ymc226
Well-known
I shoot B&W film only using 35mm and medium format (develop and print myself).
Using strobes in portraits but am having a hard time with the contact sheets looking nothing like I had envisioned. I am using a Hasselblad and Fuji stopped making B&W instant film so I can't use Polaroids to check my exposures.
What I would like to imitate would be something like Roger Hick's Hollywood Portraits or Photographing People which can have some highly stylized and contrasty shots at times requiring careful placement of the lights. I have 4 strobes as well as beauty dishes, honeycombs (10 and 20 degree) and soft boxes. Light placement, spread of light and intensity on the subject is not even close to what I intended.
I was thinking of getting a digital camera for color work eventually (Leica M9 or Nikon D3 or D4) as I have all Leica or Nikon glass but would get it sooner if I can use the camera as a "proofer" of sorts for my B&W strobe trials.
How accurate would the digital picture be in comparison to what would be captured on film considering these variables:
1) using 35mm digital full format to assess MF film: would using as close as possible equivalent focal length and adjusting additionally by camera distance to subject in achieving similar framing.
2) setting same ISO, same shutter speed and aperture on both cameras. Would this yield similar exposure given different formats?
3) setting the digital camera to monochrome. Will this be an accurate capture of what the film camera will capture in terms of black, white and gray tones?
4) the Hasselblad can sync up to 1/500 using the leaf shutter while the M9 can sync at 1/180 and the D3 at 1/250. If I use the 1/250 speed for the digital capture, can I use the equivalent exposure (1/500 and double the aperture) to get the same picture (DOF non-withstanding) if I needed the faster speed to freeze motion?
Using strobes in portraits but am having a hard time with the contact sheets looking nothing like I had envisioned. I am using a Hasselblad and Fuji stopped making B&W instant film so I can't use Polaroids to check my exposures.
What I would like to imitate would be something like Roger Hick's Hollywood Portraits or Photographing People which can have some highly stylized and contrasty shots at times requiring careful placement of the lights. I have 4 strobes as well as beauty dishes, honeycombs (10 and 20 degree) and soft boxes. Light placement, spread of light and intensity on the subject is not even close to what I intended.
I was thinking of getting a digital camera for color work eventually (Leica M9 or Nikon D3 or D4) as I have all Leica or Nikon glass but would get it sooner if I can use the camera as a "proofer" of sorts for my B&W strobe trials.
How accurate would the digital picture be in comparison to what would be captured on film considering these variables:
1) using 35mm digital full format to assess MF film: would using as close as possible equivalent focal length and adjusting additionally by camera distance to subject in achieving similar framing.
2) setting same ISO, same shutter speed and aperture on both cameras. Would this yield similar exposure given different formats?
3) setting the digital camera to monochrome. Will this be an accurate capture of what the film camera will capture in terms of black, white and gray tones?
4) the Hasselblad can sync up to 1/500 using the leaf shutter while the M9 can sync at 1/180 and the D3 at 1/250. If I use the 1/250 speed for the digital capture, can I use the equivalent exposure (1/500 and double the aperture) to get the same picture (DOF non-withstanding) if I needed the faster speed to freeze motion?
willie_901
Veteran
1. I suspect you this would work fine once you did some experimentation and cross calibrating with a grey card. The D3 has several differerent metering modes. Spot metering might be a good place to start. Film's exposure latitude is greater than digital sensors', so you should be fine.
2. Yes... See above.
3. This depends on the settings you select for in-camera jpeg rendering of the raw data. I doubt you would see much detail without tethering the camera to an external monitor. Lightroom is one easy solution. You could make your own presets in LR and apply them to the tethered photos.
4. Yes. I think you would be well within the exposure latitude of your film.
2. Yes... See above.
3. This depends on the settings you select for in-camera jpeg rendering of the raw data. I doubt you would see much detail without tethering the camera to an external monitor. Lightroom is one easy solution. You could make your own presets in LR and apply them to the tethered photos.
4. Yes. I think you would be well within the exposure latitude of your film.
Frank Petronio
Well-known
You could even use a cheaper APS-sized sensor digital camera with a zoom to check lighting and exposure, the size of the sensor won't matter and you really don't have to be that exact in duplicating the focal length. An older Nikon D70 will sync at 1/500th, which is why some people still like them. $150 used.
Why not use the Fuji color Instant Film to at least get the lighting close? Perhaps you want a bit harsher for B&W but at least you'll be seeing ratios and relationships, so it would still provide a lot of value.
Surprising that you have that amount of gear and no good way to proof. Does your horse get tired pushing the cart? ;-p
Why not use the Fuji color Instant Film to at least get the lighting close? Perhaps you want a bit harsher for B&W but at least you'll be seeing ratios and relationships, so it would still provide a lot of value.
Surprising that you have that amount of gear and no good way to proof. Does your horse get tired pushing the cart? ;-p