Dynamic range???

[fzfile]

Is the total color range able to be captured in a single shot mostly a function of the film???

How much does the lens affect it and how can I maximize the dynamic range in a single shot???

Why I ask is this .... I am interested in using juxtoposition of colorful manmade objects (like constuction cones and bright street singns and even neon signs) and fall foliage.

I find it all but impossible to get the darker/earthier foliage colors to expose vividly without blowing out the really bright stuff like orange constuction cones or bright street signs or the sky sometimes .... or vice versa, getting good vivid bright tones but muddy or worse with the darker earthier stuff.

I know sometimes two separate pictures exposed for different ends of the spectrum can solve this.

I realize also the choice of film is very important to get the maximum color range but is ther any thing i can do exposure-wise to maximise the capture???

Is it possible to squeeze more range out (for a given film) but using smaller arp / longer time .... or large arpeture / shorter time?????????

-thanks

-mike

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[DocFrankenstein]

Usually a decent prime stopped down will give you very good contrast. (as opposed to cheap kit zoom)

But:

1) you may have to wait for the right light (sunset/sunrise/overcast)
2) you can use flashes to brighten the areas which are too dark

[jadin]

As far as colors are concerned different films are optimized for different tones. (Correct me if I have these wrong) Kodak is better at warmer colors (reds/oranges/yellows) where as Fuji does much better with greens etc. I chose my digital camera based on how it captured the warmer colors.

As far as I know there is no way around this. Unless you were to use digital editing to bring out the colors that are lacking.

[Big Mike]

As far as I know....it's the tonal range, not the color range. You could photograph a color wheel and get good representation of opposite colors...but you would have a hard time maintaining detail in both a black dog & a white dog, with the same exposure.

Color negative film will have better dynamic range than slide film or digital. B&W film has even more, but you're wanting color.

I'm not sure, but I think there are some color negative films that do have better range, I'm thinking Provia but I may be wrong. Shouldn't be to hard to look up.

[ksmattfish]

I find it all but impossible to get the darker/earthier foliage colors to expose vividly without blowing out the really bright stuff like orange constuction cones or bright street signs or the sky sometimes .... or vice versa, getting good vivid bright tones but muddy or worse with the darker earthier stuff.

Try to set up your lighting so that there is no more than 5 stops difference between your important highlights and shadows, and see how that looks.

Flourescent colored objects may be hard to accurately capture, as there is stuff in it that makes it flourescent. This stuff isn't in the printing papers. Street signs are designed to reflect extra light, so that will also present a lighting challenge.

[fzfile]

Thanks all.

I will look into the films and for the extreme range stuff I may just have to get two exposures and merge them.

But in the mean time I will try and study the actuall metering for each "level" of tones and see how for they are spread.

.... and I am ordering the Cannon 50mm 1.8 prime (maybe splurge for the 1.4) for my Rebel (I only have cheap kit zooms now) and I'm quite sure that will make an overall improvement to my shots in itself.

-mike