beginner's question: use of elitechrome slide film

[Florian1234]

Hello,

today I bought my first roll of colour slide film, Kodak Elitechrome 100.

How does one expose it? Is it the same metering process like with black and white negative film ( metering the inside of the hand and opening up aperture one stop) ? Or is it different?

I hope you don't mind this beginner question. 😉

 

[DougK]

Ah, my favorite film! I usually run it through my cameras at the recommended speed, although you may want to underexpose it slightly to keep detail in the shadows.

 

[Rhoyle]

What you've described works well in most situations. Bracket you exposures, as you might only have to open up 1/2 stop. If shooting outdoors, try metering off the ground (grass or asphalt) in the same light as your subject. It rates well at 100 iso. Also try some E-100G. The two are an interesting comparison.

 

[sooner]

Okay, someone clear something up for me here. DougK above says to underexpose to keep detail in the shadows, but I thought you underexpose slide film so as not to blow the highlights. If you overexpose, you'll get the shadows just fine, just blow the highlights. Right?

 

[Steve Bellayr]

I was just advised by the lab...again...expose for the darker areas. (Negative film). Years ago...and I am not even sure if it was this planet...shooting slide was very popular. I was shooting with a Nikkormat & some friends with Canons...we exposed normally. Slides came out fine. As far as bracketing goes...if you absolutely must capture that image...it was taught to bracket the shot...but again in those days they made us use cameras without meters.

 

[photophorous]

Okay, someone clear something up for me here. DougK above says to underexpose to keep detail in the shadows, but I thought you underexpose slide film so as not to blow the highlights. If you overexpose, you'll get the shadows just fine, just blow the highlights. Right?

You're right. Must have been a typo.

Generally speaking, you treat slide film the same, except exposure needs to be more accurate and it's usually less problematic to under expose than it is to over expose. However, I have not shot this particular film.

Paul

 

[steverett]

For scanning, I actually usually overexpose slightly; underexposed positives are hard to scan.

 

[DougK]

Okay, someone clear something up for me here. DougK above says to underexpose to keep detail in the shadows, but I thought you underexpose slide film so as not to blow the highlights. If you overexpose, you'll get the shadows just fine, just blow the highlights. Right?

You are correct; I meant to say "keep detail in the highlights" and somehow my brain crossed signals when I typed my post. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[35mmdelux]

I shoot at rated speed. Some would advise shooting 1/3 under-exposure but I find the dark areas losing all detail.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Old school says that with B&W you meter on the shadows, with C-41, on the intermediate tones and with slide, on the highlights. That does it for me. However, I tend to meter the same, no matter the film.

 

[Rhoyle]

Experiment and find your footing.

 

[dmr]

It's my experience that color slide film can't take a joke as far as exposure goes. You have to be right on, and even so, you may get blown highlights and/or shadows down in the mud! I agree that bracketing is the best thing to do when shooting slide film, particularly if the scene is contrasty.