How to tell if exposure works without shooting film

[frusciante]

Hello everyone!

I am new to the forum but I have a question: I currently own two s8 cameras:

1. Canon Auto Zoom 318M
2. Chinon Power Zoom 723

I have checked most of these cameras features (like orange filter cancelation,zooming etc.) but the think is that I don't have any film stock to check if exposure works. I kept holding the trigger and tried looking in the aperture while changing the light magnitude but i didn't see any aperture moves.... Is this normal?

Is there any other way to check the automatic exposure without film???

Thank you beforehands!

[slashmaster]

Yes, run the camera with the door open and use a small mirror to look into the film gate.

[frusciante]

I just tried it! It seems to work! When I point to a brighter area, i notice that some aperture blades are narrowing the field of view, not interfering with the frame though. On the opposite, when i point to a less bright area the blades are widening.

I also notice that there is an orange sign in the upper left corner of the viewfinder that appears whenever under-exposure is measured....

But now I have new questions: Concerning new-stock colour kodak reversal film I have to use Kodak Ektachrome 100D 7285

DAYLIGHT

I have to cancel the internal filter by screwing a screw in the external light socket and shoot in daylight. The reason i am canceling the filter is because this film is balanced for daylight. My cameras recognize only 25D/40T and 100D/160T and have notches for 100D/160T so I presume that this film will be exposed like it was ASA160 so it will be a bit under exposed (~2/3 stops).

ARTIFICIAL LIGHT

Two options:

i)I use the film wihout any external filter and with the internal filter canceled and i have the under-exposure as above (~2/3 stops). I will also have a colour cast because 100D is balanced for daylight, or

ii)I will install an external filter (80A) to colour correct but the under-exposure will be bigger (2 stops). So overall under-exposure will be 2 and 2/3 stops.

Do you agree with these?

[frusciante]

Concerning new-stock B&W kodak reversal film I have to use Tri-X Reversal Film 7266

Shooting with internal filter

Film will be exposed as ASA100 which means over-exposure of 1 stop. With an ND2 filter everything will be ok.

Internal filter will also enhance contrast

Shooting without internal filter

Film will be exposed as ASA160 which means slight over-exposure of 1/4 stops.

Using a contrast filter coupled with an ND filter will correct contrast and exposure respectively.

Does everyone agree with my points?