Would this work? (getting right exposure for film)
Discussion
Say you're inexperienced with working out the right exposure for a shot, and such, aren't confident when using a film camera.
Would it work to say.. Use any digital camera to take the shot, check you're happy with how its exposed, then use those settings to take the same shot on a film camera?
Say I were to take a portrait shot of someone using my fuji x20. I see the settings are (hypothetically) F2.8, 1/100th, ISO100. Would you then be able to use same settings on a film SLR to get the same (or as close) shot as you did using a digital camera?
Would it work to say.. Use any digital camera to take the shot, check you're happy with how its exposed, then use those settings to take the same shot on a film camera?
Say I were to take a portrait shot of someone using my fuji x20. I see the settings are (hypothetically) F2.8, 1/100th, ISO100. Would you then be able to use same settings on a film SLR to get the same (or as close) shot as you did using a digital camera?
I wouldn't trust it.
Pretty much all SLRs built from the 1970s have either a light meter in them or a choice of automatic exposure modes, just like DSLRs. I'd rather use the readings from the camera I'm using than one from an unrelated camera which I have to cart around as an expensive lightmeter. Cumbersome, slow and no more guaranteed to be accurate is my hunch.
Pretty much all SLRs built from the 1970s have either a light meter in them or a choice of automatic exposure modes, just like DSLRs. I'd rather use the readings from the camera I'm using than one from an unrelated camera which I have to cart around as an expensive lightmeter. Cumbersome, slow and no more guaranteed to be accurate is my hunch.
You could and it would be somewhat accurate but never going to be 100%.
As said, pretty much all film SLRs have light meters much like digital DSLRs do. It will tell you if you are overexposing or underexposing the scene much like a digital SLR will. Just adjust the compensation for the scene based on what the meter is telling you.
As said, pretty much all film SLRs have light meters much like digital DSLRs do. It will tell you if you are overexposing or underexposing the scene much like a digital SLR will. Just adjust the compensation for the scene based on what the meter is telling you.
When I'm out shooting with my film camera, I use the excellent myLightMeter app on my iPhone. It's surprisingly accurate for what it is, and I haven't had any exposure issues since using it. And when the battery goes flat I revert to the Sunny16 rule!. Having decent film (I shoot with Kodak Tri-X and Portra) does help as they offer a surprisingly large amount of latitude, especially if you're scanning the negatives and doing post-processing digitally.
When I'm out shooting with my film camera, I use the excellent myLightMeter app on my iPhone. It's surprisingly accurate for what it is, and I haven't had any exposure issues since using it. And when the battery goes flat I revert to the Sunny16 rule!. Having decent film (I shoot with Kodak Tri-X and Portra) does help as they offer a surprisingly large amount of latitude, especially if you're scanning the negatives and doing post-processing digitally.
chris.mapey said:
If you are unsure, add a little bit when shooting film, as a shot that's overexposed will be a 'thicker' negative which is easier to print a decent print from (or get a scan from) than a 'thin' (underexposed) one
I know someone who worked in a film processing lab, and when she got a DSLR she really struggled to comprehend that 'overexposed' was now lighter and not darker... 
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