First film shots

minnnt

minnnt

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David
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Decided i wanted to try this film malarky so picked up a Nikon F80 from here so i could use the lenses i already have for my digital camera. These are my first shots from it on some Poundland Vista 200.

I'm looking for some pointers and any C&C is more than welcome as always.








Couple of questions, how did i do? I know it's not really the full film experience as it's kinda like using a DSLR. I've read that colour negative film needs lots of light so should i over expose by half a stop (or more) or just carry on as i am? Apart from #1 these were all taken with spot metering (#1 was matrix) is there a preferred method?

Last question, as this was just a quick test roll and all the shots were fired off pretty quickly, i just used Asda's develop and scan service. If for some reason i think i may have a few nice ones on future rolls, where would be best to send the film to for this kind of service?

Many thanks.
David.
 
Hi David,

Not brave enought to use film, however to me these look spot on.

Very hight quality.

[emoji106]
 
Hi Dave. These look great. I have no idea regarding film shooting. It is also good you uploaded some from the same time period over in the people section in "digital" What do you mean by saying "not really a film experiance like using a dslr really"
Not sure if you have done any post on these but they have the look/feel of most of the wedding images posted on here of late. If you get what I mean.
I am not wanting to give you too large a head but it seems to me that you are a clever fella with the oldcamerabox as in all sections of this forum you turn out fab images.


In awe !
Gaz
 
I mean that it is very much like a DSLR because it has aperture priority mode, AF, blah blah blah.

Not sure what you mean by 'wedding images' of late. Do you mean everyone just uses VSCO? :LOL:

Many thanks for your comments everyone, it felt weird not being able to review the image afterwards. Didn't stop me trying to look though. :D
 
Good set, nice to see someone else having a go with film. You chose a good camera to start with the later Nikons were pretty fool proof, auto film load, auto rewind and auto iso set, yes more or less like a DSLR except the change of film now and then. You get something in your hand at the end of it, the negs. The poundland Vista looks good from your setup which lens were you using?

Once again good work....
 
Thanks very much. Lens was a 50mm F1.8G.

Once I've done a little more research i may buy a few rolls of some nicer stuff. Always like Portra so perhaps I'll have a go with that. I have a few rolls of Vista 400 which i believe is Superia 400?
 
Another convert!

Great stuff David. These look really good indeed! Look forward to seeing you use more film.

I know what you mean about it being just like using your DSLR though. I have an F100 which is the same but it serves a purpose where I can integrate it with my lenses and use it in a wedding. It's much more satisfying using the Hasselblad or even the Canon AE-1 with manual focus or anything where you have to use a light meter first. I use a handheld meter with the Contax and AE-1, even though they have built in meters.
 
gazmorton2000 said:
Another convert!

Great stuff David. These look really good indeed! Look forward to seeing you use more film.

I know what you mean about it being just like using your DSLR though. I have an F100 which is the same but it serves a purpose where I can integrate it with my lenses and use it in a wedding. It's much more satisfying using the Hasselblad or even the Canon AE-1 with manual focus or anything where you have to use a light meter first. I use a handheld meter with the Contax and AE-1, even though they have built in meters.
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I wanted an F100 originally but the price made me take a few steps back and question myself so decided to put up an ad for an F65. Someone offered up a F80 for £25 delivered so i snapped his hand off! :D ultimate camera would be a FM3a coupled with a 50mm F1.2 but I'd need to sell a kid for that to happen.

Any advice on over exposing a little and metering @gazmorton2000 ?
 
Can't comment on the use of film David but a good set ... young'un obviously gets her looks from her mum and the dog is obviously looking for someone to take you away! :D
 
minnnt said:
Any advice on over exposing a little and metering
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In my experience of colour neg.... the exposure latitude is colossal (+3 to -1 stop) with quite a lot recovery possible in final printing/PP. So much so, I would suggest that spot metering will make your life more complicated :) Average/Matrix is usually all you'd need.

The only two shots of this set that may benefit/assist using Spot ~ the flower and the dog.

I would recommend Portra or Reala.... excellent tonal range from either.

On the other side of the coin - transparencies are a completely new learning curve. Exposure latitude is possibly +/- 0.5 stop!

Fun ain't it?

[eta - Average/Matrix]
 
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Poundland Agfa Vista film is excellent stuff - it is actually Fujifilm Color 200 in new clothes. You say that you have been told colour film requires a lot of light - why? Film has an ISO rating that is effectively the same as digital ISO. Expose according to the ISO and you cannot go far wrong. I use Agfa Vista to photograph the inside of mediaeval churches where there is little light and it works very well.

I use Snappy Snaps in Lincoln for colour development, mono I do myself. I cannot see why Asda should not be any good as the equipment is basically automatic. I would continue to use them until they give you a reason not to.
 
Nowt wrong with any of those. Possibly a tiny bit over-saturated in the reds, but that may well be an artefact of the emulsion. As to exposure, avoid underexposure like the plague as it usually produces horrid results with negative films. Overexposure is manageable but it is ideal to get it right for the most accurate colours. I prefer to use a TTL meter over handheld unless I'm doing very long exposures or using flash. You should try slide film if you want a difficult time regarding tolerance to exposure errors.

Also remember to store unused and exposed but unprocessed film in the fridge if possible. Keeping it out in warm conditions does lead to deterioration over time. (although it generally takes quite a long time)
 
I have no idea about the extra light, i read it on here. I'm happy with the outcome generally. A little more grainy but i guess i better get used to it if I'm going to be shooting more film.
 
minnnt said:
I wanted an F100 originally but the price made me take a few steps back and question myself so decided to put up an ad for an F65. Someone offered up a F80 for £25 delivered so i snapped his hand off! :D ultimate camera would be a FM3a coupled with a 50mm F1.2 but I'd need to sell a kid for that to happen.

Any advice on over exposing a little and metering @gazmorton2000 ?
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The only colour negative I shoot at box speed is Ektar 100. For Portra 400, I meter for the shadows and shoot at ISO 200. Seems to work well for the kind of things I shoot. And yes, embrace the grain. It is a beautiful by-product of shooting film.
 
It's all down to a bit of experimentation unfortunately, everyone will have their own way of working. Unlike Gaz, I always shoot at box value unless the film is well out of date or I intend to push it. Exposing for shadows is normal for neg film. That's a habit I've developed over 20 years of shooting film. Even though slide film is extremely difficult to get right, I still prefer it as when you do get it right it's really special.
 
It is the same as far as usage goes, but digital devices have neither fog levels nor image density levels which are the basis of ISO film speed measurements.
 
The ISO rating for colour negative film can be viewed as a bit optimistic in today's world, where you are going to scan and pp your images rather than print them in a wet darkroom. Over exposing by up to one stop seems to work quite well, though it can saturate the colours a bit more. Plus, you need to worry more about your shadow areas than your highlights, so a bit topsy turvy from what you might be used to. So I agree 100% with @gazmorton2000: run 400 ISO film at 200 (or maybe 250), AND meter for the shadow areas.

The Poundland Vista is fine, but perhaps a bit crude. For better results, I'd suggest Portra 400 or 160 (which if you're running it at 80 and metering for shadows tends to need lots of light or slow shutter speeds). Reala 100 would be nice; I have half a brick expired in 2007 that I shoot at 50 or so... but it's discontinued and fleabay chancers will want more per film than I paid for my brick! I wouldn't sell at any price though, as it's just lovely.

Ektar 100 I've only used once; it seems to be significantly more saturated, and has a reputation for being less flexible than other colour negative films.

I've never used the Fuji pro films, but folk seem to like them.
 
ChrisR said:
The ISO rating for colour negative film can be viewed as a bit optimistic in today's world, where you are going to scan and pp your images rather than print them in a wet darkroom. Over exposing by up to one stop seems to work quite well, though it can saturate the colours a bit more. Plus, you need to worry more about your shadow areas than your highlights, so a bit topsy turvy from what you might be used to. So I agree 100% with @gazmorton2000: run 400 ISO film at 200 (or maybe 250), AND meter for the shadow areas.

The Poundland Vista is fine, but perhaps a bit crude. For better results, I'd suggest Portra 400 or 160 (which if you're running it at 80 and metering for shadows tends to need lots of light or slow shutter speeds). Reala 100 would be nice; I have half a brick expired in 2007 that I shoot at 50 or so... but it's discontinued and fleabay chancers will want more per film than I paid for my brick! I wouldn't sell at any price though, as it's just lovely.

Ektar 100 I've only used once; it seems to be significantly more saturated, and has a reputation for being less flexible than other colour negative films.

I've never used the Fuji pro films, but folk seem to like them.
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Thanks Chris. That's a good bit of advice. Just a quick question, what would running at a lower ISO achieve? I believe this is called 'pushing' the film? If so, do i have to tell the developer i have done this? I read that it's best to tell them so they can develop accordingly. (extra time etc). Or does exposing for the shadows cancel out the need? Also, would i need to send the film somewhere else or will Asda suffice?

Portra is definately on the list. Reala looks nice but as you say, a lot of expensive stuff out there. Will check out Ektar and see if it takes my fancy.

simon ess said:
I can't comment on the technicalities as I only use b+w film, but I'd be very happy with these.
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Thanks Simon. I'm quite happy. A few duffers from the role but that's down to my technique.

Solo man said:
I think you did very well for a first go... well done.
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Cheers buddy. Still a few silly mistakes i need to iron out, you haven't seen the rest of 'em! :LOL:
 
minnnt said:
Cheers buddy. Still a few silly mistakes i need to iron out, you haven't seen the rest of 'em! :LOL:
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Looking at the rolls of film I shot today, I wouldn't worry, yours are just fine lol.
 
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minnnt said:
Thanks Chris. That's a good bit of advice. Just a quick question, what would running at a lower ISO achieve? I believe this is called 'pushing' the film? If so, do i have to tell the developer i have done this? I read that it's best to tell them so they can develop accordingly. (extra time etc). Or does exposing for the shadows cancel out the need? Also, would i need to send the film somewhere else or will Asda suffice?
Click to expand...
Exposing say a 400 rated film at 200 will overexpose it by one stop. (essentially the same as dialling in +1 exposure compensation) If you were to "push" a film, you would do the opposite and underexpose it and then alter the development times to account for the change. Personally, I've never pushed colour film as I tend to think it just looks terrible at a decent size. To do it with colour film would require a lab willing to make adjustments. (basic high street labs like asda and boots won't/can't do this) Black and white push processing is much easier and the results tend to be reasonably good.
 
No, no difference, though changing the ISO away from DX coding is more convenient as you are less likely to cancel it out.
 
Some really nice images, you need to shoot more film, beware though, it becomes addictive!
 
minnnt said:
Thanks Chris. That's a good bit of advice. Just a quick question, what would running at a lower ISO achieve? I believe this is called 'pushing' the film? If so, do i have to tell the developer i have done this? I read that it's best to tell them so they can develop accordingly. (extra time etc). Or does exposing for the shadows cancel out the need? Also, would i need to send the film somewhere else or will Asda suffice?

Portra is definately on the list. Reala looks nice but as you say, a lot of expensive stuff out there. Will check out Ektar and see if it takes my fancy.
Click to expand...

No, as I understand it pushing is where you shoot at a higher ISO, eg indoors with no flash. You do need to compensate in the development for that, usually, and Boots or Asda won't do it.

The way I do it (and I'm no expert, just telling you what works for me) is to shoot 400 ISO at 250 (need a camera without DX coding to do this), then send it off to be developed and scanned as normal. Seems to give good results! Not sure I'd do it with Ektar, though, at least at first.
 
I've not shot much film and have been thinking of getting an oldie to have some fun with, keep it clean....... Haha
Been having a look around the photos in a local Facebook site and I love the character in old film shots so I must follow your lead at some point, not sure I'd get such nice results as you but it'll be a fun journey trying to get there
 
minnnt said:
Decided i wanted to try this film malarky so picked up a Nikon F80 from here so i could use the lenses i already have for my digital camera. These are my first shots from it on some Poundland Vista 200.

I'm looking for some pointers and any C&C is more than welcome as always.


Click to expand...

reminds me of Irving Penn's corner portraits, its a formula that just works
 
Great set - lovely to see more joining the gang. I did a session at ISO100 on camera for the porta 400. I've not got the results back, but I think I'll be copying Gaz and shooting at 200ISO.
 
Thanks! It's having a wander out this weekend, perhaps a bit of street stuff etc. Will more than likely pair it with the 24-70 although just taking the 50 is a nice thought.

ISO 400 for the win!!
 
After all you've said about shooting film as well. I had you down as many things, but a hypocrite is a new one to add to the list.

As I recall, you said "Shooting film is just a cover up for poor composition and bland processing"

Joined the elitists have we?
 
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