Recording Settings

[the_beginner]

Does anyone have a document template (in some popular file format) that they print out and keep in a binder for recording their settings at picture time? What should one generally record in a journal like that?

Also, has anyone ever put registration marks on their circular polarizer (or do some come with those already?) to aid in capturing the current settings as far as one of those is concerned? Would that even be helpful?

 

[Big Mike]

Some digital cameras will record each & every setting with the photo file...that sure makes things easy.

Imprinting it on a filter would not work. The camera cannot focus on the surface of the filter because it's too close...and it will be so out of focus that it will not even show up in the image. Just like how small amount of dust & scratches on a lens usually had no effect at all on the image.

For 35mm film cameras, there are camera backs that will imprint the info into the negative. Some art simple date backs but there are data backs and control backs. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=search&ci=285&Q=&O=NavBar

It would be pretty easy to record basic info yourself though. Just record the frame number (or at lest order of the images), the aperture F-stop, the shutter speed and maybe the ISO of the film being used. After that...record anything else you think is important...time of day, quality of lighting, position of the sun etc.

 

[the_beginner]

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll have to re-read my manual and see if my digital does that recording for me.

As for the registration marks, I was thinking more along the lines of some marks on the outside rim of the circular polarizer, similar to how lenses have f-stop registration marks. Something where you could start from and know that when you line up these two lines, you're at the minimum amount of affect if you're at a 90 degree from the sun. That as opposed to spinning until I Find minimum and then going from there. Maybe the nature of that filter would prevent that from being helpful though? Or maybe I should just stick with "that looks good" adjustments on that filter since I have a digital viewfinder.