Colour Balancing Advice

[Mark Woods]

Thomas, I hate to be blunt. But did you know the CT of the shot when you shot it? Do you think that using a filter that apparently you have no idea how much it will shift the CT is the magic solution -- particularly in the situation you were in? And do you know that at sunrise and sunset the CT of the sun is about 2700*K. With daylight film, that's very warm and probably the "look" that you wanted. 2700* is even warm with Tungsten film. The latitude of the negative stock is well known, but the preciseness that one needs to expose chromes indicates the skill and knowledge of the photographer.

Have a good evening.

[atlcruiser]

mark,
I went to the link on Kodak and learned a lot! It is not nearly as complicated as I thought.

Correct me if I am wrong:
When shooting outdoors with clr neg film it is really up to what i want to see as to how I might filter. The base CT should be around 5500K as a benchmark with adjustments hotter/colder from there taking account sunlight vs skylight and what CT is the goal

Outdoors with clr reversal film it is a much bigger deal to get the correct CT so on can get even exposure throughout the range of the film. I looked back on a bunch of slides and saw the blue shadows

[tgtaylor]

Thomas, I hate to be blunt. But did you know the CT of the shot when you shot it? Do you think that using a filter that apparently you have no idea how much it will shift the CT is the magic solution -- particularly in the situation you were in? And do you know that at sunrise and sunset the CT of the sun is about 2700*K. With daylight film, that's very warm and probably the "look" that you wanted. 2700* is even warm with Tungsten film. The latitude of the negative stock is well known, but the preciseness that one needs to expose chromes indicates the skill and knowledge of the photographer.

Have a good evening.

That's precisely my point Mark. At the time I didn't really know how to use filters. Back then I, like a lot of photographers, routinely shot with a polarizer on the lens thinking that it would result in beautiful blue skies and pop the colors which, of course, it does do on the right occasion.

Now I'm wiser and prefer lighter blue skies and know that the polarizer will also extinguish the colors and only use the warming filters if I want to bring a harsh light down to a warmer realm or if shooting in an open shade. But I have stopped shooting transparencies and now shoot color negative so I don't have to reach for the warming filters as I would have to with chromes. You have far greater control and latitude when shooting color negative than you do when shooting transparencies. Note the Kodak's footnote "* For best results without special printing. taken from the date sheet on the new Porta 160 film:

Use the speed numbers in the tables below with cameras
or meters marked for ISO, ASA, or DIN speeds or exposure
indexes (EIs). Do not change the film-speed setting when
metering through a filter. Metering through filters may
affect light meter accuracy; see your meter or camera
manual for specific information. For critical work, make a
series of test exposures.

Light Source
KODAK
WRATTEN
Gelatin Filter*
ISO Speed
Daylight or Electronic Flash None 160
Photolamp (3400 K) No. 80B 50
Tungsten (3200 K) No. 80A 40
* For best results without special printing.

Thomas

[Mark Woods]

Hello Thomas, in motion picture work it's all color negative and I'm well acquainted with it. I understand the latitude, but to get the optimum image, one needs to make the optimum exposure and CT balance. BTW, polarizers will often make the colors more saturate since they can remove any reflection of light that will desaturate the color. They can also make the skin look unnatural since there won't be any sheen as we see every day. If you want to look at the basis of my approach here's a link I wrote for the Camera Guild (cameraman's local union LA Chapter):

https://www.cameraguild.com/member-r...st-curves.aspx

Enjoy!

BTW, the "special printing" can cause you a world of hurt as Helen mentioned.

[Mark Woods]

Hello David, I'm happy I could help. The Kodak website is really a wealth of information.

[Drew Wiley]

If you want to get the most out of color neg film, expose it with as much care as a chrome. Winging the exposure of balance based on "latititude" simply results in some kind of compromise and not an optimization of what the film in engineered to do. If you can't afford to buy a color temp meter, rent or borrow one for a weekend and take a variety of typical readings. I particularly like the Minolta color meter. The learning curve with chrome film is obviously easier, not only because it is less forgiving
of carelessness, but because you can simply plop the result down on a lightbox and
evaluate what you got without having to print it.

[SeanEsopenko]

If you want to get the most out of color neg film, expose it with as much care as a chrome. Winging the exposure of balance based on "latititude" simply results in some kind of compromise and not an optimization of what the film in engineered to do. If you can't afford to buy a color temp meter, rent or borrow one for a weekend and take a variety of typical readings. I particularly like the Minolta color meter.

Yeah I got into the extra work/expense of large format photography to set myself apart from people who are shooting digitally. If there's something I can do, technique wise, to set myself apart even further, all the better .

Seems like a Minolta Color Meter II can be had for about $300 on ebay. Much less than the $1000+ I saw for a color meter brand new from B&H. I should be able to outfit myself completely for shooting & printing colour negative film by the end of the year though, so it's all good.

I don't know anybody local to me who has a color meter I could borrow but I'll ask around.

[atlcruiser]

I dont want to hijack but......

What do i need to do when using a polorizing filter? If i am thinking about this correctly the P filter wont change the temp of the light but will it change how my CC filter reacts to the light?