How critical is slide film?

I just completed my first "event" photo shoot, one of those high
volume jobs with one basic lighting setup, like a school pictures.
I shot C-41for the whole thing. Because of the deliverable, all
the images need to be scanned into the computer. I have learned
the hard way that getting the color balance is anything but easy
with C-41. To top it off, from what I can tell, I cannot figure
out how to get the scanner to give me near the quality from the
C-41 negative that a piece of photographic paper would deliver
from the same negative.

I have profiled my scanner for E-6 and able to get darn good
looking scans from E-6, very consistently. Here is the question,
is there enough latitude in E-6 that I can use it for my next high
volume job? The big catch is that the shoot takes place over a
serious of days, so I am setting up and tearing down everyday. I
do have the Minolta Meter V that is accurate to a 1/10 of a stop.
With light meter alone, can I get consistent exposures from day to
day? I am shooting 35mm, but have a MF with a Polaroid back;
would shooting Polaroid give me the desired consistency?

I am fully aware that the cost will double for shooting E-6 (film
& processing), but considering the hours I have spent trying to
scan in the C-41, the increase in scan time will more then make up
for it!

"Nony Buz" wrote in message
...
I just completed my first "event" photo shoot, one of those high
volume jobs with one basic lighting setup, like a school pictures.
I shot C-41for the whole thing. Because of the deliverable, all
the images need to be scanned into the computer. I have learned
the hard way that getting the color balance is anything but easy
with C-41. To top it off, from what I can tell, I cannot figure
out how to get the scanner to give me near the quality from the
C-41 negative that a piece of photographic paper would deliver
from the same negative.

I have profiled my scanner for E-6 and able to get darn good
looking scans from E-6, very consistently. Here is the question,
is there enough latitude in E-6 that I can use it for my next high
volume job? The big catch is that the shoot takes place over a
serious of days, so I am setting up and tearing down everyday. I
do have the Minolta Meter V that is accurate to a 1/10 of a stop.
With light meter alone, can I get consistent exposures from day to
day? I am shooting 35mm, but have a MF with a Polaroid back;
would shooting Polaroid give me the desired consistency?

I am fully aware that the cost will double for shooting E-6 (film
& processing), but considering the hours I have spent trying to
scan in the C-41, the increase in scan time will more then make up
for it!

Wouldn't it be a lot easier to have a CD made when you get the film
processed?
If you can get a good scan from a slide then there is no reason why you
can't do the same with negatives. Are you using the setting in your
scanners twain software for negative film (the option must say negative
film)? This should automatically adjust the color balance. If you are and
you still aren't happy with the color then try turning off any auto exposure
that the software might be using. Use the reset button in the software to
do this. Here is a site I've found that has good information on scanning:
http://www.scantips.com/ You could also ask questions about scanners at:
alt.comp.periphs.scanner
You could use slide film and the exposure will be consistent as long as the
lighting, metering technique and location conditions stay consistent from
day to day. If your worried about the exposure latitude of slide film then
use a low contrast film like Fuji Provia or Fuji Astia.

me wrote:

day to day. If your worried about the exposure latitude of slide film then
use a low contrast film like Fuji Provia or Fuji Astia.

I suppose you mean Fuji Sensia - Fuji Provia isn't exactly low contrast
film.
Basically, Fuji Sensia is nearly identical to Astia, and very cheap here
in Europe, I get it 3 Euros/36-frame roll.

Regards from Athens, Greece
Nick Fotis

"Nick Fotis" wrote in message
...
me wrote:

day to day. If your worried about the exposure latitude of slide film
then
use a low contrast film like Fuji Provia or Fuji Astia.

I suppose you mean Fuji Sensia

Indeed I did. ;-)

- Fuji Provia isn't exactly low contrast
film.
Basically, Fuji Sensia is nearly identical to Astia,

Look here for more info on these films:
http://www.photographic.com/film/143/

and very cheap here in Europe,

Based on his mesage headers I don't think the OP is in Europe. But if I ever
go there (in my dreams) that might be good to know.

I get it 3 Euros/36-frame roll.

That's cheap for retail even in the US.

Happy Shooting
me

"Nick Fotis" wrote in message
...
me wrote:

day to day. If your worried about the exposure latitude of slide film
then
use a low contrast film like Fuji Provia or Fuji Astia.

I suppose you mean Fuji Sensia

Indeed I did. ;-)

- Fuji Provia isn't exactly low contrast
film.
Basically, Fuji Sensia is nearly identical to Astia,

Look here for more info on these films:
http://www.photographic.com/film/143/

and very cheap here in Europe,

Based on his mesage headers I don't think the OP is in Europe. But if I ever
go there (in my dreams) that might be good to know.

I get it 3 Euros/36-frame roll.

That's cheap for retail even in the US.

Happy Shooting
me

me wrote:

Look here for more info on these films:
http://www.photographic.com/film/143/

I doubt that Fuji Provia 400 is similar to Sensia 400 in behaviour (from
what I've heard, didn't try to compare both).
Also, do not forget that your camera light meter has different behaviour
(my Canons tend to underexpose - even when I shot some photos
overexposed half a stop by mistake, there wasn't a problem at all with
Sensia).

Definitely avoid underexposing the typical Fuji slides, or else the
colour loses punch (Nikon cameras tend to have different behaviour with
slide film of course)

I get it 3 Euros/36-frame roll.

That's cheap for retail even in the US.

Of course, it pays to shop around in the center of Athens.
Since I am a regular and I buy usually at least a 3-roll economy pack
every time... ;-)

Best regards from Athens,
Nick Fotis.

"Nick Fotis" wrote in message
...
Also, do not forget that your camera light meter has different behaviour
(my Canons tend to underexpose - even when I shot some photos
overexposed half a stop by mistake, there wasn't a problem at all with
Sensia).

Indeed. I only rely on in camera meters when it's impossible to use a hand
held meter. The measurement of light is a subject of special interest to me
and I'm currently writing a phamplet/book about it now. Read this post and
my other posts in this thread to find out more about my thoughts on this
subject:

Happy Shooting
me

me wrote:

Indeed. I only rely on in camera meters when it's impossible to use a hand
held meter. The measurement of light is a subject of special interest to me
and I'm currently writing a phamplet/book about it now. Read this post and
my other posts in this thread to find out more about my thoughts on this
subject:

Hello,

I've read that thread. A grey card is a (rather) foolproof way to get a
pretty accurate exposure calculation, as long as you use it correctly.

I don't do macro shots, though, but I shoot trains (with my camera, not
with a gun :-)) - just wanting to clarify things a bit), and often I
have a different kind of problems which precludes use of incident
meters.

For example, I am in a shaded place waiting for the train to come along
the hill hundrends of metter in front of my lens (and in different light
altogether than my place), so a grey card couldn't help much.
Often, I have continuously changing lighting (running clouds, etc.) too.
Or I have to take my position quick while hunting a train, an incident
meter takes time.

Instead, I rely on this knowledge:
- Check with my spotmeter an intermediate tone (usually I shoot in
centre-weighted mode), I usually ignore the sky in the counting, and
lock exposure (this is very fast, you don't have to pull your eyes from
the viewfinder while you do this).

- Since my Canons tend to underexplose a bit (and these are fairly
consistent in this) contrary to Nikons, often I dial-in a +1/3 stop
correction (also, the various brands of slide film have different
tendencies). If I shoot in snow conditions, I add 1 to 1.3 stops (in
heavy snow I add nearly 1.5 stops).

- Recompose and shoot :-)

Anyway, it's very hard to blow-up highlights with my Canons when left in
their default behaviour (and when I use evaluative metering, a highlight
like a train beam can confuse the camera and make it underexpose
severely - this is the reason I stopped using it).

I do not know what brand of camera the OP has, but this should be taken
into account, I think [ oops, just checked that the OP uses a Minolta
Meter V. If he uses it correctly, then he should not fear about wrong
exposures ].
I never used external lightmeters, but my (good and bad) experience
covers up for this defect :-)

It's fun when I compare meterings with my Nikon-carrying colleagues,
they get usually nearly half a stop more light than me with their light
meters. But everybody uses Sensia slide film, so we do not worry about
overexposure too much (except when we shoot a white train deep in a dark
green forest scene...)

Of course, when I hunt trains usually I have little time for metering
considerations, and I have to trust the centre-weighted metering of my
Canons, with pretty satisfying results usually (especially if I have the
sun in my back).

Enough rambling, back to lurking for now :-)

Regards from Athens (no, not the one in Georgia :-) ),
Nick Fotis