Advice for exposing Ektachrome?

[Riverman]

I've picked up some E100G in 4x5. I've only ever shot it in 35mm, using matrix metering. I have little to no experience of exposing slide film in 4x5 (I mostly shoot C41 in LF) and wondered if anyone has any tips?

I was thinking that as far as the situation permits I should incident meter the scene. If I have to use reflective metering, I guess I meter the brightest spot of the scene and then open up my lens by about one and a third stops?

[vinny]

Meter with your 35mm camera and use a spotmeter to compare readings. Matrix metering is hard to beat. I don't and wouldn't recommend an incident meter unless your in overcast light where everything has similar light on it.

Your 2nd point- no. Open up more than that for clouds, snow, highlights, at least I do.
Spot metering is the way to go if you want properly exposed film every time.

[Drew Wiley]

The film per se is very similar in both the sheet version and 35mm, but using a 35mm
camera to meter with can sometimes give misleading results due to the differences
between the lightpath in one of these cameras and a view camera per se. I too would
recommend acquiring a spotmeter and learning to use it.

[Daniel Stone]

spot meters are cheap these days. well, good ones can be. if you're careful. read up here and on apug, there's lots of models out there. pentax(digital and analog), minolta, and sekonic(which I have) are all excellent choices.

doesn't have to be a 1deg, a 3-5deg is fine for starting out.

of course a 1deg doesn't hurt though ;). reads a smaller, more pointed source of light.

-Dan

[Nathan Potter]

Well, there's nothing like calibrating your film ahead of time. But I spot meter for the fine highlight detail I desire on film then open the aperture about 2 stops, sometimes only 1.5 stops. The difference depends on how well delineated the highlight values are.
If you can't manage the brightness range take two exposures separated by perhaps 4 f/stops and combine the two in photoshop.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Riverman]

Cheers for the responses. I have a spot meter - I'm just more used to pointing it at the shadows rather than highlights. I have thought about using my 35mm camera as a meter when shooting the same film in both but have never tried. I realise I'm winging it a bit, not running a film test. Oh well - I'll keep my fingers crossed for easy light!