Is Exposure Absolute?

Bidz

Bidz

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Liam
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Say I have two cameras - well, I do actually. A Canon 40D and a Minolta 7000.

I've got ISO 200 film / selected.

If I use the 40D in Av mode set to f5.6 and take a meter reading, and then dial that hutter speed into the Minolta, will it work?

I mean to say, if I get ISO 200 / F5.6 / 1/200, will this absolutely give me the correct exposure at that focal length with any camera?
 
according to a book i have recently read, in manual mode select aperture, and in view finder you will see a marker in the middle with plus and minus, which in effect is your light meter, dial marker to 0 and this will give you shutter speed for aperture and according to book its the only way to get correct exposure every time,
 
Exposures should be identical for different cameras. However in practice different sensors and films have slight variations from the standard iso ratings, so would need slight adjustments.

Since film has pretty wide latitude in terms of developing, you should be fine in most circumstances.

Best way to find out is to give it a try (keeping the digital photo for reference).
 
It depends on how the camera meters the scene

If, however, you were to take a reading with a separate light meter then dial the settings into both cameras then you should get the same or very similar exposure.
 
wallyboy said:
according to a book i have recently read, in manual mode select aperture, and in view finder you will see a marker in the middle with plus and minus, which in effect is your light meter, dial marker to 0 and this will give you shutter speed for aperture and according to book its the only way to get correct exposure every time,
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Correct, but thats not what he is asking.. He is asking if a certain exposure given by one camera's reading is exactly right and if inputted into another camera, will the exposure be the same. Technically yes, but its not the case.
For some reason, some lenses expose differently. I owned a Sigma 12-24 that underexposed constantly. You had to dial in +2 EC to get a "correct" exposure.
So the answer to the question would be no, depending on equipment.
You also need to take into consideration how the camera meters the scene, how accurate it is, and how well calibrated it is. Yu could take two exact same exposures on two different cameras, doesnt mean it will be indentical. There is always some tolerance, but generally what one meter reads should be pretty darn close to another, within tolerable limts anyway.
 
Thanks!

wallyboy said:
according to a book i have recently read, in manual mode select aperture, and in view finder you will see a marker in the middle with plus and minus, which in effect is your light meter, dial marker to 0 and this will give you shutter speed for aperture and according to book its the only way to get correct exposure every time,
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I use manual studio flash on the 40D often, and usually that little meter will tell me I'm wildly underexposing it - it's not ALWAYS something to go by.
 
Bidz said:
I use manual studio flash on the 40D often, and usually that little meter will tell me I'm wildly underexposing it - it's not ALWAYS something to go by.
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That will be because the meter only works for ambient light, not light from strobes.

(Although if you have an eTTL flash attached and you're using one of the semi-automatic modes, it will take into account the flash contribution to the exposure.)
 
Yes, in theory f8 1/125 ISO 200 will be the same between any camera, film or digital when pointed at the same scene. However there is something called T-Stops which is an aperture F stop equivalenet that takes into account loss of light through the lens elements themselves. For this reason you may well see slight differences in exposure, plus differences in the way sensors apply a tone curve and the way each film has it's own tone curve will have a varing on it. You won't notice anything wildly different though.
 
Bidz said:
Say I have two cameras - well, I do actually. A Canon 40D and a Minolta 7000.

I've got ISO 200 film / selected.

If I use the 40D in Av mode set to f5.6 and take a meter reading, and then dial that hutter speed into the Minolta, will it work?

I mean to say, if I get ISO 200 / F5.6 / 1/200, will this absolutely give me the correct exposure at that focal length with any camera?
Click to expand...

You should be OK - I use that approach to meter for film when using manual external flashes. I start with the digital SLR, work out the exposure I need, and then take the shot I want with using those settings on the film SLR.
 
Bidz said:
Say I have two cameras - well, I do actually. A Canon 40D and a Minolta 7000.

I've got ISO 200 film / selected.

If I use the 40D in Av mode set to f5.6 and take a meter reading, and then dial that hutter speed into the Minolta, will it work?

I mean to say, if I get ISO 200 / F5.6 / 1/200, will this absolutely give me the correct exposure at that focal length with any camera?
Click to expand...

It will work well enough for what you're wanting to do (you do know there's a Film section on this forum?). With colour negative film you've a wide leeway on exposure. Shoot a couple of test rolls on the Minolta using the 40D as the meter.. or buy a cheap Weston meter secondhand.. or just put a wet finger in the air and go by sunny-16 or the UEC (yes, it does work).
 
Bidz said:
I've personally never used this method and have never had unexplainable outdoor exposure issues.
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Finbarr.JPG


Fnarr Fnarr, k-yak k-yak!

:D
 
Alastair said:
It will work well enough for what you're wanting to do (you do know there's a Film section on this forum?). With colour negative film you've a wide leeway on exposure. Shoot a couple of test rolls on the Minolta using the 40D as the meter.. or buy a cheap Weston meter secondhand.. or just put a wet finger in the air and go by sunny-16 or the UEC (yes, it does work).
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Cheers. It was more a metaphorical question as I have no issue with the meter on the 7000 anyway.

DorsetDude said:
Finbarr.JPG


Fnarr Fnarr, k-yak k-yak!

:D
Click to expand...

What's that meant to mean? I'm wrong? :suspect:
 
Bidz said:
What's that meant to mean? I'm wrong? :suspect:
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No, no, no, not at all. I guess you've never read Viz. That character used to go off at the mention of double entendres. which I thought the outdoor exposure comment thing was, a bit is all. :geek:
for example there was a photography releated strip once and comments such as
When talking of his picture printing apparatus Mr Gimlet says "I've got a small Johnson, but it can enlarge to nigh on a foot when it is turned on in a darkened room".

But I digress.
 
DorsetDude said:
No, no, no, not at all. I guess you've never read Viz. That character used to go off at the mention of double entendres. which I thought the outdoor exposure comment thing was, a bit is all. :geek:
for example there was a photography releated strip once and comments such as
When talking of his picture printing apparatus Mr Gimlet says "I've got a small Johnson, but it can enlarge to nigh on a foot when it is turned on in a darkened room".

But I digress.
Click to expand...

No worries, I see now. :bonk:
 
Bidz said:
I've personally never used this method and have never had unexplainable outdoor exposure issues.
Click to expand...

wallyboy said:
give it a go see what you think
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I've never really seen the point in that method as all you are effectively doing is manually selecting the same shutter spead the camera would have done if you had it in AV mode.

I see the point in this method if you are doing some complex metering or want consistent exposures in tricky lighting but religiously setting every shot to the 0 position manually just seems pointless.
 
DorsetDude said:
No, no, no, not at all. I guess you've never read Viz. That character used to go off at the mention of double entendres. which I thought the outdoor exposure comment thing was, a bit is all. :geek:
for example there was a photography releated strip once and comments such as
When talking of his picture printing apparatus Mr Gimlet says "I've got a small Johnson, but it can enlarge to nigh on a foot when it is turned on in a darkened room".

But I digress.
Click to expand...

Finbarr Saunders and his Double entendres :lol:

Another one when he was fixing the old camera was "I've spent many a hot afternoon with my face under her hood, flicking away at that button, trying to make those leathery old flaps open up."
 
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