Film Question

[Soulz3urn3lack]

I have ISO 800 film, can I lower the Iso with it or do I have to stick around or on the 800 ISO setting?

Sorry for the newb question but I'm going to be shooting out in the sun today and I don't want to use it on ISO 800.

 

[ann]

yes you can; however, an adjustment usually is made when developing

 

[Big Mike]

If you lower the ISO setting on the camera, you will be likely to get overexposed shots...but you might be able to request that the lab develop the film a stop darker...I believe this is called 'pulling'....as opposed to developing the film a stop higher, which would be pushing.
It's been so long, I don't remember if that's right.

Also, what type of film? Color negative film usually has great latitude so one stop overexposed will probably be OK anyway.

 

[sobolik]

I have ISO 800 film, can I lower the Iso with it or do I have to stick around or on the 800 ISO setting?

Sorry for the newb question but I'm going to be shooting out in the sun today and I don't want to use it on ISO 800.

ALWAYS OVER EXPOSE PRINT FILM!
NEVER OVEREXPOSE SLIDE FILM!

Overexposing print film 2 stops produces whiter whites and brighter colors. Remember a camera meter wants to make everything gray.

The best way to over expose print film is to use the wrong iso/asa setting on the camera. Since iso 200 is 2 stops away from 800 then set the camera dial to 200 when using iso 800 film. It will then over expose the film 2 stops.

This is a false idea:
"Sorry for the newb question but I'm going to be shooting out in the sun today and I don't want to use it on ISO 800"

The iso setting on your camera simply calibrates the meter to work with the sensitivity of the chosen film. It has nothing to do with whether it is bright out or dark out. Of course this preset adjustment can be foiled by ignoring the meter recommendation like when using manual mode

 

[Christie Photo]

ALWAYS OVER EXPOSE PRINT FILM!

No. ALWAYS EXPOSE ALL FILMS PROPERLY!

Overexposing print film 2 stops produces whiter whites and brighter colors.

Overexposure increases contrast... and grain.

Remember a camera sensor wants to make everything gray.

A camera METER doesn't "want" to do anything. It does tell you how to achieve grey.

The iso setting on your camera simply calibrates the meter to work with the sensitivity of the chosen film. It has nothing to do with whether it is bright out or dark out.

To clear this up a bit... the meter doesn't actually do anything to the sensitivity of film. It measures the light coming through the lens in order to determine proper exposure for the film being used.

-Pete

 

[Vinny]

You can work with ISO 800 film outside by a combination of faster shutter speeds and smaller apertures - both will reduce the amount of light the film gets. BUT by doing this you are limiting any "effects" such as blurred background (aperture) or motion blur (shutter speed). Your photos may come out grainier than with ISO 100 film but you have what you have.

If you decide to try to pull the ISO down then I would warn about going to a local pharmacy/Walmart to get the film processed - the people behind the counter probably know close to zero about photography.

 

[sobolik]

ALWAYS OVER EXPOSE PRINT FILM!

No. ALWAYS EXPOSE ALL FILMS PROPERLY!

Overexposing print film 2 stops produces whiter whites and brighter colors.

Overexposure increases contrast... and grain.

Remember a camera sensor wants to make everything gray.

A camera METER doesn't "want" to do anything. It does tell you how to achieve grey.

The iso setting on your camera simply calibrates the meter to work with the sensitivity of the chosen film. It has nothing to do with whether it is bright out or dark out.

To clear this up a bit... the meter doesn't actually do anything to the sensitivity of film. It measures the light coming through the lens in order to determine proper exposure for the film being used.

-Pete

"Overexposure increases contrast... and grain"

============

"It is very common to purposely overexpose color negative film. There are several reasons for this. It has been tested and shown that with overexposure, color neg. films get better color saturation

and surprisingly, slightly finer grain."

overexpose print film? | 35mm Film | Photography 35mm

 

[Christie Photo]

"It is very common to purposely overexpose color negative film. There are several reasons for this. It has been tested and shown that with overexposure, color neg. films get better color saturation

and surprisingly, slightly finer grain."

Tested by who? I can assure you that "Ted" has it all wrong.

-Pete

 

[tirediron]

I have ISO 800 film, can I lower the Iso with it or do I have to stick around or on the 800 ISO setting?

Sorry for the newb question but I'm going to be shooting out in the sun today and I don't want to use it on ISO 800.

You can under-expose the film, but the results will depend on the type of film and the developing. Finding a lab to pull film in developing is going to be difficult and expensive. As well, if you've already exposed part of the roll, you're hooped. With film what you apply to one frame, you apply to all.

ALWAYS OVER EXPOSE PRINT FILM!

Rubbish! IF you have a specific reason to do so (the old black dog on white snow, face in direct sun, etc) than modifying your exposure settings is fine, but to say that you should always do it is like saying that the "Rule" of thirds is inviolet.

 

[Soulz3urn3lack]

If you lower the ISO setting on the camera, you will be likely to get overexposed shots...but you might be able to request that the lab develop the film a stop darker...I believe this is called 'pulling'....as opposed to developing the film a stop higher, which would be pushing.
It's been so long, I don't remember if that's right.

Also, what type of film? Color negative film usually has great latitude so one stop overexposed will probably be OK anyway.

Ok cool. It's color negative Fuji Superia 800 film. My camera has an over and under expose feature if that helps? Also what would be the safest ISO I could lower it too?

 

[white]

I haven't worked with color yet, but I don't think you can pull it. You might get weird color shifts. If it was b/w, though, I think you can pull it 2 stops before things start getting ugly.

Subtract a minute from the developing time for every stop the film is pulled. Or ... the web says - 10% per stop.

An easier solution is to just buy the film you wish to use, rewind what you got in the camera (leaving the leader out, of course), and swap films.

 

[sobolik]

"It is very common to purposely overexpose color negative film. There are several reasons for this. It has been tested and shown that with overexposure, color neg. films get better color saturation

and surprisingly, slightly finer grain."

Tested by who? I can assure you that "Ted" has it all wrong.

-Pete

ROFLMHO! Ted and the rest of the photography world that knows what they are talking about. Over exposing to produce white snow and underexposing to keep black black is as staple as corn and wheat is to food.

 

[white]

You're both kind of saying the same thing: expose the film properly. To do so properly depends on the situation in front of you. Knowing the meter is calibrated to average all tones to middle gray, to get white snow it is necessary to overexpose by 2 stops. But it is not necessary to always overexpose in every situation.

 

[Christie Photo]

ROFLMHO! Ted and the rest of the photography world that knows what they are talking about.

So... you can't site who is was that did these "tests."

I'll give you a bit of advice: Repeating something you read on the internet doesn't give you credentials. Go to a reliable source.

Here's a toll-free number for Kodak: (800) 242-2424
Extension 19 should get you to the pro division. Give 'em a call. It's free... and they're nice people. Talk it over with them.

Let me know how it goes... Unless you feel "Ted" referring to "tests" is all you need.

-Pete

 

[sobolik]

You're both kind of saying the same thing: expose the film properly. To do so properly depends on the situation in front of you. Knowing the meter is calibrated to average all tones to middle gray, to get white snow it is necessary to overexpose by 2 stops. But it is not necessary to always overexpose in every situation.

There have been a bazillion photos taken with out overexposing print film and people don't care, they are happy. To properly expose for best color rendition then the camera meter idiosyncrasies must be compensated for. i.e. assuming neutral gray

Proper exposure is therefore in there eye of the beholder. Some don't care and the meter i.e. auto is fine. Others care and then it gives birth to phrases like "always over expose print film" Actually the same meter flaw requires under exposure at times.