Light meter suggestions?

[Alan Klein]

By the way, my understanding of the 255 is the histogram is that it represents 256 shades of gray from pure black - 0 to pure white - 255, similar to the Zone system which is divided into eleven zones of gray. 0-10.

So the question at hand is will the film clip at 255 or at some point lower than that? If it clips lower, than the histogram and blinkies won't alert you to the clipping situation except in a rough way. I can change the range to 0-10 to 245-255. Could this be the adjustment needed to match the digital camera histogram and blinkies to the chrome film's parameters? It so far seems the only way to determine is to shoot off a roll of 35mm chrome film at different settings to see what shows. Then adjust the settings in the histogram as well to see the difference.

[jnantz]

no matter what meter you use, if you have no idea how to properly use it, your pictures will still be crap.

the meter doesnt make better photos nor will the most expensive camera on the market. it all boils down to experiance n lots of experimentation.

well said!

[Bernice Loui]

This has gone back to the belief of the most current-modern technology can solve the basic problem and requirement that demands a fixed-given understanding of chemistry based photographic materials..

As with any item of tech, using the tech properly and FULLY understanding how it works relative to the problem it is intended to address is required. Or, any techno-widget will never be a "do-it-all-for-you" solution.. Acceptance of this reality and fact goes a very long ways to properly addressing the problem and need.. in ways no techno widget can achieve on it's own.


Technology is not always the proper solution to any given need-problem,
Bernice

[xkaes]

You mean we don't need auto-focusing, auto-exposing large format cameras after all?

[Bernice Loui]

Already plenty-O-cameras that do this..
Question is, when will these techno-wizz-Wow cameras produce emotionally expressive images all on their own_?_

No humanoid involvement required,
Bernice

You mean we don't need auto-focusing, auto-exposure large format cameras after all?

[jnantz]

Already plenty-O-cameras that do this..
Question is, when will these techno-wizz-Wow cameras produce emotionally expressive images all on their own_?_

No humanoid involvement required,
Bernice

people have been relying on meters since extinction meters were introduced .. not many people who shoot "LF" do without a meter ...
pretty much the same thing.. as "techno wizz wow". people use meters to read the light instead of reading the light

[Alan Klein]

This has gone back to the belief of the most current-modern technology can solve the basic problem and requirement that demands a fixed-given understanding of chemistry based photographic materials..

As with any item of tech, using the tech properly and FULLY understanding how it works relative to the problem it is intended to address is required. Or, any techno-widget will never be a "do-it-all-for-you" solution.. Acceptance of this reality and fact goes a very long ways to properly addressing the problem and need.. in ways no techno widget can achieve on it's own.


Technology is not always the proper solution to any given need-problem,
Bernice

How do you meter when shooting chromes?

[mpaniagua18]

I believe that tech like autofocus/autoexposure are helpful in the way they give you more time to focus on the framing and composing.

You could do framing and composing without the tech and get good images (probably a bit under/over exposed).

If you rely only on the tech and dont create a good composing, you will get focused, correctly exposed images that most likely would be crappy.


Technology is there to be used, not for technology to use you (or your photos). And yeah, autofocus/autoexposing LF cameras would be great

[Bernice Loui]

Been decades since any "chrome" ala color transparency film has been used_exposed. This is due to the question of why and how would a color transparency result in a color print.. when the once excellent fully photo-chemical print process and materials are long gone?

Need for color transparency film is driven by need, this included lighting ratios combined with contrast ratios (f-stop range). Again, given the way color images has changed much today.. IMO, color transparency film images are a why.

Getting back to metering for exposure of chromes ala color transparencies, know the majority of color transparency images made decades ago was done using studio strobe/flash. This allows precise control of lighting. Exposure metering is done by high quality flash meter.




Yes, its B&W, discipline of proper exposure remains and completely applies in the same way as for color transparencies ala chromes.


Or Broncolor flash meter with Sinar behind the GG probe.


Outdoor images made with color transparency film has two basic requirements, contrast ratios cannot be excessive (overcast highly diffused light or bright sun, no shade). Spot meter (Minolta spot F) is used to determine dark-bright areas relative to 18% gray calibration of the spot meter. Key here is contrast ratio. If the contrast ratio is excessive, color negative film will do far better than color transparency film due to it's ability to accept a larger contrast ratio.

As for how much f-stop ala contrast ratio is possible for color transparency film.. about 4 f-stop bottom to top, actual usable about 2 f-stops with about 1/3 f-stop tolerance.. if the goal is to retain the color balance designed into the color transparency film... As noted in this Sinar info.. Zilch has changed from decades ago.


https://www.pacificrimcamera.com/rl/01388/01388.pdf

Fujifilm Provia 100 datasheet, note characteristic curve# 18 on this data sheet.
https://asset.fujifilm.com/master/em...tasheet_01.pdf

Respect and observe the technical info in these manufacture publications. Understand then well and proper, then they can be applied as needed, as designed or in controlled creative ways (know the rules before busting them).
None of this is overly difficult or complex, it is much about understanding and respecting the baked in/designed in limits of color transparency film and how best to apply then in real world image making.

Oh, don't get overly "sucked in" to the eye appeal of transmitted color color transparency film offers.. Getting sucked in is easy, not getting stuck is more difficult.


Stopped doing any rising-setting sun landscapes many decades ago.. not my "thing"... Same with color transparency film landscapes.

These days, it is digital for color, B&W on film as it simply produces a IMO, better result than digital in too many ways. Plus the ability of a view camera to fully apply camera movements as needed and choices of lenses not available on modern digital gives reasons to continue making B&W images in film.


Bernice

How do you meter when shooting chromes?

[jnantz]

How do you meter when shooting chromes?

last chromes I shot were all velvia in a graflex slr all sunny 11, before that fujichrome in a Leica same thing ..
it's not really hard, more people should pay attention to the light and not rely on mechanism that might get them too involved
with making endless readings and miss whatever it was they were photographing to begin with. and when it was strobe work
all done with a lumedyne 244 asymmetrical as well as single light light all done by experience ... no mistakes were made, they were
hand processed in ansco130 and enlarged to 11x14, both cases the hardest part was loading the film and remembering where the notch was ..
.. it's funny how complicated people make a relatively simple process ...