how can take picture without exposure meter?

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heronop2003

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how do u take a photo if the camara is haven't got Exposure meter? cos i just got the zorki 4 with j 8 so how i can take a good photo without Exposure meter
 
Or cut out the little exposure manual from the box of a roll of film and use that. I always keep one in my wallet. #:-]
 
Before photosession I usually meter for highlights and shadows - this estiblish baseline, and then I bias from there (guess work). In scenes with high contrast for me is much simplier to estimate highlights from known shadows. Plus I remember small "database" of exposures for known scenes - like 1/50@f2 for standard lit room.
 
Cool site, well i dont' use exposure meters, i'm still a beginner, but u can figure it out after few experiments..
 
berci said:
Or cut out the little exposure manual from the box of a roll of film and use that. I always keep one in my wallet. #:-]
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Excellent advice. I used that method for three years in Vietnam with my Welta Welti (I hadn't thought to take a light meter with me) before I got my Yashica TL Super. I thought that was the neatest thing. Imagine, a light meter in the camera! :eek:

Between the data sheet and experience I even got good photos with slides.
 
I have the Pinkheadedbug exposure chart printed and taped into my Moleskine notebook, which is always in my camera bag when I'm shooting. On the next page I jotted down the chart of lighting conditions and shadow details from this Sunny 16 chart: http://www.camerareview.com/templates/sunny16.cfm

But I find this helpful to learn because I have a built-in meter to check against; without a meter at all, you might want to keep a shooting diary. I find it a PITA at the time, but you can learn a lot.

Rick
 
heronop2003 said:
how do u take a photo if the camara is haven't got Exposure meter? cos i just got the zorki 4 with j 8 so how i can take a good photo without Exposure meter
Click to expand...

I have a zorki 4 with a Jupiter 8 , as well. I shoot mine all the time without a light meter. I use the 'sunny-f16' rule as the starting point for my exposures. (I'll explain 'sunny-f16' in a minute) After doing this for several rolls of film, I began to develop a 'feel' for lighting and proper exposure for non-sunnyf16 situations.

'Sunny-f16' rules says - set your aperture at f16 and your shutter speed to the ASA of the film for subjects in direct sunlight. So PLUS-X would be shot at 125th of a second. ASA 200 film would mean setting the shutter at 1/250 and opening the aperture just a hair. You'll soon get the feel. The J8 is good to use for this because the aperture settings are not 'click' stops.

The next thing you might want to do is pre-focus the camera at the 'hyperfocal'. With the lens set at f16, adjust the focus so the infinity mark is at f16 on the right side of the focusing scale. Everything from about 2 meters to infinity will be in focus. Adjust your shutter speed to accomodate your 'feel' for the light - and shoot!

Lou
 
Sunny 16 is good for slides and OK for colour neg but may lead to underexposure of dark shadows with mono neg: see 'Subject Brightness Range' (free) in www.rogerandfrances.com

As for hyperfocal distance, too much depends on the manufacturers' estimate of the circle of confusion. With Leica I go 1 stop lower (1/5,6 for f/8 etc) and with *old* Zeiss lenses I go at least 2 stops (f/4 for f/8 etc.)
 
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Roger Hicks said:
Sunny 16 is good for slides and OK for colour neg but may lead to underexposure of dark shadows with mono neg: see 'Subject Brightness Range' (free) in www.rogerandfrances.com

As for hyperfocal distance, too much depends on the manufacturers' estimate of the circle of confusion. With Leica I go 1 stop lower (1/5,6 for f/8 etc) and with *old* Zeiss lenses I go at least 2 stops (f/4 for f/8 etc.)
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All of which I agree with - notice I suggested that 'sunny-f16' rule as a starting point. And the hyperfocal works for that particular lens/camera combination (zorki4/J8)- I shoot exactly the same stuff. I suppose I should have qualified my suggestions with a "your results may vary". ;>)
 
Sorry Exaktamoment -- I wasn't trying for an instant to put you down, just to warn the unwary. We are in complete agreement.

Cheers,

Roger
 
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Roger Hicks said:
Sorry Exaktamoment -- I wasn't trying for an instant to put you down, just to warn the unwary. We are in complete agreement.

Cheers,

Roger
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No need for any type of apology at all, Roger. I'm glad you said something to the 'larger audience' - given that my remarks were a bit 'targeted'. I should remember that there is a larger audience - it's easy to forget that, sometimes.

Thanks.

Lou
 
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