newbie needs help with figuring out fstops and shutter speeds

Eladore · Jan 23, 2005

Ok, so I read all these guides about how to work a 35mm SLR camera, which I now own. Everything I read about it says that you can get equivalent exposures from doubling aperature and halving shutter speed, smaller aperature = greater DOF, stuff like that. The problem is, I have no solid bench marks. I know how to change settings, but I don't know the starting point from which to change them, if that makes any sense.

Here's my specific scenario:
I want to take landscape shots today. The sky is overcast, there is a TON of snow, I have a tripod, and I have ISO 100 film. So, what settings should I use for fstop and shutter speed to get the crispest shots? The lense goes up to f22.

Hertz van Rental · Jan 23, 2005

Get a light meter and all will be revealed....
Or try 1/125th at f8 and bracket

Eladore · Jan 23, 2005

Hertz van Rental said:
Get a light meter and all will be revealed....
Or try 1/125th at f8 and bracket

But light meters are so expensive...

Ok, found out what bracketing is. How will I know if something worked before I develop the film?
What about like...1/30 at f16? Is that viable?

Unimaxium · Jan 23, 2005

So your camera doesn't have a built-in light meter?
To answer your last question, bracketing is basically where you try to figure out what exposure would work best, and then take one (or more) shot each over and under the exposure you figured out. So basically, yeah it is kind of like trial and error. All you're doing is trying a bunch of different exposures so that eventually you're more likely to get one that is good.

ferny · Jan 23, 2005

If you camera doesn't have a light meter then I'd suggest you buy one. Even if they're expensive you'll spend so much money on wasted film it'd pay for itself.

Eladore · Jan 23, 2005

Unimaxium said:
So your camera doesn't have a built-in light meter?
To answer your last question, bracketing is basically where you try to figure out what exposure would work best, and then take one (or more) shot each over and under the exposure you figured out. So basically, yeah it is kind of like trial and error. All you're doing is trying a bunch of different exposures so that eventually you're more likely to get one that is good.

Yeah, yeah it does. I just dug up the manual, and it tells me how it works, but not anything in the way of setting it up. I assume it need batteries, but the manual mentions nothing about them. I know, I sound like an idiot, but how the hell do I get the light meter working? Is there a standard battery size for these things? What?

(promaster pk2500, if that helps)

Magoo · Jan 23, 2005

on page 6 of the manual it explains what batteries to use and on page 14 it shows how to use the meter. http://www.promaster.com/books/Instructionmanuals/pk2500.pdf
The explaination that they use for the meter leaves much to be desired. A normal meter will show you if you are 1 stop, .5 stops or .25 stops off but in the manual it shows a little over/under and over/under. If you are looking at getting into photography, it doesn't have to be done with alot of money. Metering your pictures is extremely important to get proper exposure. If you go to KEH.com you can get some pretty good used stuff. Also, they have used cameras there, lenses and such.

Magoo