Disposable camera and the sunny16 rule

[Cluster]

If my disposable camera has typical features, say f9, 1/120s shutter and ASA400 film.... in terms of the sunny 16 rules, does that place the ideal (outdoor) lighting between partly overcast (light shadows) and heavy overcast? (nearly 3.5 to 4 stops more exposure than that needed for full sun).

 

[john.margetts]

I make that not quite 3 stops more exposure that Sunny 16 would suggest. Bright sunshine is going to challenge the film's latitude but keep off the beach and you should get useable images.

Edit: 1/200 is one stop and 1/100 is two stops so 1/125 is not quite two stops more exposure. F/8 would be a further two stops more so f/9 is not quite two stops more. My maths above is rubbish.

 

[Retune]

You should be fine even in full sun with a disposable. These cameras rely on the high tolerance of negative film to overexposure to give you something acceptable in most daylight conditions, even 3-4 stops over:

How Exposure Affects Film Photos

One of the things about film photography is that exposure on film, unlike in digital photography, is not equivalent at all to overall brightness of an

petapixel.com

But if it doesn't have a flash, you'll get poorer results indoors as the tolerance to underexposure is much lower.

 

[cargo]

@Retune

Thanks for that link.

I was just given a Yashica 635 and have purchased a roll of film (Ilford Hp5) The examples in the link were colour would the same results be obtained with B&W film " roughly speaking" ?

Gaz

 

[Harlequin565]

I found this which always makes me smile... You'll have a bit of working out to do but my calculations based on your settings is 5 - Average day.



Download link (small pdf on my Dropbox) here

 

[Retune]

@Retune

Thanks for that link.

I was just given a Yashica 635 and have purchased a roll of film (Ilford Hp5) The examples in the link were colour would the same results be obtained with B&W film " roughly speaking" ?

Gaz

HP5 is pretty forgiving, though I don't think it would be as tolerant to overexposure as colour negative films when developed normally. However, if you've overexposed or underexposed an entire roll by a known number of stops, you can adjust for this in development. If you want a really wide exposure latitude between frames on the same roll of black and white, or don't control how it is developed, you might look at Ilford XP2. This 'chromogenic' film uses the same C41 chemistry as colour negative film and its exposure latitude is a major selling point. While it's nominally ISO 400, you can calculate the exposure for any shot as if the speed were anything between ISO 50 to ISO 800 and get the whole roll developed in colour chemistry with no special adjustments. Of course, as you now have a camera with full exposure control, there's no reason not to get the exposure right using a guide like the one above, or a meter. Smartphone metering apps can work well, but test against a proper meter or exposure chart to make sure they give sensible results on your phone.

 

[cargo]

@Harlequin565 Thanks for that. Made me smile. However of all the sunny 16 quides I've looked at over the past week this is by far the most realistic.
Of the few frames I've taken I can rarely see f16 being used.
Mind you having had a Dslr for 8 years I've never shot at f16 either. I do realise that's a starting point.

@Retune
Hi thanks for the info. Very informative.
I did try an app but checking it against my 6d it's miles out. I was mildly chuffed as I knew straight off the readings it would be.
I am wanting to use the sunny 16 predominantly as I sort of want it to be fun so as long as I'm somewhere near I'll be happy.
I'll be over the moon if there are photos on this first film.
Already goofed with a double exposure as I forgot to wind on.

Gaz

 

[FishyFish]

In the UK I assume a Sunny 11 rule (in the rare cases I use it). I think f/16 is fine if you're in more southerly locations, e.g. the Mediteranian area, but that a bright sunny day in the UK is always a little less well lit due to our latitude.

 

[cargo]

In the UK I assume a Sunny 11 rule (in the rare cases I use it). I think f/16 is fine if you're in more southerly locations, e.g. the Mediteranian area, but that a bright sunny day in the UK is always a little less well lit due to our latitude.

Hi

Thanks for you input

I most definitely agree.

Will see how far out I am when I get the first roll developed.

I think I'll be under exposing tbh.


Gaz

 

[sk66]

You calculated it correct (~3.5). I would actually put that at about EV10-14 usable; EV12 (heavy overcast) +/- 2 stops due to the latitude of color negative film (B&W could be a little more). You could also push/pull the film as well if necessary...

 

[Ambermile]

In the UK I assume a Sunny 11 rule (in the rare cases I use it). I think f/16 is fine if you're in more southerly locations, e.g. the Mediteranian area, but that a bright sunny day in the UK is always a little less well lit due to our latitude.

True, but note the rule was posited when pretty much everyone used ASA125 as it was all the everyday user had access to... and speeds much past 1/250 were not available either. And then, the camera only came out on high days and holidays, eg. family trips to the beach ...

(add to that the hit n miss developing techniques like over-use of developing solution and so on... and lack of precision focusing too)
)

 

[Peter B]

Apologies if this just makes things more confused, but my German 1950-something Rolleicord has an exposure guide on the rear cover. It's in EV, but I haven't actually checked it out against a meter.

 

[cargo]

@Peter B
I am very easily confused this image proves the point ‍


Gaz

 

[Cluster]

Thanks for all the pointers.. The reason for asking about typical exposure values for a disposable camera is to estimate how bright it might have to be in order to put a red/orange/yellow filter in front of the lens and not be too underexposed. I see that in bright, sunny conditions it will be no problem, in fact, it could still be overexposed slightly.

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

Apologies if this just makes things more confused, but my German 1950-something Rolleicord has an exposure guide on the rear cover. It's in EV, but I haven't actually checked it out against a meter.

The ASA standard changed over time as film technology changed so that, sometime in the 1960s, film speeds effectively doubled. Thus a film previously rated at 200ASA was now rated at 400ASA (this is a gross simplification but it works in real life).

When using the original Rollei backplates, it pays to move the EV up 1 for normal exposure. Hence, if the plate reads "15" for the conditions and film in use, set "16" on the shutter/aperture controls.

 

[ChrisR]

Thanks for all the pointers.. The reason for asking about typical exposure values for a disposable camera is to estimate how bright it might have to be in order to put a red/orange/yellow filter in front of the lens and not be too underexposed. I see that in bright, sunny conditions it will be no problem, in fact, it could still be overexposed slightly.

The last couple of disposable/single use challenges I've entered, I've used a camera with HP5 in it, with a red filter taped across the lens (and half the viewfinder too). Worked fine!