84 yr old camera with currant film

[lauren_macintosh]

OK I took my #2 premo out for some B&W shooting today ,I even read the book

that came with it set the camera accordingly to the guide book: Well thats all

great to do something exact for a change : Duhh forgot one aspect of this

situation??? film back then was probly asa 25 maybe! todays film I shoot with

was ASA 125: OK now how many stops do I have to have adjusted so I can get

something to come out! thats the part I forgot!:(:(:(:(

Oh I do not do my own film processing anymore! So what do I tell the lab to do

with this film! Thanks folks for an answer?

[frank.schifano]

Figure two stops, but I'd just have them develop the film and be done with it. This is pretty simple arithmetic you know. Doubling the film speed number = twice the speed = 1 less stop exposure. So figure that if the film of 84 years ago was about ISO 25, then 25 x 2 = 50 and 50 x 2 = 100 and that's two stops or close enough. The arithmetic works the other way too.

 

Forgive me, but when someone can't figure out simple stuff like this it's not funny. It's not even something to grin about. It's actually pretty pathetic and usually sets me back on my heels in surprise mixed with a little bit of fear. It begs the question, what the heck are the educational systems in this country up to that their students come out of it without basic math skills.

[zachariah_edwardson]

well frank - a lot of folks, even regular photo types, don't know too much about the ASA format. For someone who does not know better, and is told that you get a Fstop between 25-100, would think that you would get almost 3 Fstops between 100-400. Also many people going from digital to film have a hard time understanding it, even if it might be 2nd nature to someone who done it for years.

[pico]

Let's keep to the subject, eh?

 

Currants like partial shade and morning sun. Shoot under those conditions and your Currant

Film will work just fine.

[dennis wilson]

Hey there Lauren.

If your guide book does not mention a specific film speed and does not mention a film name on the guide such as Panatomic X (ISO 32), Plus X (ISO)125, or Tri-X (ISO 400), then I would have the lab process normally and see what results you get. By doing this you will get a starting point to base your settings on with the film you are using.

 

The other thing you can do is use the charts on the B&W film you are using and ignore the one in the guide book. That way you will be using settings for your film and not the film from 84 years ago.

 

Good luck and have fun using that old camera. Some times they are more fun to use than the latest digital.

[lauren_macintosh]

to:Frank Schifano} I regret my failings sir but they threw me out of high for biend [ disruptive and beledgerent] so I lack a lot but can understand when I have a problem and need to ask for help: IF THIS IS A CRIME FORGIVE ME SIR:\\Mr Lauren MacIntosh

[ian_butler]

Why do some people feel the need to insult a person because they ask a question? Answer

it or not, but are you really so insecure that you feel the need to be rude to the man? I

expect that he has some skill or knowledge that you know nothing about, and could make

cracks about your being ignorant and ill-educated when asked a question about it, though

he probably possesses some manners and would not dream of doing it.

 

I find myself cringing when somebody asks a basic question here, because I am waiting for

one of these asses to improve their self-image by insulting the poor person.

[pico]

Lauren - there was a serious side of my response - if you stick to bright shade, early and late

light you should be fine with 125-speed.

 

The currant thing just happened to fit, too.

[zachariah_edwardson]

Don't Worry lauren, we have all been there at some point of time with cameras, and sometimes I even forget.

 

you have shutter speeds, these are set up in a set pattern

 

8 seconds

4 seconds

2 seconds

1 second

1/2 second

1/4

1/8

1/15

1/30

1/60

1/125

1/250

 

 

basicly, your reducing the time the shutter is open by 1/2 each time to shorten the shutter. Then you have F stops

 

1.4 2.0 2.8 4 5.6 8 11 16 22

 

Each time you go down these numbers, your 1/2 the amount of light as well.

 

So lets say the camera recommends at the F stop 5.6 a 25 speed film to have the shutter speed of 1/30 of a second. But you put in a roll of Ilfords fine product FP4, (which is a 125 speed film, but for this example, we will shoot it at 100 speed and develop it as such)

 

Now 100 speed film is a faster film then 25, as you know, so we know that we need to allow less light onto the film to have a proper shot. it is 4 times as fast as the 25 film (25 -> 50 -> 100) so you need to with the film have a few options. you could change the shutter, the fstop, or both to allow less light. to follow the example I used before hand, 1/30 at fstop 5.6, you can simply move to Fstop 11 and 1/30 of a second, or go to fstop 8 and go to 1/60 of a second.

[al_kaplan1]

Many older cameras have odd shutter speeds which don't exactly double, such as 1/2, 1/5, 1/10, 1/25, etc. and f/stops of 3.5, 4.5, 6.3, etc.

 

They are still close enough to a stop apart from one another. Just pick the closest shutter speed to one in the "modern" sequence. The old f/stop numbers are about half way between the modern ones.

 

ASA is now called ISO. 25 needs about two stops more exposure than 125. If you can find a lab still doing conventional B&W film processing they should have no problems with it. I assume you're using new film rather that 84 year old film. Let us know how it turns out. Old cameras can be fun.

[lauren_macintosh]

To All: and to Frank S; I am sorry If I took to great of an Offense

to what Mr.Frank S. stated is was like A real flames at my Fantail

and yes I can be to dam sensitive to some remarks : I also had posted some photos of the Premo #2 kodak camera on the Classic camera section here, if you wish to look that ,great I will post some foto's of those two pages in the booklet that pretain to the Camera and its settings: I thank you all for your understanding and your helpfull comments:\\\Mr. Lauren MacIntosh

[jamesmck]

<strong>"It begs the question....."</strong><p>

 

Frank: While commenting on mathematical inadequacies, you may want to check on the meaning of this phrase (it does not mean "Prompts the question" or "Suggests the question").

[robert_marvin]

Please lay off my friend Frank--he's really a good guy. I suspect not understanding film speed, f stops, etc., is a sore point with him because he's exasperated by some members of our camera club who can't manage to get it straight even after generations of practice :-)

[paul_gray4]

We all start somewhere but I don't want to believe that Franks response was intended to be as callous as it may have been seen to be.

The relationships of film speed aperture, shutter speed, light and dynamic range are critical to the operation of photography.

The current generation of filmless photography and point shoot grab it photography is endangering not just he craft of photography but the understanding of it and as a result, it's future.

 

Having the manual is a great boon on an old camera.

One suggestion that wasn't made that could help you would be to use a neutral density filter to reduce the light reaching the film and allow you to use the camera at it's designed apertures and shutter speeds for the period.

[marshall1]

I have used old Kodak folders before with Verichrome Pan (no longer available). I believe that was asa 80, and following the directions on the camera for general (average subject and lighting - street scenes, etc.) snapshots it worked well enough.

 

Verichrome is no longer made, but you can try any 100-125 speed film and use the recommended aperture and shutter speed for snapshots, then "bracket" a shot or two with a narrower aperture and see what you get. That will also give you a starting point.

 

I love using my old folders (at least the ones I can still get film for!

 

-Marshall

[discpad]

Hi Lauren!

 

First off, Congratulations on restoring your 1923 vintage camera... And it's not THAT old, either!

 

Anyway, although the aperture setting will be pretty close, the shutter speed on old shutter assemblies can vary over a wide range -- Usually slower, due to sticking.

 

All that being said, my suggestion is to use a light meter, and plug in the ISO of the film to get an aperture/shutter speed pair you're comfortable with.

 

My film suggestions are as follows, at least until you use a meter &/or get your arms around:

 

Outdoors B&W: Kodak Plus-X, and use the table inside the film box.

 

Indoors B&W: Kodak Tri-X

 

Outdoors color: Fuji Pro 400H; and overexpose one stop, i.e. expose at ASA 200 (ISO 200) [OK, technically exposure index (EI) 200 -- Don't flame me!] With color negative film you can "bang" it pretty hard; but if you underexpose you'll get into trouble pretty quickly.

 

Indoors color: Wait until you get a meter.

 

Above all, HAVE FUN!