I'm psyched about film!

ZipPhoto

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Well folks, I finally received my notification that my first roll of 35mm was ready for downloading. I used Millers out of Pittsburg, KS but had to wait almost 15 days for my film to arrive due to USPS delays due to bad weather.
Anyway, I was thrilled that all 36 images were useable some more so than others (will need much more practice) and there were no half picture half blanks or light streaks on any of the images. The Minolta X700 takes really great images and the results were good enough to get me excited. I need to work on sharper focusing by either steadier hand holding, higher f-stops or figure out how to best focus with or without glasses the latter has always been an issue with my photography.
If I had to say what I didn’t like the most was most of my images, if they weren’t indoors with flash, tended to be under exposed and a bit washed out looking lacking color depth. Was it the film I used, Kodak Color 200, the in camera metering of the X700, or me making the wrong shutter speed choice when I use A priority. Would the use of - exposure compensation be helpful for me or should I continue as is and see if my metering can be bettered. Should I try using a Light Meter app?
How do you folks best record your pics information like f-stop, shutter speed and zoom length when there is no info gathered like in digital? Do you walk around with a note pad recording your shots?
What are your thoughts about post editing your pictures? Are y'all in favor or should they be left alone.
I was always doing something with my digital images but it felt like it was alright and expected.
This is so much different than shooting a million nonsensical shots with my DSLR. You really have to stop and think don’t you.
 
Film is fun for sure (and expensive lol)

But I enjoy shooting a roll once in a while. I think last year I shot more film than digital believe it or not.

I'll try to answer some questions you have, I'm still new to film but I'm experienced in photography. Others who have more film experience might provide better answers.

If I had to say what I didn’t like the most was most of my images, if they weren’t indoors with flash, tended to be under exposed and a bit washed out looking lacking color depth. Was it the film I used, Kodak Color 200, the in camera metering of the X700, or me making the wrong shutter speed choice when I use A priority. Would the use of - exposure compensation be helpful for me or should I continue as is and see if my metering can be bettered. Should I try using a Light Meter app?
So depending on the camera I am using, if the meter is accurate like my Nikon N2000/F301 is, I tend to use exposure comp to slightly overexpose the shot. Its better to overexpose film than it is to underexpose film. If it doesn't have exposure comp, you can simply just lower the ISO/ASA dial if its linked to the meter. My Nikkormat's ASA/ISO dial does nothing, its just for reference so you need to use the appropriate exposure settings for that speed of film. A light meter app is extremely useful to me. Perhaps they are NOT as good as physical light meters but I been using a metering app on my phone for a while and its been good enough for me. If anything it gives me idea of what the exposure should be and I make my own judgement from there.

How do you folks best record your pics information like f-stop, shutter speed and zoom length when there is no info gathered like in digital? Do you walk around with a note pad recording your shots?
I don't record any settings. I suppose this could be useful if you are learning photography or testing equipment. But I just go out and take photos and not worry about what my f-stop was or shutter speed. I know some people who like recording this info and that's perfectly fine, just not for me.

What are your thoughts about post editing your pictures? Are y'all in favor or should they be left alone.
I edit my film photos 🤷‍♂️

Some film pourist have a hissy fit over it but in reality photographers been editing their photos in the darkroom for ages. Nothing wrong with it and generally most film scans need to be sharpened properly and sometimes have colors adjusted. I don't do too much to mine, just sometimes remove the bit of flatness. Sometimes they are really good as is but they always just need a little bit of a touch up whether or not its at the develop process or digitally.

Good luck on your film journey, take lots of photos and remember to experiment as much as you can.
 
If a light meter app works for you then by all means use it. A working meter in your hand, in your camera or on your phone are all working meters.

If I want to record info/ settings I use a little pocket notebook.

Editing wise: Dodging, burning and selecting contrast filters (or paper) when printing (darkroom) can all be considered forms of editing. There's not even a standard exposure time for printing, every print is different and to taste so I guess you can say every film photo is already edited anyway.
 
or me making the wrong shutter speed choice when I use A priority.
Hmm, if the camera was set for Aperture Priority then the shutter speed is automatically set by the camera. If you have set the correct film speed and are using A or P modes, and all the outdoor images are under-exposed ... I would blame the camera's light metering and it would need to be recalibrated.
 
Hmm, if the camera was set for Aperture Priority then the shutter speed is automatically set by the camera. If you have set the correct film speed and are using A or P modes, and all the outdoor images are under-exposed ... I would blame the camera's light metering and it would need to be recalibrated.
Yeah your right, that was a mistake what I said because I know that in A mode the shutter speed is selected for me sorry. The other mistake I made was that I meant to write that my shots were a bit over exposed and not under exposed. That’s why I wrote that the images seemed washed and colors were not vibrant. But I also read that in film, over exposed is not a bad thing. I guess there’s where post editing would come to the recuse.
If using aperture priority and light is ok, and I select an f-stop based on how much in the picture I want to be in focus, what could be a cause for the over exposure? Still think it’s an mis-calibrated meter?
Thanks.
 
C-41 print films are tolerant of over-exposure. Keep in mind, though, that hellishly wide contrast in any shot will disappoint. No clue what your issues are without some evidence. Reflective metering--whether app or in-camera--can be off by design. Incident metering--measuring light falling on--not reflected by--a subject or scene is often more consistent. Post something!
 
C-41 print films are tolerant of over-exposure. Keep in mind, though, that hellishly wide contrast in any shot will disappoint. No clue what your issues are without some evidence. Reflective metering--whether app or in-camera--can be off by design. Incident metering--measuring light falling on--not reflected by--a subject or scene is often more consistent. Post something!
Thanks for the tips. I think my issues are not being familiar with the X700 and film. I really didn’t expect my first go would be perfect images, I knew there would be a learning curve as there is with anything new. I know what I want to see in my pics and will try some things that can help. This next roll will again be experimental and probably so will be the next few. That’s ok, I will surely learn from them.
It’s just that it takes so long to see my results lol!
 
Once your meter is set up I would over expose color print film slightly to get better color saturation. I personally rate my 400 speed color print film at 320, 200 at 160 and 100 at 80. It's not much but I've done this for 40 years and my negs look great.
Of course when in doubt you can always bracket.
 
I have a Nikon F5 with MF-28 back. It can embed exposure information in between frames if you desire as well as time/date ect. Otherwise I just keep a small notepad and write it down if needed.

As mentioned above darkroom practices when developing and printing are editing just another way. It's your photo do as you see fit don't worry about what others do.
 
A few of my favorites from my first roll.

167283010035.webp
167283010034.webp
167283010036.webp
167283010027.webp
167283010022.webp
167283010014.webp
167283010010.webp
167283010005.webp
167283010015.webp
 
Well folks, I finally received my notification that my first roll of 35mm was ready for downloading. I used Millers out of Pittsburg, KS but had to wait almost 15 days for my film to arrive due to USPS delays due to bad weather.
Anyway, I was thrilled that all 36 images were useable some more so than others (will need much more practice) and there were no half picture half blanks or light streaks on any of the images. The Minolta X700 takes really great images and the results were good enough to get me excited. I need to work on sharper focusing by either steadier hand holding, higher f-stops or figure out how to best focus with or without glasses the latter has always been an issue with my photography.
If I had to say what I didn’t like the most was most of my images, if they weren’t indoors with flash, tended to be under exposed and a bit washed out looking lacking color depth. Was it the film I used, Kodak Color 200, the in camera metering of the X700, or me making the wrong shutter speed choice when I use A priority. Would the use of - exposure compensation be helpful for me or should I continue as is and see if my metering can be bettered. Should I try using a Light Meter app?
How do you folks best record your pics information like f-stop, shutter speed and zoom length when there is no info gathered like in digital? Do you walk around with a note pad recording your shots?
What are your thoughts about post editing your pictures? Are y'all in favor or should they be left alone.
I was always doing something with my digital images but it felt like it was alright and expected.
This is so much different than shooting a million nonsensical shots with my DSLR. You really have to stop and think don’t you.
All my serious work is with film - here is what has always worked for me. With any unfamiliar camera, lens, film or processing, I expose a grey card at box speed 2 stops over and 2 stops under the meter reading, in 1/3-stop increments (I shoot primarily color slide film, where 1/3 stop can make or break an image). Three stops in one-stop increments ought to suffice with negative film. You could expose any evenly-lighted object in lieu of the grey card. When processed, this clip-test will tell you how to expose that particular combination of camera, lens, film and processing, as well as the film's exposure latitude. Since you're digitising the negatives, you have images with which to practice post-processing. It's great to know what you're going to get before tripping the shutter..
 
All my serious work is with film - here is what has always worked for me. With any unfamiliar camera, lens, film or processing, I expose a grey card at box speed 2 stops over and 2 stops under the meter reading, in 1/3-stop increments (I shoot primarily color slide film, where 1/3 stop can make or break an image). Three stops in one-stop increments ought to suffice with negative film. You could expose any evenly-lighted object in lieu of the grey card. When processed, this clip-test will tell you how to expose that particular combination of camera, lens, film and processing, as well as the film's exposure latitude. Since you're digitising the negatives, you have images with which to practice post-processing. It's great to know what you're going to get before tripping the shutter..
That’s great information thank you for sharing.
Do have a link to some of your work that I can see?
 
That’s great information thank you for sharing.
Do have a link to some of your work that I can see?
As far as I know, I don't have any pictures posted anywhere online. I haven't submitted anything for publication for 25-30 years. Even if I digitised some transparencies and posted them, they would likely not look the same on anyone's monitor as the original on my light box. Plus, I have no way to prove I didn.t photoshop anything.
 

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