Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 15

Thread: Strobes, Lighting, Metering, and Digital 'Polaroids'

  1. #1

    Strobes, Lighting, Metering, and Digital 'Polaroids'

    Hello,

    I recently shifted to using Broncolor strobes for my indoor work.

    I wanted to ask two things:

    1. Using a flash meter and measuring light, how do you go about dictating the aperture of your images given that meter readings usually dictate aperture values?

    2. Has anybody used DSLRs or modern digital cameras as their polaroids for LF work? Can this work? If so, how do you go about in-camera readings (digital) and translating them into LF cameras (of course including filter factors, bellows, etc).



    Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

  2. #2
    ic-racer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Posts
    6,736

    Re: Strobes, Lighting, Metering, and Digital 'Polaroids'

    1. Using a flash meter and measuring light, how do you go about dictating the aperture of your images given that meter readings usually dictate aperture values?
    Move the lights forward or back or adjust intensity of the lights as needed by adjusting their duration, wattage or adding neutral density to the light path.

    2. Has anybody used DSLRs or modern digital cameras as their polaroids for LF work? Can this work? If so, how do you go about in-camera readings (digital) and translating them into LF cameras (of course including filter factors, bellows, etc).
    If one can shoot digital and output a print to check, I'd wonder why then bother with the time-consuming complexity and uncertainty of film? Isn't digital better in the first place?

  3. #3
    John Olsen
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Madison, WI
    Posts
    1,096

    Re: Strobes, Lighting, Metering, and Digital 'Polaroids'

    I think this has been discussed here before. Take a search through the older threads for more info.
    In short, the digital camera can replace the Polaroid step in setting up lights, especially if you set the ISO on the camera to match your LF film. You can definitely get the lights set with respect to each other and the ambient.
    More caution is needed in testing for the total exposure. Your digital camera display may exaggerate the brightness of the scene, leading you to underexpose your LF film. I set the display on my digi-cam at "-1" and that helps moderate the test image. On your camera it may be different and require learning by trying and taking enough notes so you can figure out the correction.
    As for the flash meter, you can use it to make the first guess for the digital camera, but then just use the camera to fine tune the lighting.

  4. #4

    Re: Strobes, Lighting, Metering, and Digital 'Polaroids'

    Thanks will do a search for old threads.

    What digital camera do you use if you don't mind me asking?

    Also, do you find a big difference in exposure values when plugging in digital camera values into the LF camera? of course adding necessary factors etc.

    Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

  5. #5
    Tin Can's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    22,383

    Re: Strobes, Lighting, Metering, and Digital 'Polaroids'

    Yes they can correlate

    But in practice I no longer try to shoot both Digi and film especially in studio with sitters

    Ideal ASA for my Digi and films can vary, as can aperture, shutter speed and format

    I have a plastic mannequin aka Plastica; for setting lighting before a human arrives on set and the pressure rises

    Lighting ratios will be the same, maybe...but light output often has to go up for film

    I like to shoot people as they move, requiring quick reset strobes, I usually beat the reset and end up with a few dark frames, but can shoot 100 Digi quicker than 4 sheets of LF film

    Film portraits I try to limit to 4 sheets

    Now for 8 months my studio is forlorn, maybe in 12 more months...

    Wear your mask
    Tin Can

  6. #6
    John Olsen
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Madison, WI
    Posts
    1,096

    Re: Strobes, Lighting, Metering, and Digital 'Polaroids'

    Quote Originally Posted by jurgenestanislao View Post
    Thanks will do a search for old threads.

    What digital camera do you use if you don't mind me asking?

    Also, do you find a big difference in exposure values when plugging in digital camera values into the LF camera? of course adding necessary factors etc.

    Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk
    I'm using my venerable Nikon D90 for setting the lights. I have found an additional half stop of light is usually needed to get my best TriX exposure (after making whatever ISO and filter corrections are necessary). Film is cheap, so don't be ashamed to bracket in order to be sure of a good result. The big errors come from viewing the digital camera display in low light versus daylight, because in the dark the digital display looks more brilliant than it really is.

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Feb 2021
    Posts
    48

    Re: Strobes, Lighting, Metering, and Digital 'Polaroids'

    I use a digital camera to check my exposure, especially good with complex situations like mixed ambient, continuous, and strobe lighting.

    -- Be sure not to judge the brightness by its appearance on the screen, but use the histogram, and make sure you're using the space to the right in the histogram, but without a lot of highlight clipping.

    -- Use the same ISO settings, time and aperture as you will on the view camera.

    -- Then on the view camera, correct your exposure for filters, bellows extension, and reciprocity.

    -- If in doubt, 1 more stop brighter of exposure probably won't be harmful.

  8. #8
    Pieter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Posts
    939

    Re: Strobes, Lighting, Metering, and Digital 'Polaroids'

    I use a digital camera to check the lighting, a flash meter for the exposure.

  9. #9
    Exploring Large Format Exploring Large Format's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Location
    Seattle, WA
    Posts
    147

    Re: Strobes, Lighting, Metering, and Digital 'Polaroids'

    Quote Originally Posted by Pieter View Post
    I use a digital camera to check the lighting, a flash meter for the exposure.
    This is where I'm hoping the Lomo Graflok Instax 4x5 Back will come in exactly as you say: to check lighting expresdion generally. Then meter for exposure. Hoping.

    Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

  10. #10
    Tin Can's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    22,383

    Re: Strobes, Lighting, Metering, and Digital 'Polaroids'

    I use any trick I can think of

    I shoot primarily in my studio with lamps and/or strobes

    I match my DSLR lens focal length to my LF FL for same field of view

    Then shoot a DSLR test as close as possible to the LF taking lens ........very close

    but never forget to add a LF bellows factor to your DSLR numbers

    and most DSLR don't have f64

    and no DSLR will exactly match LF depth of view aka focus aka field except sometimes

    as my Darkroom is next to studio, sometimes I have ready to use trays with chems for very fast tests full size

    X-Ray is good for that

    Too
    Tin Can

Similar Threads

  1. Strobes vs Continuous Lighting with MF and LF?
    By m00dawg in forum Lighting Techniques - Studio, Artificial
    Replies: 58
    Last Post: 27-Nov-2019, 19:05
  2. Portrait lighting without strobes
    By dikaiosune01 in forum Style & Technique
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 4-Apr-2011, 12:19
  3. metering for theater lighting
    By david clark in forum Darkroom: Film, Processing & Printing
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 5-Nov-2001, 10:19
  4. What About Studio Lighting, Strobes, Etc.
    By Clark King in forum Style & Technique
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: 22-Oct-2001, 21:29

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •