Many questions.

[vintagecam94]

So I am new to photography and I thought i knew what i needed to know in order to get decent prints based on what i had read that had already been posted on here. but i haven't had much luck.... at least not as much as I would like, so i have a few questions. Please answer as many as you can.

1.) Does the shutter speed and ISO have to match? Is there a specific relation they have to have to one another for success, or are they completely independent of the other?

2.) I have heard that heat can affect the film. Is this true? I live in Texas, so heat is an easy problem that could occur. Should i moniter the film more carefully to avoid the heat?

3.) The cameras I am having trouble with are both old Canons (AE-1 and FX). Are there any known problems with these cameras, suchas the shutters, as they get older that could affect the pictures if the cameras are not checked out?

4.) I know this sounds silly and amature-ish but, what exactly is the ISO?

5.) What other errors could occur for film to turn out blank?

I am beggining to get discouraged with the photography endeavor because I am continuously getting at least some blank pictures. Often times, some of the roll will develoup, but other pictures will be blanks, normally pictures at the beggining of the roll. All i have worked with thus far is Canons. My boyfriend and I have a 22 camera collection, but i just haven't tried anything else yet.

Any help at all with this problem would be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[ajkramer87]

I cant answer your film questions but I would suggest picking up a copy of understanding exposure by Brian Peterson. Check out this video to understand more about the exposure triangle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th1rXjmyVPs

 

[dxqcanada]

If you are encountering some frames on a roll that are blank (frame on negative is clear) then that would indicate extreme under exposure.
If the shutter speed/aperture/meter is working correctly and you have set the correct settings ... then it could be that the shutter is intermittently not opening.

ISO setting on camera is set to the ISO of the Film.

The Canon AE-1 has through the lens metering. Light meter scale in viewfinder.
The Canon FX has a reflective light meter built into the left side of the camera. Light meter scale beside rewind knob.

How are you using the exposure information that both camera's provide ?

 

[vintagecam94]

I have never changed the settings on the camera based on what film is in it. I have used the same film for many different subjects and lighting circumstances, and changing the shutter speed all the while. I have seen the meter in the viewfinder of the AE-1, but again, didn't know what it meant, and kept shooting the pictures anyway. I guess my main issue is not matching the ISO to the subject and lighting i am using. I guess its time to look into more types of film iso.


That video was also really helpful.

So, let me get this clear. Since I am using all film and the iso is not changeable within each roll, i need to make sure that all the lighting for each roll is the same? Also, what ISO is better for indoor lighting vs. outdoor lighting? Could i use an ISO outside then move inside and use the same sio but add a flash to my camera and get good results?

 

[dxqcanada]

OK, so you are not that experienced with using a manual exposure controlled camera.

I really suggest reading the manual for the camera and also about understanding exposure.

Canon AE-1 instruction manual, user manual, PDF manual, free manuals
Canon FX instruction manual, user manual, PDF manual, free manuals

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...rum-photo-gallery/123160-tutorial-thread.html

 

[dxqcanada]

Exposure of the film is based on two mechanisms that you control;

Lens Aperture
Camera Shutter Speed.

The light meter provides you with an exposure that it calculates based on the ISO set in the camera and the amount of light it reads.

Both aperture and shutter speed have different properties that will affect how the image will turn out.

Read the tutorials ... as there is too much information and one post will not explain everything.

 

[Jan Matis]

So I am new to photography and I thought i knew what i needed to know in order to get decent prints based on what i had read that had already been posted on here. but i haven't had much luck.... at least not as much as I would like, so i have a few questions. Please answer as many as you can.

1.) Does the shutter speed and ISO have to match? Is there a specific relation they have to have to one another for success, or are they completely independent of the other?

it is actually a triangle - ISO ----- shutter speed ----- apperture ( e.g if you have high iso number and wide open apperture, you can have fast speed )

2.) I have heard that heat can affect the film. Is this true? I live in Texas, so heat is an easy problem that could occur. Should i moniter the film more carefully to avoid the heat?

yes. I used to keep unexposed films in fridge. (not an issue since I started using digital cameras

4.) I know this sounds silly and amature-ish but, what exactly is the ISO?

it is basically sensitivity (of either film or digital sensor ) - in film world you buy film with some iso number, in digital you can change iso for every picture you are going to take

5.) What other errors could occur for film to turn out blank?

3 things springs in mind:
1st : bad film ( if you buy new films from shop then ignore )
2nd : broken cameras ( take film out, leave camera open, set sutter speed to something slow (say 1 second ) , press shutter button and watch first and second curtain (1st up, 1 second wait - that is the sutter speed, second up and then both down ), in essence you should see through the camera and lens for that second (exactly as film gets exposed ))
3rd : you are doing something wrong: do you set iso on camera to match the one written on film (or for that matter do you take that into accound when calculating apperture and shutter speed ) ? ( i do not know your cameras but I used to forget to do it quite often when I was beginer )

I am beggining to get discouraged with the photography endeavor because I am continuously getting at least some blank pictures. Often times, some of the roll will develoup, but other pictures will be blanks, normally pictures at the beggining of the roll. All i have worked with thus far is Canons. My boyfriend and I have a 22 camera collection, but i just haven't tried anything else yet.

if you get some pictures ok and some bad then it as well can be lens cap for that particuler frame (that used to also be my favourite on one camera that had separate viewfinder )

 

[vintagecam94]

Alright what about film that has already been used and is waiting to be develouped? I was stupid and left film in mycar, in Texas, in June. I was hoping that may be partly why no pictures from either of those rolls exposed

 

[ann]

It will depend on how long it was in the car. Consumer film has made for more "abuse" than say Pro film.

I sounds as if your shutter may be acting up if you get some images and then nothing but clear film. Take it to your camera dealer and have them check it out, ask for an estimate for repair. That way, you can decide if something needs to be fix if it would be better to repair, or just find another camera.

 

[dxqcanada]

Colour film left in heat for very long periods of time may have colour shifting, but it would not cause blank exposures in some frames.

 

[dxqcanada]

To check shutter mechanism.
Place camera in manual exposure.

Put lens aperture wide open.

Open camera back.
Set fastest speed.
Wind and trip shutter.
Watch shutter open and close.

Step down shutter speed and continue.

To check aperture.
Place shutter speed on Bulb
Set smallest aperture.
Wind and trip shutter ... hold shutter button down
View though back of camera.
Change to next smaller aperture.

 

[Josh66]

Alright what about film that has already been used and is waiting to be develouped? I was stupid and left film in mycar, in Texas, in June. I was hoping that may be partly why no pictures from either of those rolls exposed

Most likely, it's fine.

I know all about the heat issue - I'm in Texas too... But, film is a lot tougher than most people would have you believe.

Yes, heat can damage it, but I'm not talking about leaving it in the car while you go shopping or something. If it was in that heat for like a month, then I might start to worry. Even then, it would probably be mostly OK though. You might get a few bad frames, or some weird color shifts - but in general, it's pretty tough. It can take more than you can.


I once developed a roll that was in the glove box of my truck for over a year... Yeah, some of it was pretty messed up, but it was still usable.



Anyway - there's only one way to find out. Develop it and see what it looks like.

 

[RRYANSMITHH]

Alright what about film that has already been used and is waiting to be develouped? I was stupid and left film in mycar, in Texas, in June. I was hoping that may be partly why no pictures from either of those rolls exposed

Anyway - there's only one way to find out. Develop it and see what it looks like.

&who knows, something fairly interesting may come of it.

 

[vintagecam94]

So having the shutter and aperture set incorrectly could either allow too much light or not enough light that would cause the film to appear blank, correct?

 

[ann]

to appear blank, unlikely, that is more ; nothing is happening. Even when set incorrectly, once light hits the film, it changes. Maybe too light, or too dark, but not blank.