advice for shooting slide film?

fstop23 · Sep 4, 2007

just bought some 4x5 fuji provia asa 100 slide film. anything i should consider when shooting as opposed to negative film?

Don Simon · Sep 4, 2007

anything i should consider when shooting as opposed to negative film?

Yep... meter carefully. And then check it again.

Slide film is much less "tolerant" in this regard.

Other than that, I can't think of much. With Velvia I would warn about the high saturation, but Provia has more "realistic" colours; an excellent choice.

Digital Matt · Sep 4, 2007

Expose for the highlights...

Sw1tchFX · Sep 4, 2007

Digital Matt said:
Expose for the highlights...

Because there's more density in the shadows.

I bracket all of my 4x5 slides by 1/3-1/2 stops, and shoot three. develop the normal one, and if anything needs to be done like pushing or pulling, i have the slides to do it.

Garbz · Sep 4, 2007

Treat it like digital! Slides are more like digital cameras in exposure, latitude and resolution (bit debatable) than negatives.

Steph · Sep 5, 2007

The way I do it (which is not necessarily and probably not the best):
- Meter for the midtones
- Filter for the highlights (for example, ND grad filter to bring the brightness of sky within 2.5 EV of previous reading)
- Leave the shadows 'sort themselves out'

That usually works well for landscapes but I don't know how it applies to other types of photography.

Steph · Sep 5, 2007

BTW, shooting slides is not an alternative technique...

PaulBennett · Sep 6, 2007

If you don't already have a 'spot' meter for exposures get one. Used Pentax spots are now well under $200 and many have the Ansel grayscale indexes applied.

Re: 4x5 There is so much detail in 4x5 that the 1-2 shots per hour is well worth the time spent. (ok maybe I am slow but I'm retired) In addition, the extra area allows cropping not reasonable on 35s. Now if someone would come out with a full frame 4x5 cd sensor to eliminate Polaroid test shots. Scan cost is high...I'm paying $45 for oil drum 4x5 scans but I hate telephone pole type distractions and Photoshop/clone them to the netheregions. I get excited just thinking about a 4x5 shoot.

The only way of controlling foreground/background or side/side focus or making buildings parallel. Fun stuff not available in a 35.

Back to your original question, negatives in my opinion are best for prints (for me). Play with both.

Enjoy, my friend - take your time and enjoy the process. (Or get a new Nikon D300 and have the shots wi-fied back to the lab and prints done before you get back in you car. Nope...not for me.)