Cross-country with a Leica IIIf and Kodachrome 64

[jack_newkirk]

<p>Hello, all - first time poster. I'm an author about to head out across America on a book tour. Shameless plug here:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.theoldmanandtheharley.com">The Old Man and the Harley: A Last Ride Through Our Fathers' America<br /> </a><br>

I'll be riding a restored 1932 Harley VL. My camera is an old Leica IIIf (with 6 new rolls of Kodachrome 64 - I was going to use Velvia but switched for nostalgic reasons). Don Goldberg did a CLA on the camera/lens a few weeks ago.</p>

<p>Problem is, I'm new to this camera and only have a week before I leave - not enough time to take K64 practice rolls and get them to Dwayne's and back.</p>

<p>For exposure, I have a new Sekonic L-208 meter but am baffled by the "incident" vs. "reflected" choice. Should I just use Sunny 16? Does anyone have advice that might maximize my chances of getting proper exposure with this Leica III/K64 combo?</p>

<p>All replies appreciated.</p>

[andrew_gale]

<p>I wouldn't use sunny sixteen with kodacrome. Its quite finiky about exposure and doesnt have much latatude. If you have a chance, at least get a grey card to meter off of. And read up about your meter. I normally meter off 18% with an old selenium cell meter but its for B&W so it doesnt much matter if im a bit off.</p>

[luis_g]

<p>First thing: How many days is this tour? You may want to take at least 3 rolls per day.</p>

<p>Is there a lab that processes Ektachrome films in your area?</p>

<p> If so, go & buy 2-3 rolls of Fuji Velvia. Set ISO in meter. Put meter in incident mode. Go out and take some pictures of anything in various outdoors settings (hard light, shade, mixed). To use the meter, get in the same light as the subject (that is critically important, but it doesn't mean you have to hover over the Grand Canyon. Unless one of you in in shade, the other in hard light, or viceversa, just get in the same light) point the little hemisphere back in the direction *from* which you will be taking the picture. Take a reading, input that reading into camera, make exposure. Repeat until roll is finished, take back to lab, get it developed, and see what you get. The procedure for K64 will be the same, except for the ISO setting. People routinely expose K64 at ISO 80.</p>

<p> Given your greenness with the hardware, one thing you may want to do (unless the Velvia experiments turned out very well) is to bracket the real important shots. That is, make first exposure at meter, 2nd +1/3 f/stop (at the aperture ring), then one at -1/3 rd stop. Of course, that eats up film 3x faster.</p>

<p>Sounds like a great trip.</p>

 

[love4leica]

<p>Simplify your life- set the meter to 64 IOS and point the meter to grey tar road but ensure your meter is set for reflected light reading. Most tar roads reflect 18%. You should be Ok with your exposure but do check thereading again as the light changes all the time. Be mindful of the fact that Kodachrom 64 does not have much exposure latitude. Good luck and enjoy the journey as much as you will enjoy the destination and like-wise enjoy taking the pictures as much a you will enjoy the pictures.</p>

[chad_hahn]

<p>As someone who has shot a few rolls of Kodachrome through his IIf meterless I would recommend that you either visit <a href="http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm">The Ultimate Exposure Computer</a> or meter off of the grass. Like the previous poster said, you can meter off of pavement as well. The important thing is that you meter for something in the same light as the subject.<br>

I have an Excel file that I made from the previous link that I printed and carry around in my wallet. It is a very handy reference and really doesn't take that long to learn. Remember many people used Kodachrome for many years without a meter.<br>

Good luck on your road trip.<br>

Chad</p>

[tobey_bilek]

<p>A grey card or incident meter will get perfect exposures. Afzal means blacktop that has faded to middle grey. You can also use the palm of your hand and open one stop as your hand is too light. Incident is the way to go.<br>

Buy a roll of E6 that you can get processed fast or even some color neg to be sure the camera is working. Do some tests at 200 500 1000 and make sure there are no streaks in even toned skies. These have been the bane of my screw mount cams and why I will not buy more. Includes work done by Don.</p>

<p>I must warn you the very first rule is never to use new or recently repaired equipment on a vacation.</p>

[john_shriver]

<p>If your shutter speeds are accurate, the instructions inside the box still result in quite good exposures. Just follow them very carefully. With the sun over your shoulder, it's hard to go wrong.<br>

Luis' calibration instructions are dead-on. Even if you want to use Sunny-16 rules. Just to be sure that your shutter speeds are on.<br>

Key thing to remember with Kodachrome is that if the subject is in mixed sun and shade, only one of those two areas can be properly exposed. You you have to pick one, and meter that area.</p>

<p> </p>

[Robin Smith]

<p>In the US, don't meter using the road as a middle gray - you'll find your pics underexposed. The correct exposure for K64 in bright sun (behind you) is 1/250th at f6.7 (half way in between f5.6 and f8). I suggest you never reduce the exposure (underexpose) from this whatever your meter says. Meter a middle tone (gray/green, or, if pressed, the back of your hand (+ a stop for the back of your hand) and you should be fine for the rest.</p>

[ray .]

<p>You could always pop some black and white film in another or same camera as back up. Matches up with the era too.</p>

[ray .]

<p>http://www.amazon.com/Percent-Neutral-Digital-Location-Photography/dp/B000XZSWMK/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1244471350&sr=8-5</p>

[steve_levine]

<p>Shooting a finnicky chrome stock in a meterless camera, on a once in a lifetime trip sounds risky to me. I'd test shoot a roll before hand, or shoot a more forgiving film such as a good color neg stock. Having the chance of the chromes being un usable is too big a risk to take.</p>

[chuck_albertson1]

<p>Incident metering works best for slide file, just point the meter at the light source (i.e., the sun) that's illuminating your subject. For reflected light, point the meter at the subject itself. Have a great ride, and maybe pick up a few more rolls of K64.</p>

[35mmdelux]

<p>What Chuck said. Also, run some E6 thru the camera as a test -- ask to get it back 2 days from your local camera store. If E6 checks out, then your good-to-go with K64.</p>

[patrick_mont]

<p>Don't worry to much. Kodachrome is a great choice! I have the same meter that you do and I shoot lots and lots of Kodachrome with it all the time. I usually use the reflected light setting.</p>

[jack_newkirk]

<p>Excellent responses, folks. Many thanks for the advice, based upon which I've shot 3 test rolls of Fuji stock (Velvia, Provia, and Astia all at ASA100) and will take them to our local E6 lab tomorrow.</p>

<p>If these latest tests turn out well, I'll load the Leica with Kodachrome and set off.</p>

<p>I should mention that I'm also bringing a compact Nikon D40x with a fixed 35mm/f1.8 lens for backup. The purpose of the Leica III/K64 combo is to document places the Old Man visited seventy summers ago, now in their various states of nostalgia/disrepair/etc. Per advice from Luis, I'll probably bracket the really important shots and use the D40x only when necessary. BTW, I tried translating internal D40x meter readings to the Leica to avoid carrying a separate meter - no luck. Inconsistent and usually 1 - 1.5 stops overexposed.</p>

<p>Velvia/Provia was tempting, but Kodachrome has a connection with this saga that's just too compelling to resist. I was also inspired by Dan Bayer's excellent <a href="http://www.kodachromeproject.com/">Kodachrome Project</a> .</p>

<p>Thanks again,</p>

<p>Jack Newkirk</p>

[DB_Gallery]

<p>Hi John, I am glad the project inspired you, besides being a book project for me, that is what it is supposed to do. I would use that L-208 as much as you can, it is your best bet. This is a brand new set of images, all metered with a handheld:<br>

<br /> http://www.flickr.com/photos/23585735@N06/sets/72157619583742644/show/</p>

[mikal_grass]

<p>Daniel,</p>

<p>Sweet images. What lens on what camera did you use?</p>

<p>Mikal<br>

Kodachrome Project Member</p>

[DB_Gallery]

<p>Thanks,<br>

Either my M3 and a 50 1.4 Asph or my M6TTL with a 35 1.4 Asph. I did the three shot from a cab with a thin Tele-Elmarit. <br>

John, lets connect tomorrow before you leave, I was in a shoot when you called....</p>