step wedge

[kkeller]

Hi I have ordered a stouffer 21 step wedge from freestyle and it should arrive this thursday. My question is could I, in the dark tape to step wedge directly to the film and then load it into film holder expose it remove wedge and process? Thanks.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Yes. A lot of people do it this way. I use the 31 step wedge, which is the same size as 4x5 film. You can slip it in with the film that you want to test.

[DaveAlbano]

Why would you need to load it into the camera? A flick of the light switch should expose the film if you had a darkroom. If in the camera what exposure would you use, clear unfocused Sky at Zone V? If so then would the middle of the wedge return Zone V or would Zone 1 equal 5? (and if so then underexpose 4 stops to get Zone 1 to zone 5?)

[Darren Kruger]

Why would you need to load it into the camera? A flick of the light switch should expose the film if you had a darkroom.

When you turn the light switch on, the light isn't 100% on right away. also, how accurate would you be able to control the length of time the light is on with a light switch? The camera already has a nice way to time the exposure. Plus if the aperture scale is off it just gets factored in to what you figure out for the ei of your film.

-Darren

[kkeller]

I guess I am a little bit of a control freak and would want to be able to repeat the test and I dont feel I could get consistency doing it with a light switch, that's me though. Thanks for all the replies.

[salihonba]

if you test 120 film, paste it on opening of holderhttp://lh4.ggpht.com/_gvRcWa2LHhg/SrLknMZh9yI/AAAAAAAAB5E/LjFxi9L99bA/s400/P0000768.JPG
no dark slide needed, lock holder on the body,
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_gvRcWa2LHhg/SrLkyWDQe1I/AAAAAAAAB4w/6N_1W2MxOu4/s400/P0000769.JPG
load/unload film directly by open the holder door
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_gvRcWa2LHhg/SrLlTObh6bI/AAAAAAAAB5Q/9_RvAX5nLAA/s400/P0000773.JPG
use an acrylic semi transparent plate as target, set lens on infinity, and make lens as close to plate as possible.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_gvRcWa2LHhg/SrLlYlFmUUI/AAAAAAAAB5Y/saDACTf39lE/s400/P0000774.JPG
in a sunny afternoon, the sunlight is perfect for testing, measure the plate with a spot meter, and adjust the shutter/aperture treating the plate as Zone X, shoot whole roll in one shutter/aperture setting.

[salihonba]

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_gvRcWa2LHhg/SrLsL2tEjGI/AAAAAAAAB7U/uFu9Cn6uM9w/s288/P0000313.JPG
if you are testing 4x5 film, make a dark slide with projecting film sandwitched the wedge, exactly same size of darkslide
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_gvRcWa2LHhg/SrMnQ5wdtwI/AAAAAAAAB7w/bxn2OmyiJkc/s400/P9180401.JPG
do the same procedure as 120 test mentioned about, but when you pull out the dark slide, insert the wedge slide instead, then shoot.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_gvRcWa2LHhg/SrMntJn1h_I/AAAAAAAAB74/R7_27UUOcyo/s400/P0000303.JPG

[Andrew O'Neill]

Why would you need to load it into the camera?

Exposing in the camera factors in lens flare and internal flare. You take photos with your camera, not your enlarger.