night exposure tips

blacklight

blacklight

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Hi,

I would like to try some Brassai style night shots with my recently acquired Autocord from kully, right now I have only Ilford Pan F and I would need some tips about exposure. At what times will I be looking at say F8-11, maybe F16, if I will be shooting at 50 ISO? I guess there comes into play reciprocity factor, but I dont have much knowledge about this..and also, does this change developing times in any way?

Thanx
 
blacklight said:
Hi,

I would like to try some Brassai style night shots with my recently acquired Autocord from kully, right now I have only Ilford Pan F and I would need some tips about exposure. At what times will I be looking at say F8-11, maybe F16, if I will be shooting at 50 ISO? I guess there comes into play reciprocity factor, but I dont have much knowledge about this..and also, does this change developing times in any way?

Thanx
Click to expand...

With 400 ASA film I would shoot under a streetlight at f/5.6 for around 15 sec to 1 minute. So with your small f stop (f/11, why that ?) and slow film, you might think of 20 minutes or thereabout. Remember that exposing for just 10 minutes is off by just 1 stop.

In essence, I think you need at least Tri x = 400 ISO and to open up a bit ...Trial and error will teach you in the end.
 
Last time I looked, Ilford had data sheets fro all their films on thier website. These will have information on reciprocity with tables to help calculate new exposure times. For long exposures you would also want to cut back on development, yes. Otherwise your highlights will block like crazy.

To minimize these problems, I'd also recommend starting out with a faster film (yes, Tri-x!). Your 6x6 negatives are big enough so that grain won't be a major issue.
 
Limpovitj said:
Last time I looked, Ilford had data sheets fro all their films on thier website. These will have information on reciprocity with tables to help calculate new exposure times. For long exposures you would also want to cut back on development, yes. Otherwise your highlights will block like crazy.

To minimize these problems, I'd also recommend starting out with a faster film (yes, Tri-x!). Your 6x6 negatives are big enough so that grain won't be a major issue.
Click to expand...

cool avatar Limpovitj! IIRC it's the "Thin Man" a great and fun series.
 
If you have any other camera with a built in meter or have a hand held meter, try that and see what is recommended. My guess would be something between 10 minutes (not counting reciprocity) and 16 minutes (accounting for reciprocity). If you scene is completely static, or your are looking for some motion blur, that may work. I too would suggest a faster film, and maybe even push processing. Expect some lens flare as well.

Good luck.
 
blacklight said:
Hi,

I would like to try some Brassai style night shots with my recently acquired Autocord from kully, right now I have only Ilford Pan F and I would need some tips about exposure. At what times will I be looking at say F8-11, maybe F16, if I will be shooting at 50 ISO? I guess there comes into play reciprocity factor, but I dont have much knowledge about this..and also, does this change developing times in any way?

Thanx
Click to expand...

I would do some testing. I would start at one minute and increase in full stops to 16 minutes - 1, 2, 4, 8, 16. Maybe try one series at f/8 and one at f/16 - that will give you an idea where f/11 falls. Meters are going to have problems in very low light. The scene is also going to present some problems - lights will burn out when you try to get some tof the deep shadows. Night scenes can be both high and low contrast.

I would not worry about reciprocity. Your test will compensate for that automatically. Basically, reciprocity is that different shutter speed / aperture combinations should produce the same exposure. Unfortunately, when exposures are long, less light over the longer exposure has statistically less chance at hitting a certain silver halide site and giving it enough energy to activate where it can be developed - what is worse is a the site can lose energy as well. This was called "reciprocity law failure" and now called "reciprocity effect." The compensation factor based on a given exposure time compensates for this problem.
 
You need a solid tripod, a lens hood, a fluffy (black velvet) ping pong bat, auto, and 3200 asa 120. When you are an expert you might try the slower fuji B&W which have less rescipricity problems, for a beginner fast is mandatory. Gloves to keep finger count the same in autumn/winter.

The velvet tool is to cover the lens hood (gently) at first hint of auto unless you want pretty auto light effects. The auto is to move the tripod, it will be heavy.

Noel
 
Xmas said:
You need a solid tripod, a lens hood, a fluffy (black velvet) ping pong bat, auto, and 3200 asa 120. When you are an expert you might try the slower fuji B&W which have less rescipricity problems, for a beginner fast is mandatory. Gloves to keep finger count the same in autumn/winter.

The velvet tool is to cover the lens hood (gently) at first hint of auto unless you want pretty auto light effects. The auto is to move the tripod, it will be heavy.

Noel
Click to expand...

This is one of the best deadpan funny posts ever! Seriously, though, Noel is right about using faster film for night shots. I use 800 ISO and have taken some great moon shots. One thing that needs to stated as well: don't bump the tripod when shooting...i have done this and it is not good for the exposure :>)
 
Xmas said:
You need a solid tripod, a lens hood, a fluffy (black velvet) ping pong bat, auto, and 3200 asa 120. When you are an expert you might try the slower fuji B&W which have less rescipricity problems, for a beginner fast is mandatory. Gloves to keep finger count the same in autumn/winter.

The velvet tool is to cover the lens hood (gently) at first hint of auto unless you want pretty auto light effects. The auto is to move the tripod, it will be heavy.

Noel
Click to expand...

I've recently discovered that I have no sense of humor. I don't like it at all.
 
Sorry

That is what you need, it was not meant to be risible. I left out off a lunasix and torch, the lunasix for the exp reading the torch to read the lunasix dial, by (flashlight in US)

In colder climes than UK you will need dry cold (warm) kit, in UK gloves is ok.

Noel
P.S. Kitchen timer for exposure, remote release.
 
Last edited:
Xmas said:
You need a solid tripod, a lens hood, a fluffy (black velvet) ping pong bat, auto, and 3200 asa 120. When you are an expert you might try the slower fuji B&W which have less rescipricity problems, for a beginner fast is mandatory. Gloves to keep finger count the same in autumn/winter.

The velvet tool is to cover the lens hood (gently) at first hint of auto unless you want pretty auto light effects. The auto is to move the tripod, it will be heavy.

Noel
Click to expand...
Is that the voice of experience? 😉
 
I only dabble it is too difficult, but I have the check list in my PDA, hell is paved all the way.

Ive stolen the velvet (from mother) made the bat and left it at home, 1st time I needed it!

The tripod I use is heavy, more normally I take a 35mm and monopod, rather then a 6x6-6x9. I'll only comit if the road surfaces are wet.

I've a rubber lens hood to mate with the bat without vibration.

A good night shot in colour is really nice. But Ive trouble keeping at lease one lunasix working.

Noel
 
Pan F? That is real slow. Better wait until you get a faster film, doesn't have to be a 3200 when you use a tripod.

I use TMax 400@100 and cut development time in D76 about 40%. In the city under normal light conditions exposure time is 30 s@f8
Xmas described that equipment needed very precise but sometimes I just take the small Leica tripod with me and press it against a wall.

This shows how that looks like.

A good starting point to gather information is mkaz.com, explore the links too.

Have fun
 
Oh my. Thanx for all comments, but unfortunately I had to go out before I could read your comments and Im afraid I have exposed too short, most of my shot at F8 were exposed for about 2 and half minute, some even less. well, nevermind, I will develop the roll tomorrow and we will see...dark 🙂 anyway, I guess without some serious testing I cannot expect good results.
 
I really liked shots 1&2. Seems to me the ones giving all the advise need to learn abit from you. So this is 50asa film shot at f8 for 2min30sec.? What were your development times and what did you use? Very good I think for a beginner.
 
thanx. the first one was shot at F8/2min40sec., but the second was F3.5/1sec. Developed in Rodinal 1+100, 12 min, initial 30sec. agitation, then 4 inversions every minute. I was thinking also about stand development, but then I decided to go the other way.
 
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