What Filter should I use to shoot Fuji 250D?

Thu Aug 18, 2005 8:32 am

I bought 200 feet of Fuji 250D film to run through my Supermag400. The problem is I'm not sure how I should expose it.

If I shoot it in the bright sunlight here in Arizona, it's like standing next to the sun most of the time. I don't want it to be over exposed.

Should I use a filter use to keep it from overexposing or just cut the f stops?

YouTube · Post by **Andreas Wideroe** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 8:37 am

Well, do not use the built in 85 filter in your camera. Instead us ND filters, perhaps even an ND9?

Do you use a handheld lightmeter? That should tell you how the film will come out.

Thu Aug 18, 2005 8:43 am

I don't own a light meter yet, but I've been looking at them on ebay.
I only have a ND filter, a polarizer and a 85N9 3x3 glass filter that will fit into my Matte box.

Post by **gianni1** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 10:10 am

How about some early morning or early evening shots of the Sonoran Desert Valleys. Watch out for the Scorpion's and catch 'em in closeups. How about some close up's and panoramic's of the rocky pillars of stone in the mountains outside Sedona? Chase the long shawdows and low light of the sunset, or maybe by the light of the full moon.... Use some moody music for inspiration... I've been given some royalty free music by the composer you can download as mp3's if you like...

pix came off my sibling's website...

Gianni

YouTube · Post by **Andreas Wideroe** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 10:16 am

You should definite get yourself a meter, especially when you're testing out films and new products. Only then you can be sure your film is exposed correctly.

I don't trust built-in lightmeters in old S8 cameras as much as I trust my new Sekonic lightmeter. Buy a new lightmeter, not a used one from eBay unless you know what you're getting.

Especially when working with filmspeeds above 160 ISO you SHOULD have a lightmeter.

Best,
Andreas

Post by **christoph** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 12:03 pm

supermag400_inventor wrote:I only have a ND filter, a polarizer and a 85N9 3x3 glass filter that will fit into my Matte box.

actually you dont even need a lightmeter for this particulair situation. for bright sunlight, you'll end up with f32 at noon, so definitely use at ND as most cameras only close to f22 or f16. best would be a ND9, or stack two ND's. the polarizer will cut light down 2 stops, but it will also saturize colours... can be nice but wont give you the standard look.
++ christoph ++

YouTube · Post by **Andreas Wideroe** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 12:06 pm

Try to get the f/stop down to between f8 and f11 for max sharpness. Most lenses perform best between these stops. ND9 is recommended.

Post by **Alex_W** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 12:57 pm

awand wrote:Try to get the f/stop down to between f8 and f11 for max sharpness. Most lenses perform best between these stops. ND9 is recommended.

Ok, i don't understand that. An ND9 needs three stops exposure compensation right? Going from f32 to f8 is two stops. The ND9 would stop it down to f4 right? I'm a dummy, don't shoot me. 8O

Post by **Shion** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 1:14 pm

Alex_W wrote:An ND9 needs three stops exposure compensation right? Going from f32 to f8 is two stops. The ND9 would stop it down to f4 right? I'm a dummy, don't shoot me. 8O

3 stops would take you down from f32 to f11 (f32->f22->f16->f11).

I think f32 was just an estimate, presumably based on the "sunny 16" rule and the ISO of 250. The lighting won't be at that exact level all day, or for all subjects. Nor is it critical that the lens be exactly f8 or f11... that was just a suggestion for optimal sharpness.

-Bon

Post by **christoph** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 2:38 pm

Shion wrote:I think f32 was just an estimate, presumably based on the "sunny 16" rule and the ISO of 250.

jup it was... but you'd be surprised, go out at noon in arizona and if there's no cloud on the sky it will be accurate to 1/3 of an f-stop :)
++ christoph ++

Post by **Alex_W** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 2:52 pm

Shion wrote:
Alex_W wrote:An ND9 needs three stops exposure compensation right? Going from f32 to f8 is two stops. The ND9 would stop it down to f4 right? I'm a dummy, don't shoot me. 8O
3 stops would take you down from f32 to f11 (f32->f22->f16->f11).

I think f32 was just an estimate, presumably based on the "sunny 16" rule and the ISO of 250. The lighting won't be at that exact level all day, or for all subjects. Nor is it critical that the lens be exactly f8 or f11... that was just a suggestion for optimal sharpness.

-Bon

Thanks. On second thought, i did know that 8) I was confusing f/stops with iso stops. I'm learning though

Post by **matt5791** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 3:35 pm

You could just shoot it unfiltered - you wound harm the film. There would be no harm exposing this emulsion at 100ASA, and even advised in Super8 / 16mm

Definitely get a meter, a decent one.

Matt

Post by **christoph** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 3:49 pm

matt5791 wrote:You could just shoot it unfiltered - you wound harm the film. There would be no harm exposing this emulsion at 100ASA, and even advised in Super8 / 16mm

point is, if you have a camera that only closes to f16 you're overexposing 2 stops which is quite a bit off and might not be advisable for a standard test (of course you still get a decent image). also, as has been said before, the lens perfoms better in the medium range.
++ christoph ++

Thu Aug 18, 2005 8:08 pm

OK! ... Lets see if I got this right. If my f stop is say 32 I should manually cut it down two stops?

I appreciate your help.

I love the idea of Sedona as a test site. Perhaps a little vacation would be nice. However, I would have to take time off from work. That means loss of pay. I work on the weekends also, so thats out of the question.

Maybe a short story.... I'm open to suggestions.

I promise, if it comes out ok, I'll put it up for all to see.

Post by **Tom Ballard** » Thu Aug 18, 2005 8:40 pm

Already addressed. Nevermind.

Tom Ballard