Websites with 35mm photo specs

Curt Weathersbee · Oct 20, 2016

Hey every body, this is my first post. I have a simple little Canon AE-1. I'm trying to get better photos, but trial and error gets expensive with film. I was wondering if you guys know of any websites that show photos and list the specifications of that particular photo (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, film type, what filters were used). I think it would be very helpful to see the technical aspects of a photo and what exactly they look like. It's easy to read: "For brighter colors, do this...for better contrast, do this" but I'd love to see it in a photo.

Thanks a lot

Advanced Photo · Oct 20, 2016

Find a photo you like, save it to your desktop, right click it and select properties, select the details tab, view the information if there is any saved in the file.

------OR------

Download and use Opanda Exif Viewer to see details that may not be listed in the first method.

Curt Weathersbee · Oct 20, 2016

When I take pictures, I carry a little notebook in my pocket. Whenever I take a picture, I write down the aperture, shutter speed and type of film. I would love a website that showed lots a pictures with those notes alongside the pictures.

Advanced Photo · Oct 20, 2016

The files already contain that information in them with digital photos so you don't need the paper.

I'd buy a used DSLR and learn the skills there, then go to film if you really want to shoot film. Learning is cheap on a DSLR.

480sparky · Oct 21, 2016

A notebook will be the best way to learn. You can't learn using rote memorization of other images' settings. What settings someone else used is usually not the best for your subject.

kalgra · Oct 21, 2016

I agree with sparky, however flickr has different groups probably even ones specific to the lenses you are using that will display pictures with all the setting that were used. Granted most of them will be digital but that shouldn't really matter too much especially if you take sparky's point into consideration. I'm still learning a lot my self and while I never try to apply someone else's settings to my picture sometimes it's interesting to see what others did and can give insight into trying something you might not have thought of otherwise.

If anything try to visualize what the seen might have really looked liked if you were there and what environmental challenges the shooter might have been dealing with. Then analyze the settings the shooter used and try to understand why they did what they did and what the effects the choosen settings might have had on changing the feel or mood of the seen or helped them overcome some sort of difficult shooting situation such as shooting into the sun.

But don't see a picture of a sunset you like and think you can use the same settings on your camera for a similar sunset and that they will look anything alike or that your shot will even turn out.

table1349 · Oct 21, 2016

Don't bother learning what others did for their photos, learn light. Photography is all about light. Then learn about exposure as it is the essence of capturing that light.

Penny220 · Oct 21, 2016

Use your cell phone for a test shot. It will give you the average of settings and let you know which way you wish to go. I learned the most by shooting my own test roll. Bring a notebook and take 2 different shots using the far end of aperture for one and the far end of shutter for the other. Do this for different types of compositions and ones that are part of your daily life where you can do them at different times of the day with different lighting conditions. This way you can see for yourself the results of different settings and re-visit and study them. You will never truly know what someone did manipulating their own shots, the natural light, density, composition, etc etc but you will know what you did to your own.

Dave442 · Oct 21, 2016

Welcome, You don't always have to take the picture to learn about exposure.

Take your AE-1 out and spend time metering scenes. Move the camera around and make note of the changes in the meter readings as light and dark areas are added and removed from different parts of the scene.

The film spec sheets usually have basic recommendations as well as to the settings to use, spend time comparing with what your meter gives you. Usually these tables are close to the Sunny 16 rule.

Memorize the equivalent exposures when changing the shutter speed and aperture. This will help later when you are looking for a certain depth of field or a shutter speed to control motion. For example the Sunny 16 rule may tell you to go with 1/400 second at f/16 with your ISO 400 film, but you want to use f/5.6 - what is the shutter speed you need to use to keep the same exposure?

As others mentioned, Flickr is a good source to see the settings used for photos taken with digital cameras.

vintagesnaps · Oct 21, 2016

I'd write down what you're doing as you're learning. You can learn on film. I'd practice getting meter readings (which can be done just looking thru the camera, you don't have to 'take' every picture if you're just practicing). (edit - I must have been reading Dave's mind! lol)

The ISO is determined by film speed so set the camera accordingly. I usually start out at sync speed, usually marked with a red line on the dial - 1/125 or 1/60 on some of my cameras. I usually start at f8 as a midrange aperture and adjust from there. If it's brighter out then I'll probably need to close the aperture to a smaller setting of f11 or f16; if it's not as bright I'll open it to a larger setting of f5.6 or f4. If it's sunny I'll probably need to go to a faster shutter speed like 1/1250 or 1/500. I don't like to go slower than 1/60 but it depends on if you can get a clear photo without blur if you set it slower.

The needle in the meter should show you if you're at a proper exposure. Sometimes the needle may fluctuate between two settings. You could try bracketing shots (as done with film, not HDR) as needed. For example if the needle was fluctuating and I had the camera set at 1/125 and f8, I'd take one photo at that setting, one photo at f11, and one photo at f5.6.

I do that more with B&W film to have negatives that aren't too dense and particularly not too thin (hard to get a good image from those). I have the lab 'not adjust' when they develop film and scan so I can see what I actually got. Usually a lab will adjust so bracketing with color film may not be necessary (unless you develop your own, which usually photographers didn't do in home darkrooms, but there are/were kits). Try http://www.filmphotographyproject.com .

dennybeall · Oct 21, 2016

One often overlooked source is your local public library. Even our small county library may have as many as a dozen photo books on the shelf in each branch. Due to their budget constraints many of the books are old ones that were written using film technology.