white balance

[ygb]

ok, sorry, you might have to deal with me here for a while
I was just looking at the film and it was marked as "daylight balanced". I didn't have a chance to even think about this part yet, but now that I stumbled on it, what will I do if I am shooting in the shade? How do I accomplish proper white balance with film?

 

[480sparky]

Color-correction filters.

 

[compur]

White balance is a digital photo term.

Daylight balance and tungsten balance are film photo terms that relate to the color temperature of the light source. If you are shooting daylight balanced color negative film in daylight then you don't need to worry much about color balance when shooting. In such a case slight color shifts should be corrected during printing/scanning. If shooting positive daylight film in shade then you might want to use a warming filter as outdoor shade tends to be cool (bluish). But, unless you plan to project your slides, this can still be easily corrected during or after scanning.

The main issues happen when you try to shoot tungsten balanced film in daylight or daylight balanced film under tungsten lights. Then you'd best use an appropriate correction filter or, better yet, use the correct film that matches your light source.

 

[vintagesnaps]

I've been shooting film for years, you should be able to use standard film in most conditions. I agree, tungsten or other oddball lighting (like mercury vapor in an old arena) might be when you could have an issue. Otherwise, I'd just go have fun with it.

 

[480sparky]

The shade is lighted with the same color of light as the brightly-lit sunny areas (the sun), just less of it, so the film is balanced for shade as well. Of course, your exposure will be different in the shade.

Actually, no. It's lit entirely by the blue sky, not by the bright yellow sun. This is why many shadows in color images have a blue tint.

 

[Designer]

The shade is lighted with the same color of light as the brightly-lit sunny areas (the sun), just less of it, so the film is balanced for shade as well. Of course, your exposure will be different in the shade.

Actually, no. It's lit entirely by the blue sky, not by the bright yellow sun. This is why many shadows in color images have a blue tint.

O.K., I'm wrong. So how do we answer his question?

 

[Designer]

I remember owning some filters for B&W, and one particular color transparency film specified a light salmon filter, but I never bought one.

I just went on ahead and shot wherever with whatever film I had at the time.

 

[480sparky]

.........So how do we answer his question?

A color-correction filter would be the best, from a purely technical point. But color film 'balanced' for 5500K can still be adjusted for a wide variety of color temps and can be adjusted either in the lab or in post if the negatives are scanned correctly. Only when you start getting quite a ways down the K scale will you truly need to take steps for in-camera correction. This means, artificial lighting etc.

 

[christopher walrath]

Damn. Another one using film.

Hey, the more the merrier.

I would just have it. Daylight balanced films are best for outdoor/natural light/flash-strobe photography. Tht will, in all likelihood, be the lion's share of what you will be shooting.

 

[ygb]

Thank you everyone very much! I am feeling a bit overwhelmed with this and trying to split this into smaller steps, starting from easy just film and nothing else. I am having hard enough time focusing the camera
I don't have much experience with film. I tried using old soviet range finder camera during my teen years and results were disastrous. I didnt have the light meter the processing and printing was fun even that I hardly ever got exposure right. Then later in early 2000s my husband got himself a canon rebel and I used it a little, but I don't think I ever took it off the auto. maybe I played with Av and Tv modes some, but I sure never even thought about color corrective filters.
After shooting digital for a couple of years, and especially after I start doing black and white conversions, I learned a few things. I know that black and white conversion without any filter or doge/burn will look very flat. As well as the skin tones will look really off if I shoot in the shade with daylight white balance. I don't think I will ever attempt to print color photos at home, so I want to try to get it the best I can during shooting process, rather than post process. I got myself a photo enlarger on ebay ( couldn't resist) and I am looking forward trying to do black and white prints at home, though.
I loaded my very first roll of film into the camera and this one will go into the lab. I want to make sure that if something is off I will know its my shooting skills and not my processing skills. I don't really know for sure that the camera works as expected even. If the first roll comes out usable, then I will try to get a couple of filters and try to see how I can color correct for diff light situations.
I also ordered a few rolls of black and white film and red and orange filters to start with and I cant wait to try it.
I sure hope the camera works, or I'll be too disappointed:-(

 

[christopher walrath]

I really think you need to forget about 'balance' and other junk for now. These are the things you sound like you need to concentrate on for now.

First, learn how to control exposure on camera.
1. Shutter speed: what it is and what effect is can have on the photograph.
2. Aperture: what it is and how it can effect the photography.
3. Law of Reciprocity. This will explain the relation between shutter speed and your aperture settings.

Next, learn how to process film.
1. Practice loading a sacrificed roll of film in the daylight so that you are familiar with it. Then try to do so in the dark.
2. Learn what chemicals you need (Developer, stop bath, fixer, water rinse and wetting agent), how to mix them and what they do to the film.
3. Make sure you have the gear you will need in order to mix the chemistry and to process your film.
a. developer
b. stop bath
c. fixer
d. (optional) wetting agent
e. can opener (church key style)
f. scissors
g. graduated cylinder (300mL)
h. developing tank and spools for your film format
i. either a dark room or a changing bag. A dark room does not need to be a darkroom, just a room you can enter and make light-tight to protect the film.
j. 1- 16 oz bottle for each chemical.
k. a string and wooden paper clips you can use to hang your finished film, one clip to hold it to the string and one to place on the bottom to hold it straight down.
l. a thermometer to ensure your chemistry is the temperature it needs to be.

4. Do it. The sooner the better. There is NOTHING at all to be intimidated by. It is really easy and fun. And when you pull that spool from the tank for the first time it is the most rewarding thing you will have done photographically to this point. You will wonder why you waited so long.

Do not hesitate to ask questions of us. We are here to help.

 

[ygb]

I really think you need to forget about 'balance' and other junk for now.

Do not hesitate to ask questions of us. We are here to help.

I agree. Thank you!
and I do have lots of questions