noob question

[coops]

Hello all. I am new to lf so sorry in advance if this question is dumb. Took my Tach 4x5 out for the first time this weekend and left the dslr at home. I took a shot of a scene that I though f 22 was the appropriate aperture. I metered the scene and a shutter speed of 20th of a sec was the needed. My options were of course 15th and 30th.
What would you do here? Wait for the light to change? Shoot at 15th coz it's pretty close? or shoot at 30th and open the aperture up a 1/3 of a stop? Or something else?
I was using a 150mm 5.6 and shooting velvia 100.
Cheers

[Gordon Moat]

Depends upon whether or not your shutter is somewhat close to accurate. This is something you can test in a few ways, and then plan accordingly. If you are shooting transparency film, then being within 1/3 stop should be okay in many situations, though being spot-on would be better.

Usually given a reading between shutter speed settings, I would simply move the aperture to compensate. Many modern view camera lenses are variable aperture, so setting between stops is not a problem.

You also could have shot two or three sheets of film. Do slightly over-exposed, then slightly under-exposed, and last one dead on . . . or what you might think is dead on. Then after processing you could decide which made the more compelling image. Some subjects/scenes seem better with a little less, or a little more, exposure.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography (http://www.gordonmoat.com)

[Dan Fromm]

f/22 @ 1/20 = f/25 @ 1/15 = f/18 @ 1/30

Shutter speeds change in discrete steps. Aperture changes continuously. f/25 is near enough to midway between f/22 and f/28. f/18 is near enough to midway between f/16 and f/22. Gotta be flexible, especially when shooting reversal film.

If you thought f/22 was right, which of f/28 and f/18 was the worse compromise with reality?

[Brian Ellis]

Between your shutter speeds being slightly off anyhow, your meter probably not being perfect, your metering technique being a guess to some extent, the EI for the film probably not being spot on for the lighting in the scene you were photographing, the light changing a little between the time you metered and the time you made the exposure, the possibilty that your lab will process the film real early or real late in the day, and numerous other variables inherent in the use of mechanical and electronic equipment and in the processing of film, it's unlikely that everything was going to be 100% perfect anyhow. You probably stood as good a chance of 1/15 or 1/30 at f22 turning out to be "right" as you did of 1/20 at f22 being "right."

LF photography seems to attract people who are a little compulsive. It's a trait many of us have to fight. When I'm worrying about something like this I try to tell myself "just make the damn photograph," and if it's a really great photograph then I'd bracket or make one photograph and then see if the light might change so that I could use the "right" shutter speed for a second one or I'd make a slight eyeball adjustment to the aperture to get the approximate equivalent of 1/20 at f22 per Dan's discussion above. But I'd get that first photograph on film even if things aren't ideal, then worry about perfection later. I've lost too many photographs to changing light and similar stuff while I fiddled around waiting for things to be exactly the way I wanted them.

[coops]

Great responses, I will consider them all carefully next time I take the camera out.
Cheers

[Narcissist]

I'd probably just shoot stop down 1/3 of a stop to F/22 1/3 if I'd do anything at all. Control to within 1/3 of a stop is small enough to be within the realm of 'experimental error'.

[rippo]

LF photography seems to attract people who are a little compulsive. It's a trait many of us have to fight.

you have nailed it on the head there, brian. i have a sudden deeper understanding of some of the posts around here. :)