Slide film and a meterless camera

[Spud10]

The last two years I've been working with my M4 and have been shooting meterless. I'm at the point now where when shooting B&W I can gauge the light by eye and never miss a shot (when shooting @400 iso).

But after dipping my toes in b&w for a while, I've realized that I'm just a man who prefers color.

I used to shoot extensive amounts of Provia 400x but that seems to be a thing of the past. Lately I've switched to Portra 800 and have been carrying around a Sekonic light meter to read lighting, match my eye to it and then go on snapping.

The problem comes that whenever I my own old slides or even ANY slide, I just miss that look. 🙁

Anyway, so here in Korea, Portra 800 runs about the same price as Agfa Precisa 100 and I'm contemplating that switch. Sure, I'd lose a few stops in speed but I might be willing to make that sacrifice.

So, does anyone shoot slide who doesn't meter EVERY time they take a shot? Perhaps just once for an area and then go about and judge the light yourself? Or is slide film so picky that a meter is needed almost every time?

 

[thegman]

Maybe not every single time I take a shot, if I feel the light has not changed, but I think slide film really does need a meter to get the best out of it. You could look at getting a smaller clip on meter like the VC II or maybe trading the M4 and your meter for a Leica (or other RF) with a meter?

 

[Asim]

I've been shooting only slide film for the past 10 years (no b&w, no digital).
And i had been getting my film processed in Korea for three years as well. One thing I noticed is that when I used a high contrast/high saturation film such as Velvia 50 I had to be very careful about my metering. On the other hand, films like provia 100F and ektachrome are very forgiving. I only meter one time and then I'm good to go as long as the light doesn't change. Over time I've started really getting hooked on Provia 100F. I started my whole slide film shooting experience with Velvia 50 and was crazy about it... and so I never tried any other film until one day I had to buy Provia because Velvia wasn't available. When I saw the results of Provia 100F I realized that it is saturated just the right amount that it makes the picture pop but still look natural. After using provia, most of my velvia shots looks 'over the top' with color saturation. I also tried astia at one time but found that too muted (or i guess 'too natural'... if there's such a thing). astia's colors seemed dull. provia turns out is the perfect mix of punchy colors and high latitude. you will not have to meter every shot with it. it is very forgiving. i'm sorry i can't give details about the films you mentioned. but i hope this helps.

 

[Frankd]

No, it is not necessary to meter every shot when shooting slide film. That is, as long as the shots are all under the same light and in the same general direction. I also recommend using incident light readings. You might set your meter for 1/3 stop under exposed to give you a bit more density in your slide. Make sure the highlights are not overexposed. Usually an incident reading will take care of this. Snow scenes and white sand, however, may trick it.

 

[thegman]

Another thing, if speed worries you, then if you can get Rollei CR200, that is a 200 ISO slide film, so you're only losing one stop from Provia 400X, plus it's probably less than half the price...

I would suggest you attempt to shoot a roll of slide film in the way you want, which seems to be just occasional metering. If you get results you're happy with, then you're set. If not, then I guess either make do with negative film, or meter more.

 

[VertovSvilova]

I use Provia 100F all the time in my M4. I'll meter once in a while (incident reading) if the light changes, etc.. And modern reversal emulsions are relatively forgiving. I try to always err on the side of underexposure (the opposite of negative films.) See Frankd's post above.....

Don't forget that reversal film was used long before cameras with on-board meters were available.

 

[Spicy]

Sorry to get off topic, but you guys are in Korea? Whereabouts? I'm up in Seoul. Feel free to respond via PM, as well... Would be cool to get an RFF meet n' greet going.

 

[Photo_Smith]

I use a cheap hand held incident meter I bought from an auction site for less than £10.

http://www.photo-utopia.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/weston-exposure-meters.html

It doesn't need batteries and is pretty accurate tested against my modern Sekonic digilite.


leaves by Photo Utopia, on Flickr

The above was on Provia 100 – just take a reading every few shots.

 

[waileong]

Slide film is expensive. Slide processing is expensive. If you're willing to spend the $$ to shoot and process slides, why not spend the time to meter properly?

B&W film is forgiving, and we can do all kinds of magic in the darkroom with different contrast papers, dodging and burning, even farmer's reducer. But not slides. So why take chances?

 

[B-9]

IMO slide film is hardly worth the effort, I've got 20+ rolls of velvia 50 and provia 100 that I can't seem to get developed. Here in the states, Ive been unable to find a lab that will touch the stuff for under 10$ + unreasonable return shipping.

If I am in the mood to shoot color, which I really only shoot while canoeing/kayaking, I stand by the cheap and trusty Fuji Superia 100 or 400. Cheap as chips, and wal-mart does a decent job with c41 for under 5$ per 36exp.

Keep shooting, adapt and overcome!
Just.my 2 cents!

 

[Richard G]

1983 using a Gossen lightmeter with exclusively reflected light readings as I didn't know any better and my slides in Italy were gorgeous. I scanned a couple recently, taken at dusk, and it was a little surprised that the exposures were good.
1986 my M4 was stolen. I went to Italy with no camera. Bought a Leica M4-2 within 48h but no meter. Kodachrome 25 and 64 and FP4 for a month and nothing unuseable. A couple of slightly overexposed slides. In many ways the Kodachrome box end instructions was closer to an incident reading than the reflected reading I was not taking. Sure I meter with slides, but there are still decisions on top of the meter reading and lots of shots can be done in ideal conditions without peering down at a Gossen all the time.

 

[Dave Jenkins]

For me, there's just nothing like slide film. I've shot thousands of rolls of 35mm and 120 in my 40+ years as a commercial/travel/editorial photographer, and almost every exposure was metered, the vast majority with an incident meter. Most of them were bracketed as well, because the "correct" exposure is not always the best exposure. I used to say that I could take an incident reading, set my camera, and be photographing while people with in-camera meters were still holding their cameras to their face and twirling dials!

Color negative is easier and cheaper, but the thing I love about slide film is that I can get exactly the color and density I want on the film as I shoot, so when I scan it, I don't have to guess how it should look.

 

[oftheherd]

...

In many ways the Kodachrome box end instructions was closer to an incident reading than the reflected reading I was not taking. Sure I meter with slides, but there are still decisions on top of the meter reading and lots of shots can be done in ideal conditions without peering down at a Gossen all the time.

To me, that is the best answer. Keep the exposure instruction from the box. They used to be in an easily carried sheet, but now if you get them, they are usually on the inside of the box. Film manufacturers have done a lot of testing to give a photographer without a meter the best possible photos. Why not, they want you to keep buying the film.

I used that method for a lot of shots in Vietnam in the late 60s and early 70s. A little experience and you can tell when to make any changes for exactly what you want if you doubt the box for any reason of lighting, such as perhaps clouds but not as many as the box shows. It really isn't that hard. That is sometimes necessary with using a meter as well.

I have used both incident and reflected readings from hand-carried and in camera meters. With a little experience and testing, one quickly learns when to get away from the meter, but I found it was generally correct.

 

[Godfrey]

...
So, does anyone shoot slide who doesn't meter EVERY time they take a shot? Perhaps just once for an area and then go about and judge the light yourself? Or is slide film so picky that a meter is needed almost every time?

With any manual camera and handheld meter, I take a reading to establish a baseline for a given lighting situation and then tweak from experience with that in mind. I take another reading when the light changes.

G

 

[Robert Lai]

AgX imaging

AgX imaging

B-9: Call Mike Lussier at AgX Imaging. He is a one man shop, and he ONLY develops E-6. You can select whether or not you want your 35mm slides mounted, or left in a sleeved roll. His costs are not outrageous either. What's more, he's in your State.

AgX Imaging
228 W. 14th Ave.
Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783
(906) 632-1850

 

[charjohncarter]

Roger Hicks has a good section on his website that deals with metering for slide film. Normal scene metering is easy, and he includes how to meter the exception scenes.

http://rogerandfrances.com/subscription/ps expo slide.html

 

[charjohncarter]

What used to amaze me is how well the Instamatic 104 did with Ektachrome (64 and X). It had no meter, one shutter speed, one fstop, and if you used it in full sun or cloudy bright, it worked (all other exposures you used the AG-1 bulb pop up).

 

[Sarcophilus Harrisii]

It's good to consider how you will use the films. Are you only going to project them? Are you going to scan them? If so, what with? Underexposing slightly will boost saturation. Great if you're projecting them, or have access to a high end scanner. If you're trying to scan reversal films with a consumer scanner, you better have the exposure bang on, maybe even up to a half a stop hot, if you want usable shadow detail. This makes a good case for owning an incident meter and knowing how to use it.
Cheers
Brett

 

[charjohncarter]

It's good to consider how you will use the films. Are you only going to project them? Are you going to scan them? If so, what with? Underexposing slightly will boost saturation. Great if you're projecting them, or have access to a high end scanner. If you're trying to scan reversal films with a consumer scanner, you better have the exposure bang on, maybe even up to a half a stop hot, if you want usable shadow detail. This makes a good case for owning an incident meter and knowing how to use it.
Cheers
Brett

100% agree. I use an incident meter now, but back in the old days I just winged it. Now, I'm more picky (e.i. there were no scanners then).

 

[Ambrosius]

I shoot slides regularly, mostly Provia 400x with my R2 without batteries. I meter the incident light and use zone system when needed. (I own a sekonic L-408). But... If you at going to shoot some pictures under the same light, you don't need to meter every time. In a sunny day, just take a read for the lights and another for the shadows.