Xpan 2 metering

[Ben1]

Hey all,

Just wondering if anyone has got any advice for me as far as metering goes with the xpan 2.
Ive been shooting fuji velvia 50 in panoramic format, and ive found my slides are coming back with mixed results. Ive seen so much work done with velvia before, but i cant seem to master the art of saturation and the beautiful blue skys that most can achieve with this film.
I would love to be able to consistently get those pictures that are so good they almost look unreal... the deep blue skies do it for me!!

I realise this is mainly a film issue, having very minimal latitude, but if other uses of the xpan and velvia can achieve this, then why cant i? :bang:
Is there a secret to metering with the xpan?.. ive read some posts on other sites about it generally under-exposing by half to one full stop, but im not so sure this is true, as generally my skies are over-exposed, not under.
Would i be taking a step in the right direction in maybe buying a hand held lightmeter?..

Any info is much appreciated. 😀

 

[david b]

Hey Ben,
I've had great luck with the XpanII and B&W film but velvia is a different beast.

How are you rating it? Are you using the center filter or any other filter?

I would definitely invest in a handheld light meter like the Pentax digital spot meter. When I have to be critical with my metering, I use this meter for the shadows.

 

[Ben1]

Hey david, thanks for your reply.


I have been rating the velvia 50 @ 50. I tried a roll two days ago, rating it at 40, and i have got better saturation but the sky is welllll blown out! (nearly white on some).

I have the centre filter but have only used it a few times, these being in very low light when opened right up. In these cases im not trying to achieve the blue sky coz there aint any).

However, ive just been reading a pro users review which states ;
"Hasselblad claims that the centre-spot filter isn't needed when the lens is stopped down beyond f/8 or when shooting print film, but I for one heartily disagree on this issue. To repeat my firm point of view here: attach the filter permanently, with Araldite if necessary, and go on shooting without paying further attention to the rubbish you are told by the Hasselblad factory .... "

I generally shoot at f11 or f16 for my pano's, so i guess i should attach the filter, leave it on, and try some daylight shots!! Not sure if this will help me achieve the bluer skies/better colors, but i guess its worth a shot.

Dont get me wrong, ive taken some absolute KILLER pano's with it, but im finding it to be just shoot and hope for the best, rather than consistancy, if u know what i mean..

Your thoughts??
Thanks heaps.

 

[dermo]

Sounds like you need a polarizer for those deep blue skies. I use the Cokin P system. As it's a rangefinder, you have to rotate the filter in front of your eye until you get what you want, then slot it into the filter holder at that precise rotation. Awkward but it works.

 

[david b]

Ben,
Did you read the rockwell review? I have my own opinion on his reviews but I won't go into that now.

Anyway, i do not own the center filter, therefore I have never used it. I don't think it is necessary for me since I am a daylight shooter and if needed, i would use a tripod. I rarely open up to 5.6 or even f4.

With the slide film, have you exposed for the sky instead of the shadow area?

 

[Ben1]

David,

Not sure what the review was, but after finding that i also read another 2 (shorter & briefer) reviews that also said basically the same thing.


Anyway, i must admit, i am somewhat guilty of the old point, meter and shoot, altho sometimes i do meter off the shadow/darker area so i cover that base as far as exposure goes, and i actually capture a subject and not just a sky.
Cant say i have metered solely off the sky, so maybe i will give this a try also. For the record, i always try keep the sun behind me!!

I guess the point im trying to make, is it seems to me you either get a decent sky and crappy foreground/subject, or you get a decent subject and a bad sky. Thats the film tho i know this!!
Its worth mentioning too, ive actually taken a number of panoramic shots vertically, and i have achieved some REALLY nice blues in some of those, at the top of the picture (which of course is the side of the frame)... This could be the effect of the darkening at the edges yes?

 

[Filmboy]

I'm not sure of the technical reasons why, but I don't trust the Xpan's meter. I can't explain why - but even while using it (before viewing the results) I get the impression that it is misleading. Possibly something to do with the size of the area used for sampling, or the weighting given to the spread out from the sensor center. This feeling might arise from my being used to Nikon meters - I used an FE2 for a long time before upgrading to an F100 - but in any event, after some disappointing images from a recent trip, I will definetly be packing a seperate meter next time.