have a couple rolls of slide film in 120. seeing this thread makes me eager to throw it in my new 500c/m (which is waiting to be picked up from a CLA), but i'm scared about exposure, as slide film is notoriously picky about correct exposure... only 2 of my cameras have meters, and unfortunately one doesn't take any film (D700 haha).
that also reminds me i should take out my 30ish year old Gossen Super Pilot and compare how it reads to the D700. is a handheld incident meter good enough for getting decent exposures if you're smart about it? i've been shooting color negs and b&w for 2 years now, meterless pretty much for about a year...
Personally, I think taking an incident light reading with an accurate hand held meter is both the best, and easiest, way to get good exposure for transparency film in most cases. Granted, there will always be instances where you cannot meter the same light as the subject, etc. and need to take a spot reading or broad area reflective reading. If so, meter for the highlights. However in most scenarios, taking an incident reading is the easiest way to ensure you don't overcook your highlights.
I use incident readings nearly all the time regardless of whether I am shooting B&W, colour neg or reversal films. It does require some interpretation for the first two, as they generally appreciate more light than slide, but, it works for me, and that is the bottom line. Whichever method works for
you and gives you results you like is the best method of metering for
you to use.
Comparing the Gossen to your SLR could be counter-productive to some extent. Your SLR will give you a reflective reading based on what it is pointed at. It's entirely possible (actually, likely) you will get different readings, in the same light, from each, even if they are both accurate.
The incident reading will be consistent and independent of the tonality nearby in most cases (there are some exceptions, of course, standing next to a white reflective surface could bias it--but generally it will not be affected).
The built in meter of the SLR will suggest an exposure that is of course affected by the ambient light but is based, critically, on how much of that light is reflected from the surfaces visible through the viewfinder. Point it at something dark and it will be biased to over expose; at something light (eg. snow) and it will want to under expose. You should only really expect to get comparable readings from the SLR and incident hand held, when you are pointing the SLR at a surface of average reflectance and tonality (the most obvious example of which is, of course, a grey card, but could be anything with average reflectance).
By way of example, I didn't have a hand held meter for the first couple of months after I got my Hasselblad, and metered transparency using a grey card and the "partial" function of my Canon EOS 35 mm SLR (effectively giving me an "incident" reading). Exposures were perfect to my eye. Once I acquired a hand held meter I no longer needed to lug a Canon around with me as a "meter", but I can't say accuracy of my exposures improved.
The best use for the D700 (in the context of exposing film, of course, there are a lot of good uses for one), may be as a de facto spot meter. Using the partial or spot function with a short telephoto, you will be able to take quite specific readings, in those instances you cannot be in the same light as your subject (Eg. that shade in the polar bear enclosure at the zoo, where approaching the subject for an incident reading is probably
not a good option!).
6x6 frames of transparency from a Hasselblad can be breathtakingly good. Do a sunny 16 check of your Gossen in sunny midday light. If it reads f/16 @ 1/ISO, you should be good to go. You'll soon work out exactly how much over/under exposure you can get away with, and the dynamic range you can expect, but an incident meter will help you hit the ground running with decent results.
Cheers,
Brett
