you) should by the reciprocal of the film speed at f/16. More info: http://www.photomigrations.com/articles/0403200.htm Regards, Ian -- Ian Riches Bedford, UK |
#4
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In article ,
Dmitry wrote: Hi All, I just shot my first roll of Velvia on my new (secondhand) F80. I loved the colours, and the detail, especially on some close up flower shots. However, the images were all underexposed. Very dark in the shadows with little or no detail. I was using Aperture Priority mostly, so the camera was choosing a shutter speed to provide what it thought was a correct exposure. I was using 3d matrix metering and mostly taking shots outside. I let the camera choose the film speed via dx. Is this normal? Is there a rule of thumb for getting a more even exposure? Should I bracket my next film? The blacks of Velvia are very black indeed, so even slight underexposure will result in a seriously dark slide. Usually detail can be rescued by scanning though. Slide film is very sensitive to exposure though. It might be worth switching to spot metering, dialing in +2 stops exposure compensation and metering for the highlights (assuming your camera supports all of this - I'm not familliar with the Nikon SLRs). Maybe exposure bracket the tricky ones (after all, film is cheap ;-)). |
#5
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In article ,
Dmitry wrote: Hi All, I just shot my first roll of Velvia on my new (secondhand) F80. I loved the colours, and the detail, especially on some close up flower shots. However, the images were all underexposed. Very dark in the shadows with little or no detail. I was using Aperture Priority mostly, so the camera was choosing a shutter speed to provide what it thought was a correct exposure. I was using 3d matrix metering and mostly taking shots outside. I let the camera choose the film speed via dx. Is this normal? Is there a rule of thumb for getting a more even exposure? Should I bracket my next film? The blacks of Velvia are very black indeed, so even slight underexposure will result in a seriously dark slide. Usually detail can be rescued by scanning though. Slide film is very sensitive to exposure though. It might be worth switching to spot metering, dialing in +2 stops exposure compensation and metering for the highlights (assuming your camera supports all of this - I'm not familliar with the Nikon SLRs). Maybe exposure bracket the tricky ones (after all, film is cheap ;-)). |
#6
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Ian Riches wrote:
Dmitry ) wrote... I just shot my first roll of Velvia on my new (secondhand) F80. I loved the colours, and the detail, especially on some close up flower shots. However, the images were all underexposed snip Is this the first roll of slide film that you've put through the camera? If so, it's possible that the meter is a little bit off in your camera. You'll probably never notice with colour negative film, as it has a much greater exposure latitude, and the processing lab can "correct" any errors in your exposure at the printing stage. Slide film is not so lenient. Check your meter against a friends camera if you can, or else against the "sunny f/16" rule. This basically states that on a sunny day the exposure of a well-lit scene (with the sun behind you) should by the reciprocal of the film speed at f/16. That is fine if he's metering a mid tone scene... if he's pointing that at a ski slope, or a black car, he won't get the right reading. If he has a grey card and the camera has a spot metere or at least heavilly ctr weighted meter, he can use that. I'll suggest following though... on a bright, clear sunny day, put a clean dry styrofoam coffee cup over the lens. Point the lens at the horizon in the direction of the sun.... that will give very close to sunny-16 and indicate if there is a meter problem. Cheers, Alan -- -- rec.photo.equipment.35mm user resource: -- http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.-- |
#7
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Ian Riches wrote:
Dmitry ) wrote... I just shot my first roll of Velvia on my new (secondhand) F80. I loved the colours, and the detail, especially on some close up flower shots. However, the images were all underexposed snip Is this the first roll of slide film that you've put through the camera? If so, it's possible that the meter is a little bit off in your camera. You'll probably never notice with colour negative film, as it has a much greater exposure latitude, and the processing lab can "correct" any errors in your exposure at the printing stage. Slide film is not so lenient. Check your meter against a friends camera if you can, or else against the "sunny f/16" rule. This basically states that on a sunny day the exposure of a well-lit scene (with the sun behind you) should by the reciprocal of the film speed at f/16. That is fine if he's metering a mid tone scene... if he's pointing that at a ski slope, or a black car, he won't get the right reading. If he has a grey card and the camera has a spot metere or at least heavilly ctr weighted meter, he can use that. I'll suggest following though... on a bright, clear sunny day, put a clean dry styrofoam coffee cup over the lens. Point the lens at the horizon in the direction of the sun.... that will give very close to sunny-16 and indicate if there is a meter problem. Cheers, Alan -- -- rec.photo.equipment.35mm user resource: -- http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.-- |
#8
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Dmitry wrote:
Hi All, I just shot my first roll of Velvia on my new (secondhand) F80. I loved the colours, and the detail, especially on some close up flower shots. However, the images were all underexposed. Very dark in the shadows with little or no detail. I was using Aperture Priority mostly, so the camera was choosing a shutter speed to provide what it thought was a correct exposure. I was using 3d matrix metering and mostly taking shots outside. I let the camera choose the film speed via dx. If the 'color' areas of the shot look right (good saturation and detail), and the shaddows look underepxosed ... then everything is probably just right... Velvia is fairly narrow in exposure latitude. To shoot slide film you must compose scenes where everything you want in detail fits in the exposure latitude of the film. An in-camera spot meter is very useful to "survey" the scene to make sure it fits in the latitude of the film. To help with this, avoid shooting at the contrastiest part of the day, noon. Instead shoot in the morning or later afternoon. This will give more even lighting to and around your subject and fit in the latitude of the film. Is this normal? Is there a rule of thumb for getting a more even exposure? Should I bracket my next film? All bracketing does is move the exposure ... if you get more detail in the shaddows, then you will wash out color and blow highlights, and vice-versa. The 'trick' that slide film shooters often use is to spot the highlight in a scene (say something white in the same light as the subject). Point the camera at that white area, in spot meter mode, take the reading and then open up 1.5 to 2 stops (stops of aperture or equivalent speed). For the film in question I open up 1+2/3 stops from the highlight; for Sensia I open up 2 stops. I hope this isn't a dumb question, I'm new to photography, not just velvia. Try a kinder and gentler slide film like Sensia 100. It is more neutral in color but has a little more exposure latitude than Velvia (50 or 100F). Avoid shooting in high contrast light (mid day). Try shooting in open shade light (consider an 81A/B filter if you do that to reduce the blue). It will take you a few rolls to get used to it ... so step down from the expensive films until you do. Cheers, Alan PS: Verify your meter: On a bright sunny day, put a clean dry styrofoam coffee cup over your lens. Point it towards the horizon in the direction of the sun. For ISO 50, in A-pri at f/16 you should get a reading of speed=ISO=50 (60, 40 are okay). Or, if you have a spot meter in the camera, then with your back to the sun (08:00 - 11:00, 14:00 - 17:00) meter off of an 18% grey card that is perpendicular to the lens axis. Same result as above. But, I bet your meter is not the problem. -- -- rec.photo.equipment.35mm user resource: -- http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.-- |
#9
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PGG wrote:
Check your meter against a friends camera if you can, or else against the "sunny f/16" rule. This basically states that on a sunny day the exposure of a well-lit scene (with the sun behind you) should by the reciprocal of the film speed at f/16. This is _not_ a good way to check your meter! Depending on what area of the world you live in, even on a sunny day, it may very well be the "sunny f/11" or "sunny f/8" rule. 1 stop, __maybe__. 2 stops, forget it. The sky must be clear of clouds and haze, and the reading should be a couple hours before or after the sun is at zenith. The grey card or styro cup method is best. -- -- rec.photo.equipment.35mm user resource: -- http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- e-meil: there's no such thing as a FreeLunch.-- |
#10
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