exposure... without a meter

blackdoglab · Jul 17, 2007

The meter on Boris just took a dive and I don't feel like getting it fixed. On the other hand, I don't really have the money for or want a handheld meter ( i try to keep it simple when I go out, camera, 35mm prime, and everready case... sometimes a polarizer or orange filter) Here's the odd thing, I'm still suspicious of this sunny f16 rule. I guess I've become a bit of a meter junkie but at the same time want a better understanding of light and exposure. With that said, is there a good link to information on the whole sunny f16 thing or if you folks have personal experience (i mean with a meter going dead or just nuts when out shooting) chime in and tell all.

Alpha · Jul 17, 2007

I often shoot pretty open. So I'll up the shutter speed to compromise. If I have to shoot without a meter. I'll bracket by a stop in either direction.

blackdoglab · Jul 17, 2007

Hmmmm... I never thought about that...

I did some online research and might get a little exposure calculator

Sw1tchFX · Jul 17, 2007

Yeah, just go by sunny 16 and brakcet.

ann · Jul 17, 2007

i have used it often, but i use f11 instead of 16 and have adjusted for the lighting conditions.

on the old kodak film boxes they used to have a small guide that was a based on the sunny 16 rule. Believe it or not, it works.

there are a lot of photographers who have made wonderful negatives without light meters; they learn to "read" the light. I have a friend who can tell me down to 1/2 second with the correct fstop.

jstuedle · Jul 17, 2007

ann said:
i have used it often, but i use f11 instead of 16 and have adjusted for the lighting conditions.

on the old kodak film boxes they used to have a small guide that was a based on the sunny 16 rule. Believe it or not, it works.

there are a lot of photographers who have made wonderful negatives without light meters; they learn to "read" the light. I have a friend who can tell me down to 1/2 second with the correct fstop.

Yes, it works. Many, many a photojournalist had to make a shot on a spur of the moment basis and didn't have a meter, or didn't have the time. Anyone of them worth there salt used the sunny/16 rule and got the shot. It does work, and work well. You might want to find an old Kodak pocket photography guide. It had a little dial type exposure calculator in it that will help and with practice you'll learn exposures and not need it.

Hertz van Rental · Jul 18, 2007

If you shoot film a lot it's good practice to play the Assistant's Boredom game. Estimate the exposure by eye and then check it with a meter. Use the 'sunny 16' as a starting point.
If you practice you can certainly get accurate. When I was an assistant I knew several people who could guesstimate to within 1/4 stop. I was reasonably accurate to 1/2 stop, which is good enough*.
Always use a meter if possible - but being able to do it by eye can be a life saver.

*Unless you play the Boredom game with someone good. The rules were that the person furthest from the correct exposure (and we used meters accurate to 1/10th stop) bought everyone else a drink at the nearest pub.