How to deal with bright/low light situations

[TobiasL]

I'm a bit confused how to deal with bright/low light situations when using film. When I'm using my DSLR I normally set the ISO to 100 in bright light and shoot at about f/8-11. In low-light situations I just increase the ISO setting on the camera. Sometimes using exposure compensation but usually I just adjust ISO.

Now with film the ISO is fixed I'm not sure how to deal with these situations. For time being I have been using the exposure compensation but I feel it's too limited. I'm guessing increasing or decreasing ISO on the camera when using film won't work because the whole roll will be developed using one single ISO for all images.

I have two rangefinders, Konica C35 and Zeiss Ikon so I'm considering using 100-200 film on one and 400 on the other.

 

[shyoon]

Large apertures, low shutter speeds, fast film for low light.

Opposite for bright light.

 

[Richard G]

You are right, the whole of a 35mm roll has to be developed for the one ISO. You can 'push' 400 ISO Tri-X, for instance, to get good pictures with your camera set to 1200 or 1600 or higher, and if you shot the first half of the roll in sunshine in your garden at ISO 400 and photographed Monica Bellucci in an evening gown at the opera in dim light and knew your shutter speed was going to under expose by two stops, you could trash the garden pictures and see what pushing the film two stops would reveal of the actress with that second half of the film rated at 1200 or 1600.

I am not sure what you mean about the exposure compensation with film. One way of taking those Bellucci shots might be to use a two stops -ve compensation for the second half of that roll instead of quadrupling the ISO, but it still comes down to how you'll develop the film and whether the same exposure strategy has been used for the whole roll.

 

[peterm1]

This is one reason when I shot film that I often used Ilford XP2 and the Kodak equivalent. It was pretty forgiving across the range being bale to be shot with great success at anything from 50 ASA to 800 ASA. (Best at around 100 or 200) I thought it had pretty good dynamic range as a result. I was always developed at its native 400 ASA.

 

[TobiasL]

I am not sure what you mean about the exposure compensation with film. One way of taking those Bellucci shots might be to use a two stops -ve compensation for the second half of that roll instead of quadrupling the ISO, but it still comes down to how you'll develop the film and whether the same exposure strategy has been used for the whole roll.

What I meant with exposure compensation is on my Zeiss Ikon you can set -2 to +2, another word for stops. I don't want to mess much with developing, I'll send that to a photo lab and then scan it. My skills are in Photoshop so that's where I prefer to work.

I'll probably experiment and see what works but most likely stick with using one camera for low light and the other for everything else. It seems easiest unless there are better ways.

 

[StaaleS]

One word: Nokton 35 f/1.2 (OK, more than one word but never mind). It's amazing how little light you gan get away with on 100 ISO film if you have f/1.2 available.

 

[TXForester]

What I meant with exposure compensation is on my Zeiss Ikon you can set -2 to +2, another word for stops. I don't want to mess much with developing, I'll send that to a photo lab and then scan it. My skills are in Photoshop so that's where I prefer to work.

I'm not familiar with the Ikon, but for most cameras exposure compensation means in aperture priority, the shutter speed is automatically changed to give you the compensation. In shutter priority, the aperture is automatically changed.

In modern film and digital cameras, possibly both are changed and maybe ISO in program mode. Not sure about that last statement. I don't think of P standing for program mode. I think of the P setting as "point and shoot mode." 😀 I never use it.

So, exposure compensation is really helping the automatic settings in a camera do what the photographer does in manual. That is setting aperture and/or shutter speed appropriatly for the lighting conditions and the ISO of the film.

I'd shoot with the film setting at the ISO rating of the film if the combination of shutter speed and aperture fall within the range of the camera and lens and your desired result for the photo. If that isn't possible, then shoot the entire roll at a different ISO setting on the camera and have the lab push or pull process the film. This would allow you to get the shutter speeds and/or apertures you want, but remember not to change ISO in mid roll.

One other thing. Most film cameras will let you unload a roll in the middle. You can do this and change to a faster or slower film. Later you can reload the partial roll and advance the film in manual mode with the lens cap on. Advance it a few frames past the last number indicated at the time you unloaded the film. You'll have blank spot in the middle of the roll, but you won't double expose any frames.

 

[kxl]

A 2-stop neutral density filter?

 

[Scrambler]

I'm a bit confused how to deal with bright/low light situations when using film. When I'm using my DSLR I normally set the ISO to 100 in bright light and shoot at about f/8-11. In low-light situations I just increase the ISO setting on the camera. Sometimes using exposure compensation but usually I just adjust ISO.

Now with film the ISO is fixed I'm not sure how to deal with these situations. For time being I have been using the exposure compensation but I feel it's too limited. I'm guessing increasing or decreasing ISO on the camera when using film won't work because the whole roll will be developed using one single ISO for all images.

I have two rangefinders, Konica C35 and Zeiss Ikon so I'm considering using 100-200 film on one and 400 on the other.

I think where you are going wrong is in the aperture. Open up your aperture in dim light - you might want to go as open as you can (2.8, 2 or even 1.4 if you have it) and the meter should be able to get a decent shutter speed to match.

If you have all these cameras I'm guessing the $200 or so for a light meter will be affordable (or if not buy one second hand). Start metering separately and you will begin to see what is being said about the compensation.

If you are not concerned with wide-open characteristics, use a 400ISO film and a small aperture in bright light. The "Sunny 16" rule of thumb says that shutter speed = ISO at F16 on a sunny day. Both of your cameras will cope with 400ISO in bright conditions. You won't need to use a slower ISO. As you get a handle on the craft then the characteristics of various "sensors" (films) might attract you but 400ISO is a good starting place.

 

[NikonSP]

I'm a bit confused how to deal with bright/low light situations when using film. When I'm using my DSLR I normally set the ISO to 100 in bright light and shoot at about f/8-11. In low-light situations I just increase the ISO setting on the camera. Sometimes using exposure compensation but usually I just adjust ISO.

Now with film the ISO is fixed I'm not sure how to deal with these situations. For time being I have been using the exposure compensation but I feel it's too limited. I'm guessing increasing or decreasing ISO on the camera when using film won't work because the whole roll will be developed using one single ISO for all images.

I have two rangefinders, Konica C35 and Zeiss Ikon so I'm considering using 100-200 film on one and 400 on the other.

What I meant with exposure compensation is on my Zeiss Ikon you can set -2 to +2, another word for stops. I don't want to mess much with developing, I'll send that to a photo lab and then scan it. My skills are in Photoshop so that's where I prefer to work.

I'll probably experiment and see what works but most likely stick with using one camera for low light and the other for everything else. It seems easiest unless there are better ways.

The second post is the best answer I have seen and kxl's is geat too. Looks like you like shooting around f/8-11. That can still be done one film without pushing or pulling. No need to swap out film in mid roll. You cannot really push and pull fim in Photoshop. Just need to get the correct exposures using the rated ISO of the film.

Take a fast film like a good 400 speed film and try that as your starting point. Get yourself a good set of ND filters and use them to "change" film speed. Put on the filters in bright light and take them off for darker areas.

 

[rbsinto]

Every film has an ISO rating, which is it's degree of light sensitiviy (ability to capture light) and the larger the ISO rating (greater the number) the more light-sensitive that film is, meaning that at a given level of light, a high ISO film will require less exposure than a lower ISO film to record the same scene.
To take properly exposed photos what you need to do with your film cameras is this;
Technical Decision- Set the ISO of the cameras meter to the ISO of the film. Now the meter is calibrated properly to give readings that will correspond to how much exposure is required based on the film being used.
Creative Decision- You now select an aperture to give your image the depth of field you need to either isolate or include elements in the picture.
Technical Decision- now adjust the shutter speed until you get an indication that the aperture/shutterspeed combination will result in a properly exposed photo for the given light conditions.
Or
Creative Decision- after setting the ISO, select a shutter speed that will either stop the action or blur it to give you the desired creative effect.
Technical Decision- now adjust the aperture until you get an indication that the shutter speed/ aperture combination will result in a properly exposed photo for the given light conditions.
If even at the extremes of shutter speed and aperture combinations, the meter indicates that no combination will result in a satisfactorily exposed image, then you'll either have to change to a different ISO film less light sensitive film (lower ISO) or use various filters to stop some of the imcoming light, for very bright conditions, or conversely switch to a more light sensitive film (higher ISO) for low-light conditions.
This is just a quick overview, but I hope it makes it clearer for you, and is helpful.

 

[thegman]

I'd say shoot something like Portra 400, which is tolerant of under exposure, maybe even up to 1600 ISO. Also, get used to shooting with wide apertures, and the thin depth of field you get with that.

Portra 400 really is remarkable for it's handle of over exposure and under exposure, it should really be called Portra 200-1600.