first roll of film with the Nikon F

[paul_ogawa]

Hi guys, I'm back. I used my father's modern AF lens with my Nikon F

and shoot a roll (Fuji 100) with it to test the camera. The camera

had no light leaks and is fine.

 

To be honest, I've gotten quite a few pics that were underexposed. A

great majority as a matter of fact. But that's because this is my

first time using a fully manual camera. Also, I did not have a light

meter. The whole time I was simply experimenting with different

shutter speed/aperture for different situations. Also played around

with the depth of field a bit.

 

I actually had 2 pics I really liked from this first roll.

 

Can you guys recommand a good, accurate, not too expensive light

meter that has enough capabilities? One with matrix metering would be

nice. I don't want the price to go over $200 on Ebay. I heard Sekonic

and Minolta makes some nice ones.

 

Since many pics are underexposed, there are a lot of dark areas. One

thing I've noticed is that on a lot of the printed pics, the dark

areas always appear "grainy". It doensn't seem they are the same

color throughout. There are actually micro white spots in it. Is this

because of the nature of printed pic? Might have something to do with

the max resolution of the printer. I've never seen such effect on a

computerized pic. Or it might be because of the grain of the film.

But the film I used is only ISO 100.

 

Speaking of film speed, what is the max. speed of film that can allow

for a 5X enlargement (over regular 3' X 5') and still have a sharp

resolution?

 

Thanks

[ken_reither1]

Suggest the following as a good source to learn exposure: http://www.nyip.com/sub_idx_pgs/referidx/ref_technique_idx.html

Many manual camera photographers don't use exposure meters. It slows them down. Instead, they memorize a few rules such as those outlined in the recommended website and get there through trial and error.

 

I don't know of a meter with matrix metering. All meters I have owned read a scene, assume it's middle gray, and assume the photographer will adjust exposure from there. I've had good luck with Seconic and Pentax spot meters, but they aren't cheap.

 

At a 5x enlargement (5" x 7"), ISO 400 would still have sharp resolution, as probably would ISO 3200. I haven't tried the latter for decades. I get great 11x14's from ISO 400 film. I see the grain, but they have sharp resolution. (My prints go on a wall, not under a microscope.)

[Matthew Currie]

I still think you should fire up the FTn meter if you're carrying it around anyway. You'll still be fighting the tendency to underexpose, but it's easy to learn to compensate for shade. Get some Wein cells, put alkalines in and fudge the ASA setting, or take it somewhere and have it recalibrated (I suggest silver-oxides). It's a "dumb" meter by current standards, but it's reasonably consistent, and it's already there. Handling it will cause as much wear and tear as using it, since the internal resistor (the most wear-prone part, though even that can last decades) is turned every time you move the shutter speed dial anyway.

 

Underexposure will contribute to increased grain.

 

I wouldn't worry about matrix metering with a handheld meter, because it will be very hard to match what the meter sees with what the lens sees anyway. In addition, the F and its lenses do not have stepless shutter speeds or stepless apertures (most even lack half-stops), so the fine extra adjustments a matrix meter provides will be untranslatable to the camera itself. If I were going for a handheld meter, I'd go for a spot meter. Learn to use that, and to bracket exposures.

 

Remember, too, that you can meter (by stop-down method) even with an earless AF lens on this camera. Just don't forget to retract the prong on the meter head, or the readings will be off.

 

"The camera had no light leaks and is fine."

 

Yeah, well, it's an F, isn't it?

[ken_reither1]

I need to clarify something in my earler posting. When I said I don't know of a meter with matrix metering, I was referring to HAND HELD meters. I know of no hand held meter incorporating matrix metering systems such as those in a Nikon F100, N90, and so forth.

 

Good luck with the F. It's a great camera.

[randy_skopar]

You might pick up a few manual-focus lenses for your F. They are going for peanuts these days, but are fine optics. They share the ruggedness of the F, and balance well with it. Sekonic makes terrific meters: I've been pleased with the Sekonic L-358, which I carry around with my own F. It reads incident or reflected light, as well as flash. With an attachment, it will even take spot readings. In other words, it covers all situations, just like the splendid F.

[patrick smith]

If grainless enlargements at large sizes are what you want, shoot Kodak Technical Pan (TP) film at ISO 25 and soup it in Technidol at the given times for fine art work. Fiddle with it if you want to get a better development. Souping it in TMax or HC110 (to name two) makes it great for high contrast work, like copying. I played with it in high school, but found the ESTAR base too consarned finicky to manipulate happily with any speed.

 

As for a handheld meter, you can get a Gossen Luna-Pro Digital meter brand new from B&H for 210.95$ plus S&H. By the same token, you can pick up a Sekonic L-398M Studio Deluxe II for 179.00$ from the same source. I always use the in-camera meter, and when in doubt, I bracket exposures. You might want a functional metering finder for your F, too.

[RaymondC]

are ther meters that measure off a gray card - this is one i suggest. i use the camera's meter off the card. i think there is meters that reads off things and ones that read in the air right like waving around the person's face to obtain setting.

[david_h._hartman]

Paul,<br>

<br>

If you use a gray card buy a new set and read the instructions.

They tell you how to angle the card towards the light source and

instruct you to open up 1/2 stop. This vital bit of information

was left out of the instructions for about two decades. Most

people a blissfully unaware of how to properly use a gray card.

The instructions to open up 1/2 stop are to accommodate the

difference between the ANSI standard of 12.5% gray use by camera

and light meters and the Ansel Adams zone system standard of 18%

gray.<br>

<br>

The meter in FTn meters employ two Cds cells. Cds cells react a

bit slow when changing from bright to dim light. Watch the meter

needle as it settles and youll get the idea. Protect the

meter from direct exposure to the sun as Cds cells have a memory

and can go blind temporarily or permanently. Cap the lens when

not in use. Exercise muzzle control if you will. Dont point

the camera at the sun.<br>

<br>

Check out a copy of Ansel Adams book, <u>The Negative</u>, from

your public library or buy it. It comes in paperback or hard back.

In it Ansel explains how to use light meters and how to use the

Zone System. You dont actually have to use the zone system

but it will help with a basic understanding of exposure. If you

have access to a darkroom and have a spotmeter then practice the

zone system. For a roll film camera use N-1 developing (explained

in the book). If you like it use it. If not use it as a tool to

learn and then move on.<br>

<br>

For negatives, color or B&W multiply the ISO film speed by 0.5,

e.g. expose 200 ISO color print film at EI 100 (200*0.5=100),

expose Kodak Tri-X or Ilford HP5+, both ISO 400 at EI 200 (400*0.5=200).

ISO film speeds are based on standardized tests. B&W film is

developed in a standard developer that gives high contrast,

course grain and unrealistic film speeds. ISO film speeds may be

alright in the control of a studio but in the great out doors or

indoors with low and contrasty light ISO doesnt cut it.<br>

<br>

Years ago Kodak packed an instruction sheet with every roll of

film. It said if your negatives are consistently too thin use a

lower film speed number. In two sentence that is what Ive

said above in four paragraphs. Try a roll or two at 0.5x ISO and

youll see.<br>

<br>

Regards,<br>

<br>

Dave Hartman.

[david_h._hartman]

Just making sure: the advice above applies to negative films

NOT slide films.<br>

<br>

Best,<br>

<br>

Dave.

[andrew_pike1]

In terms of the meter, I suggest that you root around for one of the original photomic attachments for the F. The Photomic, Photomic F, and the Photomic Ft all use a broad-area averaging meter, and the original Photomic isn't TTL, instead reading light through a port on the face. Also, these first three don't couple with your Non-AI lens using the simple right-left twist. You have to get a Photomic FTn for that. This also has the benefit of having 60/40 Center-Weighted metering, which is much more accurate. I've compared the 75/25 Center-Weighted reading to the 10-Segment Matrix reading on my F100 and they don't differ that much, often giving the same exposure. You may have to have it re-calibrated, but an in-camera meter is much more convienent that an handheld the way I see it.

 

The F is a great camera, built to a quality standard rarely seen today. Have fun with it.

[Matthew Currie]

"In terms of the meter, I suggest..."

 

Andrew, according to Paul's original post on July 15th the camera in question is an FTn, which he found as "new old stock" in some store*, but he was reluctant to use the meter, because of its age and battery issues. I think he should bite the bullet and use the FTn meter, since if he leaves it on the camera it will get the same wear and tear as if he used it.

 

* where IS this store? Never-neverland? Tannu Tuva? Macondo? Why are there no stores like that around HERE?

[mskovacs]

My old Gossen Luna Pro has never let me down. Matrix? PSHAW! Try an incident meter and you'll see why it simply not used in handheld meters.

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[andrew_pike1]

Sorry. I hadn't read the original post, so I didn't know. I thought he just had an F eyelevel. Again, find some batteries and fire up the Ftn. You should be pleasantly surprised.