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Question: F-stop question with my film camera!?
i have my dad's old film camera!. its a Zenit made by soviet union!. I did some experiment and everything seems to be working properly!. I need to clean the lens a bit n thats all abt it!.
it has shutter speed bulb, 1/30, 1/60, 1,125, 1/250, 1/500
f-stop of the lens from 2 to 16
i want to experiment some black and white photography with this camera!.
since it has no light meter, i want to use my digital nikon d60 to find out about the exposure values and set the same/equivalent setting in this camera and shoot!?
you think this will work!? F-stop value the same between lens!? if not what shud i do without spending money to buy more things!?
i want to use it to potograph some landscape and portraits!. i want to use ilford!. pls recommend the iso for my purpose!.
thank you so much!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
You can use the light meter on your digital if you want to, but that just complicates things!. What I would do would be to purchase your black and white film, say ISO 200 or 400 and use the rule of 16s
If you use ISO 400, set your camera to 1/500 of a second and if the day is really sunny, no heavy overhanging clouds, shoot it at f16, some clouds, f11, more clouds f8, day not very good, f5!.6 or f3!.5
With ISO 200 film, you can set your film speed at 1/250 sec and shoot f16 when there are no or few clouds, f 11 if there are some, but not that heavy, and so forth down the line!.
Both black and white and color films have about a 2 stop plus or minus of latitude, so you should get good shots!.
Back in the dark ages, light meters were rare for those of us with little money, so that is how we did it and that is the method that I taught students taking newspaper photographs!.
Or, just so it will not be so clumsy, you can probably get a stupid simple Gossen Pilot or a similar meter from another manufacturer for about $30 or so!. Www@QuestionHome@Com
Sure, you can use your digital to determine exposure!. In fact, it is often done by the best pros!. It has kind of taken the place of the polaroid backs that were used for this very purpose!. An aperture and shutter speed value are the same on any camera!. If not, photography would be total chaos!
As for film, Ilford XP2 is a great film!. It is C41 process and so is easy to get processed most anywhere!. I like ISO 400 as a good all around speed!.
steveWww@QuestionHome@Com
Yes, it will work, but remember you have to be the same on all three things that affect exposure: aperture, shutter and ISO!. The film you purchase will dictate the ISO setting on your Nikon!. Www@QuestionHome@Com
You can use that meter or use the sunny 16 rule
STEP 1: Set your shutter speed equal to your film speed!.
(i!.e!., Shutter = Film Speed)
Examples: 1/60 for Velvia rated at ISO 50; 1/125 for TMax rated at ISO 100!. Note that in most cases, the shutter speed will NOT EXACTLY EQUAL film speed, but will be set as close as possible to the film speed!. It's simply easier to remember the rule as "Shutter = Film Speed!."
STEP 2: Set your aperture equal to f/16 for sunny sky!.
What if it's not sunny!?
If slightly overcast, open one stop to f/11!. If overcast, open two stops to f/8!. If deeply overcast, open three stops to f/5!.6!.
How do I distinguish between slightly overcast, overcast and heavy overcast!?
Examine the shadow detail!. If shadows are distinct but soft around the edges, then it's slightly overcast!. If shadows are not distinct, but still visible - very soft - then it's overcast!. If there are no shadows at all, then it's heavy overcast!.
f/16 Sunny
f/11 Slight Overcast
f/8 Overcast
f/5!.6 Heavy Overcast
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