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Thread: EV range beyond five stops...

  1. #1

    EV range beyond five stops...

    In a situation where the difference between the lightest portion of a scene and the darkest where you want detail is more than five stops apart (say eight), would you consider that scene to be too contrasty to make a good image? Should a graduation filter be used to darken the sky portion; to bring the range down closer to five stops apart?

    Or do I expose at 2sec to get detail in the dark portion and then have the lab develop the neg at N-3 because the range is 8 stops between highlight and shadow?

    I have an interior scene with a light over a table. The light (chandelier) meters 1/250 and an object on the table meters 2sec at F4.

    Any recommendation/insight is appreciated.

    Thanks.

  2. #2

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    Re: EV range beyond five stops...

    What film?
    You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. ~ Mark Twain

  3. #3
    ic-racer's Avatar
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    Re: EV range beyond five stops...

    It is not to contrasty to be recorded on modern B&W film. Will it make a good image? That is up to you to determine.

  4. #4

    Re: EV range beyond five stops...

    I'm using Fuji Quickloads Velvia 100F. Daylight 100 ISO. It's all I have. I try to correct the yellowness I get in Photoshop.

    I've read that if the EV range differed by more than 5 stops between the shadowed area where detail is desired, and the highlighted area, I can expect the highlights to be blown out. What B&W film has more range? Is there a color film that also has more range?

    Thanks...

  5. #5

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    Re: EV range beyond five stops...

    Velvia is narrow compared to almost anything else.

    Provia is closer to six, Astia is close to seven.

    Color Negative films are considerably wider yet.
    You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. ~ Mark Twain

  6. #6

    Re: EV range beyond five stops...

    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Barendt View Post
    Velvia is narrow compared to almost anything else.

    Provia is closer to six, Astia is close to seven.

    Color Negative films are considerably wider yet.
    The only Quickloads I can find are the Velvia. I think I'm just going to jump in feet first and buy 4x5 sheet and load my mint condition holders that are collecting dust.

    What color film is most forgiving? The one with the widest range?

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    Re: EV range beyond five stops...

    C41 films from Kodak and Fuji are both very forgiving high latitude films.
    You can't depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. ~ Mark Twain

  8. #8
    Still Developing
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    Re: EV range beyond five stops...

    Quote Originally Posted by Carterofmars View Post
    The only Quickloads I can find are the Velvia. I think I'm just going to jump in feet first and buy 4x5 sheet and load my mint condition holders that are collecting dust.

    What color film is most forgiving? The one with the widest range?
    You should get about 19 stops of response out of Portra 400 if you include the toe and shoulder.. It handles about 12 stops quite gracefully.

    As for Velvia 100, it's the most contrasty of the colour films I know and you will be hard pushed to get 7 stops even with a drum scanner and I normally meter for 5 as my limits (knowing that textures that average at the ends of the scale will have specular brightess of about +/- 1 a stop or so). With Velvia 50 I meter for 6 stops although I've done testing where I can see a dynamic range of about 10 stops when really pushing things with a drum scanner (bracketed exposures) I can't say this for sure but I was shocked at how much is still left in the highlights when it looks almost transparency on the film.
    Still Developing at http://www.timparkin.co.uk and scanning at http://cheapdrumscanning.com

  9. #9
    Format Omnivore Brian C. Miller's Avatar
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    Re: EV range beyond five stops...

    Quote Originally Posted by Carterofmars View Post
    The only Quickloads I can find are the Velvia.
    Send an email to Glazer's Camera darkroom section, and ask about the expired Fuji tungsten film. It's ISO 64, but they have six boxes or so. It has great reciprocity for long exposures.
    "It's the way to educate your eyes. Stare. Pry, listen, eavesdrop. Die knowing something. You are not here long." - Walker Evans

  10. #10
    dperez's Avatar
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    Re: EV range beyond five stops...

    Quote Originally Posted by Carterofmars View Post
    What color film is most forgiving? The one with the widest range?
    Try Kodak Portra 160 or 400, I find that they both are pretty forgiving. Plus they both scan with excellent results. With the transparency film I would use a grad filter in your situation. Or maybe you can get away with a double exposure.

    -DP

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