-Official FILM Thread-

Originally Posted by cowmoo32

I've found a local shop that has TONS of old film cameras for sale. Any suggestions on what to look for? I think I want something essentially all manual short of the light meter.

daas what eyes are for.

If you can look through the viewfinder and know the correct settings to get a well exposed image then I'm insanely envious. I have a general idea, but I still use my light meter as a starting point.

Originally Posted by cowmoo32

If you can look through the viewfinder and know the correct settings to get a well exposed image then I'm insanely envious. I have a general idea, but I still use my light meter as a starting point.

It just takes some experience to get in the right ballpark, and film is pretty forgiving when developing.

Originally Posted by ride365

It just takes some experience to get in the right ballpark, and film is pretty forgiving when developing.

I'm going on my 11th year of shooting and I still need a light meter

LOLfilm

Originally Posted by cowmoo32

I'm going on my 11th year of shooting and I still need a light meter

If you were actively shooting without a meter and learning from your experience, it wouldn't take long. That's like saying my aunt has been driving 40 years and she still can't drive stick.

Originally Posted by cowmoo32

I've found a local shop that has TONS of old film cameras for sale. Any suggestions on what to look for? I think I want something essentially all manual short of the light meter.

If you can get your hands on a leica m series with a lens for a good price, you won't be dissapointed.

Originally Posted by cowmoo32

If you can look through the viewfinder and know the correct settings to get a well exposed image then I'm insanely envious. I have a general idea, but I still use my light meter as a starting point.

Ha, I cannot... my photo teacher was just saying that the other day. "Light meter - schmight meter... its all about the sunny f/16 rule" thats all he said hahah

Sunny f/16 rule? So he just automatically goes to f/16 if it's sunny out? That's a terrible rule...

Yea I use my meter too, crap I suck

You can use an external light meter. Or if you have an iphone, there is a light meter app for it (works very well, too).

Yeah Wes don't tell us what the app is called. You're cool.

Originally Posted by Gheybe

Yeah Wes don't tell us what the app is called. You're cool.

(I think it's called "Light Meter")

delving into medium format photography starting tomorrow....i think

Originally Posted by cowmoo32

Sunny f/16 rule? So he just automatically goes to f/16 if it's sunny out? That's a terrible rule...

Hahah... I'm sure there is more to it then that, I just dont know. I'll tell yah on the 23rd, my other class starts then.

while on that topic, I'm heading to the coast next week to check out a Digital Photo school in Vancouver (VanArts), seems to be pretty legit, but I wanted to walk through the school and sit down with some teachers/students before actually making a decision on it... I just want to get away from this desk! haha.

Originally Posted by cowmoo32

Sunny f/16 rule? So he just automatically goes to f/16 if it's sunny out? That's a terrible rule...

Sunny 16 rule is a great starting point when in harsh light.

f/16 with the shutter speed the same as your ISO setting. Make small incremental adjustments from there. You can always adjust accordingly stopping down, but starting with that guideline is going to get you in the ballpark.

Take that Cowmoo. Hahah.

Fair enough. I didn't know the rest of the rule but I see how that works now. When I first read it I was thinking "but what if I want a shallow DOF? What then, teacher?!"

disclaimer: I have taken zero photography classes and read zero photography books.

^You would then increase your shutter speed by the same amount of stops that you opened up your aperture.

So, let's say you're using 100 speed film and shooting in daylight. Using the f16 rule you would estimate your exposure value to be f16 at 1/125th of a second (haven't come across a camera with 1/100th of a second shutter speed and 1/125th is closest). You now want shallow depth of field and you decide that an aperture of f4 will give you the result you want. That is a difference of 4 stops. 16 - 11 - 8 - 5.6 - 4 , so you now need to adjust the shutter speed by the same amount of stops, 1/125 - 1/250 - 1/500 -1/1000 - 1/2000.

that makes sense ^