Film and Digital compared

[neea]

Ok. So I got my digital camera to quickly and more easily learn how to shoot in full manual mode all the time.

Can I transfer settings from my digital camera to film and get the same or similar results?
example: shooting at 1/200 and f5.0 at 100 ISO
Or would I have to compensate somehow?

Hope this makes sense.

Thanx

 

[TBaraki]

The exposure will be the same: one doesn't buy a light meter for digital use and another for film use.

My digital body allows for shutter and aperture adjustment in third stops. All three of my film cameras will only adjust in whole stops so, depending on what settings you have deemed appropriate on your digital there, may be a slight adjustment just to agree with the film body's adjustment scale.

 

[neea]

The exposure will be the same: one doesn't buy a light meter for digital use and another for film use.

Good point. I don't know why I never thought of that before. Maybe because I've yet to venture into the world of buying a light meter

 

[Alex_B]

Ok. So I got my digital camera to quickly and more easily learn how to shoot in full manual mode all the time.

Can I transfer settings from my digital camera to film and get the same or similar results?
example: shooting at 1/200 and f5.0 at 100 ISO
Or would I have to compensate somehow?

Hope this makes sense.

Thanx

digital is quite similar to slide film like velvia in terms of dynamical range. with slide film being a bit more forgiving with respect to the highlights and shadows. So if you get exposure OK-ish with digital, the same exposure will be very good with slide film ... and if you look at negative film things are even more on the safe side.

however, the other way round does not work that well, if you get the exposure corect for negative film, and the scene contains more stops in brightness difference than digital can handle, then you will blow out some highlights and/or shadows.

 

[neea]

however, the other way round does not work that well, if you get the exposure corect for negative film, and the scene contains more stops in brightness difference than digital can handle, then you will blow out some highlights and/or shadows.

Hmm Thanx alot for your help! :hugs:

 

[Garbz]

Yes it depends on the film as Alex said. The difference is exposing for the highlights in digital and slide film, vs exposing for the shadows in negatives.

 

[Bobby Ironsights]

Good point. I don't know why I never thought of that before. Maybe because I've yet to venture into the world of buying a light meter

Jesus! What kind of film camera are you going to be using that doesn't have an onboard ttl light meter???

Wooden Field Camera? Camera Obscura?:shock:

 

[jstuedle]

Jesus! What kind of film camera are you going to be using that doesn't have an onboard ttl light meter???

Wooden Field Camera? Camera Obscura?:shock:

Just about any 35mm up until the mid sixties. I still shoot for fun a 1966 Nikon F and a few other similar Nikon 35's. My 1996 Hasselblad has no internal meter either. A lot of cameras up through the 70's have CDS cell light meters that don't function anymore or are off several stops. And I verify exposure with a incident light meter very often with my current cameras even though the D1X and F5 have outstanding matrix meters. Measuring the light falling on the subject is much more accurate than the light reflected back to the camera. Almost all studio work is measured manually in this manner. In my kit I always have a Sekonic and Gossin digital flash/light meters. I prefer the Sekonic when using off camera strobes, and the Gossen for ambient light metering.

 

[Alex_B]

Jesus! What kind of film camera are you going to be using that doesn't have an onboard ttl light meter???

Wooden Field Camera? Camera Obscura?:shock:

well, I myself started in photography with a 35mm camera without a light meter .. and I am not that old you know

 

[chris_arnet]

Jesus! What kind of film camera are you going to be using that doesn't have an onboard ttl light meter???

Wooden Field Camera? Camera Obscura?:shock:

maybe a Canon T50 from 1985 like me lol. oh wait, i forgot, it adjusts shutter speed for me...

anyway, as long as you realize that your film ISO/ASA is the film, not JUST the dial, your good to go. the exposure transfers over.

 

[(Ghastly) Krueger]

Also bear in mind the crop factor due to sensor size. It affects DOF. (Unless your digital has full sized sensor, of course)

 

[usayit]

well, I myself started in photography with a 35mm camera without a light meter .. and I am not that old you know

heheehe.... some of us have whole collections of camera's without a light meter. (in fact.. a lot of cameras that have even less..)

no.. I'm not that old either...

 

[sabbath999]

What kind of film camera are you going to be using that doesn't have an onboard ttl light meter???

Wooden Field Camera? Camera Obscura?:shock:

Two points:

1) Many people on this board use wooden field cameras. I myself would love to have one. Many others use large format cameras of various description. They are awesome cameras that give an image quality miles, and I do mean MILES, beyond any punky little digital sensor. Many of the best medium format and 35mm film cameras ever made (and still in wide professional & artistic use) do not have light meters, or their light meters are not TTL.

2) A Camera Obscura is not film camera. It has nothing to do with film, rather it is a drawing aid.

 

[Alex_B]

1) Many people on this board use wooden field cameras. I myself would love to have one.

One for me please!

I have something similar from more than a century ago, but it is not lightproof anymore. have to do something about it.