Home-made exposure guide

[dreilly]

This is nothing special, really, just a glorified exposure chart like those found on film boxes, but with a lot more info crowded in. I did this for 100 and 400ASA film, the two speeds I use. It gives EV, sample exposures (I tried to use typical combinations for me at those light levels--it's still in Beta so we'll see), and description of light for easier guestimeasuring. Much of this comes from the Ultimate Exposure Computer website, by Fred Parker.

Seems like pdf is the only way I can upload a document.

My first roll of 400 c-41 BW film came out very nice, even the indoor shots were well exposed, though I did occasionally use a Weston meter to check my work. Most of the time I did fine (the chart works--it's how well you can guess the light conditions).

 

[FrankS]

Thank you for this! I'm just going to convert some f16 settings to f11 or f8, print it a bit bigger so I can read it without reading glasses, and use it. 🙂

 

[pedro.m.reis]

I think almost everyone must have its own version 🙂
Here is mine 😀

 

[GeneW]

dreilly, Pedro, thank you both for sharing your customized exposure calculators!

Gene

 

[wlewisiii]

Thank you both. I've been thinking of doing this anyway, so it's nice to have the work saved 😀

William

 

[dreilly]

If anyone wants the word version of the pdf I posted, just PM me your email address. You can also select the text in Acrobat, but I doubt this preserves the table format.

I often don't shoot at f/16...maybe I should convert a few down too. Though often I just do it in my head, one stop up here, one down here.

 

[markbrennan]

Thanks, both! These are both useful guides. dreilly's is simpler, and I can't imagine metering a range greater than his 15 stops, but Pedro's more comprehensive chart is useful too.

I'm working w/ a Sekonic L308 meter now, which feels good in my hand and meters quite easily. I had considered the Gossen Digisix, but didn't want to bother w/ the conversion from EV reading; the Sekonic gives shutter speed/F stop readings. But I like the simplicity of the EV system and can see moving to the Digisix.

Of course, using the meter off the camera and learning this system well will push you to internalize metering, and I find myself only using the external meter for about 1/2 of my shots. These charts and their study help immensely.

Best,
-Mark

 

[airds]

Exposure-Mat

Exposure-Mat

Check out the Exposure-Mat and it's mini version, based on 'Rick Olsen's cut out exposure meter'. PDF files are there to download and print out

 

[richard_l]

I'm working w/ a Sekonic L308 meter now, which feels good in my hand and meters quite easily. I had considered the Gossen Digisix, but didn't want to bother w/ the conversion from EV reading; the Sekonic gives shutter speed/F stop readings. But I like the simplicity of the EV system and can see moving to the Digisix.

My Sekonic L308BII has an EV mode. It's a simple matter to convert EV to shutter speeds and f-stops. The Digisix is a fine, accurate meter, but it's too tiny for me.

 

[bean_counter]

LOL.... old ideas become 'new' again.

My father used IIIf's from the early '50s - early '80's - until they broke and 2 different shops botched the repairs, and he gave up on them. I decided to surprise him last year and get them fixed; when I dug them out of the closet, they both had similar exposure guides taped on the back. One body had a guide for Kodachrome II, the other had one for the Leitz 'blitz' flash.

Now I use one of them, with an Elmar 50/3.5 and a Sekonic L208. Great combo.

 

[pedro.m.reis]

And for those who own an PDA with Pocket PC, got http://home.comcast.net/~jonsachs/
for yet another exposure helper and other nice tools.

 

[pedro.m.reis]

BTW, i use the Stop Time program for all timming in the darkroom 🙂

 

[aad]

OK, riddle me this-

I've been using Mr. Parker's guide-actually, I've nearly memorised it- and I just bought an old lightmeter.

So, why do the EV readings off the meter only match the descriptions if I set the meter to ASA 125? If I use the meter to find aperture/shutter settings directly, they match up with the chart, but if I try to read an EV at ASA 400, they make no sense.

Is it a function of the meter's "calculator", or is EV calculated differently at different film speeds? Am I making sense?

Meter is a Gossen Luna Pro, BTW. And I've come to peace with the thing-I only bought it for fun-I just want to know.

Aaron

ps-any copyright issues with reproducing the chart?

 

[dreilly]

I don't think there's any copywrite issues...the chart has been all over in various guises...the info is basically the same everywhere.

The EV is dependent on ASA. My Weston meter only reads proper EV at 100asa...if the ASA is set to 400 I have to subtract two from the reading to get the real EV (or rather the EV for my chart and for 100asa film)--to take back to my chart. There is more on this at Fred Parker's site.

I think LV is an absolute value, which is equal to EV at 100asa.

 

[dreilly]

An EV of 4 at 100asa is equal to an EV of 2 at 400 asa. However, if you only have a chart that has EV for 100, you have to figure out how to get your meter to read the 100asa EV figure. On mine that means I have to subtract 2. To get the actual 400 EV number on my Weston, I'd have to subtract 4!

 

[aad]

Thanks-that explains it. I guess I shoud just ignore the meterso I don't get confused!

 

[richard_l]

The EV is dependent on ASA. My Weston meter only reads proper EV at 100asa...if the ASA is set to 400 I have to subtract two from the reading to get the real EV (or rather the EV for my chart and for 100asa film)--to take back to my chart. There is more on this at Fred Parker's site.

Correct.

An EV of 4 at 100asa is equal to an EV of 2 at 400 asa.

You probably meant to say that EV 4 at ASA 400 is equivalent to EV 2 at ASA 100.

 

[Toby]

A good guide but remember it is only accurate if the lens is set to infinity. If you are at or near close focus open up half a stop with most lenses as the length of the lens increases with close focus -the f-stops effectively become smaller because the focal length of the lens has increased as the front element moves out. You can check this with any camera that has a built in meter -point at a subject with the focus set to infinity, set the exposure, set to close focus, the meter will read slightly under. Also 1/125 @ f16 is also about 1/3 underexposed at 100 asa it is accurate at 125 asa (fp4 and plus X). So bear in mind if you use this information blindly setting 1/125 @ f16 with 100 asa film on a sunny day at close focus will give you 2/3 of a stop under exposure, not much but enough to possibly take the edge off the quality of your expensive lens.

 

[XAos]

I started out to make my own circular meter (for the RB 67 backs) but never got around to it. I still would like to make my own using the cat's eyes for icons instead of the descriptions. Something like:

EV 15 - eyes closed, purring sounds emanating from cat
EV 10 - eyes still closed
EV 9 - eyes barely cracked open
EV 8 - eyes open but pupils are just slits
EV 4 - pupils about halfway open
EV 2 - pupils moderately open
EV 0 - pupils wide open
EV-1 on the prowl
EV -5 batting at extremities of sleeping owner

 

[dreilly]

Correct.
You probably meant to say that EV 4 at ASA 400 is equivalent to EV 2 at ASA 100.

Well, no, I'm reading off of Fred Parker's chart. Am I wrong here? http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm


I'm glad someone made sense of my explanation...it was one of those "maybe if I try to tell someone else I'll really understand it". I guess it partially worked.