Digital vs film metering

[ntv666]

Could any one please tell me if I take the spot meter reading in

D70s and apply the same e/v in F80 will give the same result for

the same shot?

[gaius1]

No-one can answer this, because you haven't said what film you're using! If it's a colour slide film, then they will *probably* be the same, as the D70 meter is biased to preserve highlights, which is what you do for slide film too. If you have colour neg in the F80, then the D70 meter will probably underexpose as with negs you need to think about shadow detail and let the highlights fall where they may. If it's B&W... then all bets are off as that's largely a matter of taste anyway.

[alan_chan4]

DSLR, colour negative and slides all behave differently so it might not give you the best results.

[ntv666]

Thanks Mr.Alan and Mr. Hammond

 

I am soory that I hav't mentioned the film. It is Fuji Velvia that I use in F 80. I hav't tried yet. Thnaks for your valuable guidance

[RaymondC]

My D70 and F100 the 3 style meters are the same. I get the same settings.

 

For digi, I use the graph and not touch the right side. I could spot meter as usual like slide film but for digi I use the graph cos its free and I could go a bit darker and then lighten parts up in photoshop. You could spot meter but you may discard the highlights for example. I use the graph and the computer afterwards to extract it out... But of course if you in a rush by all means just shoot it like slide film. IMO there may be a diff between diff slide film, but generally the same spot meter applies, you may wanna rate some film differently than what the box is done but you spot meter them the same, so its standardised. For instance Velvia 50, many pple rate as ISO 40.

 

For slide film, you spot meter like you say. Decide where you wanna preserve highlights or shadows. I arn't that good with slide film so generally I meter to what the pix I like which with slide film the limited lattitude may mean that I wlll discard info at the extreme brights/darks. I spot meter on 18% gray zones so the subject looks great thou some parts be be out of it....

 

For negative film, just pop on auto. I heard that wedding pple tend to pop on 3D matrix and just shoot. Maybe oveexpose by 2/3 stop by adjusting the ISO instead. Then just shoot in any mode you like without bracket or exposrue compensation.. Negative film tend to be better if you overexpose I heard.

 

R

[RaymondC]

I done some myself too to skill myself for film.

Switch the D70 WB to Flash WB. This is 5400k. I think daylight film is 5500k I heard film can differ in WB away from 5500k.

 

Can anyone share on this?

Anyway for film there is no WB builtin. So ya need some blue/orange filters to balance it out.

 

Shoot Flash WB at "0" finetuned and take photos around the house for 24hrs and you will see how blue or orange ur photos can be. I say get 4 fitlers, 2 strong and 2 slight strength filters. 2 red and 2 blue in total.

[ntv666]

Dear Mr.Ray

 

Thanks for your suggessions in the early morning.I will try that.

with regards

[ellis_vener_photography]

The only sane answers so far are "it depends".

 

For film photography it wil ldepend on the type of film (negative or slide), who does the

processing and how well it is done. For color negative , unless yop uare doign a custom

print all bets are off becasue the end result, a print, will be subjected to the automation

system of the printer and possibly what the printer's operator think should happen. With

slide film it will depend on how good the processing of the film is.

[edward_lippe]

It depends? He said he was using slide film.

[walterh]

For best results do some tests. The digital end will not cost a thing, the slide film will be a good investment. How long did it take you to learn to get optimal exposure using a hend hald meter or the meter in your F80? It took me some time .-) I think you might have a steeper learning curve now but expect some training to be necessary.

[mark_jordan3]

Is it just a simple meter reading you want or are you hoping to be able to apply the histogram provided by the digital camera to the film shot? In my experience, the meter readings themselves I get between my F100 and D1X are identical. However, as Ray mentions, some rate Velvia at 40...or in general find that they need to manually set individual cameras to slightly higher/lower ISO's to "calibrate" their meters, so it gets convoluted. Digital and slide film media are also viewed differently, so I don't know if the results could ever be the "same" aesthically. Why not just take some test shots between the two bodies to determine what the relationship in results is (according to YOUR tastes) and whether or not it could be useful to you?

[akira]

Hi, Thangavelu,

 

The F80 has its own spot metering function as well as 3D-multi-pattern and center-weighted metering. Why do you want to use D70s to spot-meter?

[david_h._hartman]

<em>It depends? He said he was using slide film.

--Edward Lippe<br>

</em><br>

It still depends. There are a lot of variables. Its like

speaking a different language or at least a different dialect.

There are also a lot of similarities so you have to learn to

apply the same tool in varying situations.<br>

<br>

Regards,<br>

<br>

Dave Hartman.<br>

<br>

Postscript: it might work well, it might be like ordering a meal

with a French-English dictionary.

[david_h._hartman]

<em>Why do you want to use D70s to spot-meter? --Akira

Sakamoto<br>

</em><br>

Im guessing but perhaps Thangavelu is considering using the

D70s as a Polaroid.<br>

[RaymondC]

IMO establish a standard workflow. Yes, you may not get the most standardised approach, but thats not always possible, if you go on travel and process film there you are not gonna be familiar with those labs. That's life so lets talk generally...

 

IMO, est a workflow how you meter or spot meter if you use that. Modern cameras are calibrated quite good anyway. Pple may like ISO 40 for Velvia 50, because overexpose by 1/3 stop they may prefer. If you were or are lucky enof to try out a Japanese restricted film (slide film), Fuji Fortia, its a v strong film. I read some pro's said a slight underexpose still blow out highlights and they said they may rate ISO 100 film at ISO 200? Underexppose by one stop.

 

So play around with the film you plan to use and underexpose and overexpose with the +/- feature of the camera. Write them down and when you get them processed, evaluate them yourself. Like some pple if you happen to like Velvia underexpose by 1/3 stop, next time just meter as usual of your own style and rate 50 Velvia as 40 instead. In this way, you are avoiding yourself thinking like a encyclopedia. You don't have to establish diff metering techniques for Provia, a diff one for Velvia, one for Astia and one for Ektachrome etc etc. Get to know each film, meter them the same way, but override the ISO rating to that you "like".

[ntv666]

Thanks for each and every resonse that I got from every one. I am learner still. your views are valuable to me.

Thanks