Film Speed / ISO / ASA : What’s it all about?

“Film Speed” refers to the sensitivity to light of the film. “Fast” film is more sensitive whilst “Slow” film is less sensitive.

Slow films have lower ISO numbers such as 50, 125, 160 are all slow or relatively slow. Fast films have higher ISO numbers such as 3200, 1600, 800.  ISO 400 is considered “everyday”. Read on to know more…

Fast film means that you can keep using faster shutter speeds as the light fades. Thats because its more sensative to light, its fast. It takes less time for it to record the image.

Slow film is the opposite. When the light fades the film will need a slower shutter speed than a fast film in the same light. Simple as that.

A good way to realise this is with a light meter. If you press the button to take a recording and then rather than alter the Aperture/Shutter Speed, alter the ISO and you will see that the Aperture/Shutter Speed change accordingly.

So what’s the point to all this anyway?

You need to consider the “grain” and “quality” of the film.

Slow film is of better quality because there is finer grain (you can’t see the grain). The compromise is slower shutter speeds, i.e. you have to use it in stronger light.

Fast film is of worse quality as the grain is more visible. Its grainy. But you can hold the camera in your hands and photo in low light.

TIP: its all made redundant somewhat if you use a tripod. You can use a slow film (e.g. ISO 125) in total darkness if you like, it doesn’t matter.

You would use a slow film in a studio and when you want top notch images. You would use fast film if you photograph in low light conditions, holding the camera in your hands. Fast film is for variable and unknown light conditions. Slow film is for controlled light conditions and when you have a tripod.

 

Sometimes I will use a fast film even if the light is strong enough for a slow film, for arty reasons. It can look very cool to have grainy images. Much in the same way you use contrasty film. Contrasty film is cool too.

So, in conclusion, mix and match and think aesthetically as well as practically. What look do you want, what quality and how are you going to use it.

 

EXAMPLES (120 and 35mm)

SLOW

• Ilford FP4+ 125 (B&W – medium contrast)
• FujiColor Pro 160 S or C (Colour - more contrast than kodak in general, “S” for Skin and “C” for Contrasty)
• Ilford Delta 100 (B&W – low contrast)

FAST

• Fuji Neopan 1600 (mega contrast and grain)
• Kodak Portra 400 (Colour)

 

Hope this helps,

 

Dan

Packing Your Bag & Things Not To Forget

If you are like me, you don’t like carrying to much. Sometimes I wouldn’t bring my text books to school because they were too heavy – everyone did it – no wonder we were all sharing.

Anyway, First there is a tip that will help you pack in the first place.

Its not always possible, but could you choose only one lens to take with you?  Sometimes it pays to keep things simple. If you are going out to shoot landscapes you don’t need a telescopic/telephoto lens. If you are shooting wildlife, then you won’t want a wide angle lens.

If you packed a wide angle lens and then a parrot arrives and sits on a branch near you, you may just have to let that moment pass and enjoy it with your eyes instead. Sometimes it helps you to focus your skills if you don’t bring a whole arsenal of lenses with you. Its up to you.

So what’s in your bag?

1. Blower (if dust or fluff gets on your lens you can blow it off).
2. Spare Film (in case you need more or bugger up some).
3. Film Containers (to protect the finished films).
4. Cable Release (if shooting in low light)
5. Lens Hood
6. Do you need a Tripod?

That may be all you need. In a well padded bag. Buy one with sections. There are even nice rucksacks now, expensive in some places. Shop around or buy one second hand, its only a bag not your duvet covers.

I was going to put cloth on the list. You need a cloth or piece of kitchen roll too. Its not on the list because I do not want to influence the way in which you clean your lens, that is another matter. I don’t clean lenses out on the field.

I use UV filters (see my UV filter post). This protects the lens. But if rain gets on my filter, I wipe off the droplets and blow any fluff off. That’s safe enough – but lens cleaning is a much more sensitive issue. DO NOT clean lenses with kitchen roll – use a brillo pad (that’s obviously a joke, but you can’t be too careful, so I should state that it is a joke to use brillo pads or kitchen roll to clean lenses.)

When you’re out you might ruin a film or two just by making mistakes. It happened to me a lot during my university course. So take plenty of film.

I used to forget to take the lens cap off when using my rangefinder. You wouldn’t make that mistake with an SLR. See my post on rangefinders.

To stop this I sellotaped a card on the back of my camera saying to TAKE THE LENS CAP OFF! You can do the same for other procedures you are not familiar of. An example for digital users, what about a note that says, “Am I Charged?”

Remember to tear off the flap of the cardboard box the film came in. The flap that has the name of the film and therefore the film speed. On some cameras you can slip it in a neat holder on the back of the camera or “film back”. Then you are reminded what speed to set both: your camera and “light meter” to.

Which brings me to another point. Remember to set the film speed on your light meter. It is easy to forget (if you are forgetful). If you have made this mistake and taken a whole roll of film based on incorrect settings on the light meter, take note of the ISO (film speed) you set it to. There is a way to save that film… potentially. For now I will just give you a link – “PUSH OR PULL” its very complicated.

Don’t forget, if you are bringing a tripod, where is the screw piece? It might be on another camera still and you may end up carrying a heavy tripod out for nothing.

I tend to set up my camera a little before I go out to. Whether that be setting the ISO on my digital camera (and choosing RAW or JPEG), or loading the first film at home. Screw the piece for your tripod into your camera before you leave. I think you do more prep work in Winter!

Good Luck out there.

 

Thanks for reading,

Dan Larsson.

Black & White or Colour : B+W / Color

Do you want to pack black and white film or colour film today?

The Strengths of Black and White:

Black and White is great for emphasising form, shape and texture. Its well known that to describe elegence of form or interesting textures, black and white does a superb job.

Sometimes you have to make the descion based on the concept and emotion, rather than just the subject. Is it moody, miserbale or timeless and still?

Another good example is architecture. Here you are concentrating on the shape of the building, and it will probably be more powerful in black and white. Removing the colour means that the viewer is concentrating on the form and detail, and that is all.  The same goes for portraiture.

The Strenghts of Colour/Color:

Colour photography is like another subject. We see the world in colour so you could argue  that we can relate better with colour photography and that black and white photograph puts us at a distance in which the photograph becomes a relic. for exmaple, modern snapshot style photography is in colour.

You may photograph something ordinary and banal and decide not to give it black and white status. Black and White is now old fashioned – you have to choose to use black and white now. Some photo shops won’t do your black and white films now. More people are using colour now.

I tend to only use colour when I am photographing something colourful. Sounds a little odd perhaps? It is as if, by photographing something, I am saying that the subject is of importance, or worth telling the world about. It doesn’t have to be St Pauls Cathedral, it can be a chair. However, you decide the method which best to emphasis the particular qualities of that subject.

It may be worth asking youself why you are choosing that method and then it will become clearer. Or, shoot it with both and decide later!

Heres an example of some photographers that only use black and white, and to make it interesting, Two are incredibly famous and that you would find in your text book and two are people I’ve never heard of that I came across randomly.

Paul Politis

Benjamin Herbert

Bernd and Hilla Beche (very well known and historical)

Ansel Adams (likewise)

All the best,

Dan Larsson