Jim Carlile wrote: Question: what happens if you have an advanced camera that will read the 250 speed notch, and you cut a filter notch in the Tri-X cartridge? Answer: The speed will be registered as 250 ASA.
Lunar07 wrote: NO! See, this is the confusion that arises when you associate notching with the tungsten speed. TriX is notched for 160D/250T. If you cut a filter notch in TriX, the compliant ADVANCED camera will read it at 160 with filter setting in Daylight. Since filter pin is out and filter is engaged in this setting, this will correspond to 250 + filter correction. Camera IS metering for 160 ASA. <b>160 happens to be the Exposure Index (EI) of 250 when used with the 85 filter - SO, 250 is the tungsten rating of the 0.4" upper notch.</b> At no stage whatsoever is the camera metering for 250 at filter setting of daylight. Think DAYLIGHT notch equivalent with filter set to Daylight.. Build your case on what is being metered from there. NOW, switch filter key to B. Camera will now remove filter from path and meter for the upper end of the ASA and closes aperture by 2/3 of a stop. Metering for 250.
Sure. In this case, filter setting is at B.Jim Carlile wrote: That's basically what I'm saying, though, isn't it? With a filter notch, and the speed notch reading at the .4 notch distance, the advanced camera will read Tri-X with no filter in path at 250. I meant with no filter-- no nothing.
I do not know if the camera is adjusting because the 85 filter is in the path, or because the camera is instructed to meter with a daylight rating read straight from the upper notch. Different cameras may handle it differently. Some cameras will take it for granted that there is an 85 filter there. Some cameras (Type D ones) may decide to meter at the daylight reading as long as the filter switch is at SUN.Jim Carlile wrote: But, isn't what actually is happening is that the filter switch just throws in a 2/3 stop compensation, so you're getting an effective film speed of 160 at the 'daylight' setting? I mean, remember, the only way you're going to get that 160 with the switch at "daylight" is to have the filter in place-- because you've cut a filter notch in the camera.
Thing is: I do not know, and I do not care to know, and it does not matter to know what is actually happening beneath the cover.
Consider these cases A and B:
A. With a filter notch, you throw the switch to B. Camera closes by 2/3 of a stop. Is it metering at 160 then factor in a stop down of 2/3 OR is it metering at 250?
B. With a filter notch, throw switch to SUN. Is the camera metering for 250 + filter correction, or is it metering at 160.
You see, these are all rhetorical questions.
What I know is this:
In the former case A it meters at 250.
In the latter case B it meters at 160.
This is the crucial information that we need to know.
In other words, imagine that this camera has a manual ASA knob. In case A you set this control to 250. In case B you set to 160.
This is what the camera is metering for.
What is happening behind the hood is great to know, but this is another subject altogether.
Putting aside the issue that smpte cameras can not go higher than 100 - what you state is equivalent to saying that filter pin IN or OUT at switch SUN, meters at exactly the same ASA. So why the over worked approach of ASA's adjusted by 2/3 when the number is already given to you: the daylight rating.It seems to me that's what's happening in general, by design, is that without the filter pin in, the SMPTE compliant cameras are designed to always meter the maximum ASA rating of the film-- or what the speed notch tells it (if they can.) But with the filter pin in, the lower ASA 2/3 stop complement of the speed notch spec. is automatically metered-- up to whatever the camera can do, which in many cases is 100 ASA. That's why, as I understand it, many SMPTE compliant cameras have a problem with a notchless Tri-X cartridge, because they read it at ASA 100. They can't go any higher when the filter pin is pushed in.
My experience with smpte type D cameras tells me that the camera does not give a hoot when you press filter pin IN with switch at SUN. It is like nothing happens. There is no electrical activity to compensate for anything. It goes on its merry way metering for the daylight rating. This is what the Moviflex does. So does the Nizo 6080. They assume that there is an 85 filter. This is a part of the standard around which this system is built. So there is no reason to do anything with these compliant cameras. Why should a camera adjust anything (when you press filter pin IN at switch setting SUN) when the net result is the same exact metering at the same ASA. It just does not make any sense.
As for the trouble metering more than 100 ASA with compliant cameras. I did not know that, but I bet you that compliant advanced cameras that can meter up to 400 ASA do it the very same way. Meter at lower end with SUN setting regardless of filter notch. In other words, smpte compliant cameras extend their ASA's while sticking to the general principle.
Filter Pin IN does not cause any compensation to metering. It follows the smpte system. To cause a compensation in metering AND remove filter, you have to have filter pin OUT, and set switch to B.Some can, though. How does the 6080 Nizo read the notchless Tri-X cartridge? I suspect at 160 (?) That makes sense-- it fits the prescription: the depressed filter pin sets the meter to the 2/3 stop complement of the speed notch ASA, and the 6080 can read what in most cases would be called these "daylight" speeds (the lower complement) much higher than 100 ASA.
With filter switch at SUN, camera is reading the daylight rating as sensed from upper notch.
Regardless from inner workings and regardless of any compensation that you can talk of: camera ends up metering at the lower ASA end with switch set to SUN. Meaning - daylight rating.