Film camera


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Falcon

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Jan 18, 2002
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Hi

I am a digital camera user. The very first camera I came into with is a digital camera which is what I am using now. I am curious abt how you guys work with film camera. For digital camera, we
are able to preview the image in the lcd screen, making sure that the subject is in focus and the exposure is ok before pressing the shutter. Even so, it is still not that accurate.
As for film camera, how would you guys know that the subject whether is in focus or not? And more importantly whether yr subject is underexposed or overexposed when you can't preview it.
The view finder will only give u an exact view of the subject and not what will appear after taking the shots right?

Pls enlighten me.
 

Originally posted by Falcon
Hi

I am a digital camera user. The very first camera I came into with is a digital camera which is what I am using now. I am curious abt how you guys work with film camera. For digital camera, we
are able to preview the image in the lcd screen, making sure that the subject is in focus and the exposure is ok before pressing the shutter. Even so, it is still not that accurate.
As for film camera, how would you guys know that the subject whether is in focus or not? And more importantly whether yr subject is underexposed or overexposed when you can't preview it.
The view finder will only give u an exact view of the subject and not what will appear after taking the shots right?

Pls enlighten me.

In one word, experience. Focus is generally not a very big issue, whether with AF or manual focus as long as you know how to use it properly. As far as exposure is concerned, what we film users do when we are unsure is to "bracket" - we take a few shots above and below the recommended reading. From experience, we also know how much to compensate (and bracket from there) for difficult lighting situations.

Alternatively, trust the camera. ;p

Regards
CK
 

With point and shoot cameras you have to trust the camera to get it right, whether digital or film. With SLRs, you can actually see focus through the viewfinder so you can see if the subject is sharp or not.
 

Wow.. Tks for answering to my queries. I really admire u guys that use film camera.
 

From my understanding, SLRs does better AF... Much faster and I think more accurate. Some SLRs have this split view focusing thingy where you focus till the image aligns and it means its in sharp focus... dunnoe if any of them still has this feature... I think its a nice thing.
 

Originally posted by Flare
From my understanding, SLRs does better AF... Much faster and I think more accurate. Some SLRs have this split view focusing thingy where you focus till the image aligns and it means its in sharp focus... dunnoe if any of them still has this feature... I think its a nice thing.

Sound good.

But to get the correct exposure, I think they really have to depend on their experience or even intuition.
 

Originally posted by Falcon


Sound good.

But to get the correct exposure, I think they really have to depend on their experience or even intuition.

not true cos SLR camera has a meter inside which would tell u if the picture is over/under. it is like bars (for nikon) this meter will usually work if u use M, A, S mode. but for an idiot like me i use P mode(idiot proof) unless u dunno how to read the digits

3D Matrix Rules (Nikon)
 

Originally posted by Falcon


Sound good.

But to get the correct exposure, I think they really have to depend on their experience or even intuition.

There's this thing called an in camera meter.. you know, the same one that you use with your DC?
 

Originally posted by Flare
From my understanding, SLRs does better AF... Much faster and I think more accurate. Some SLRs have this split view focusing thingy where you focus till the image aligns and it means its in sharp focus... dunnoe if any of them still has this feature... I think its a nice thing.

The AF SLRs no longer have the split-image prism thingie. :( But they do have a super-sensitive electronic rangefinder which tells you whether it's in focus or not.

Regards
CK
 

Originally posted by Falcon


Sound good.

But to get the correct exposure, I think they really have to depend on their experience or even intuition.

Well, that's true if you choose to ignore the in-camera metering (and in-camera metering by the likes of Nikon, Canon, Minolta have become very, very accurate in most situations nowadays) or use a camera without a meter, or use the likes of a Nikon FM2 without batteries.

But some experienced photographers' eyes have become so good, they can gauge exposure quite correctly by just looking.

Regards
CK
 

Originally posted by ckiang


Well, that's true if you choose to ignore the in-camera metering (and in-camera metering by the likes of Nikon, Canon, Minolta have become very, very accurate in most situations nowadays) or use a camera without a meter, or use the likes of a Nikon FM2 without batteries.

But some experienced photographers' eyes have become so good, they can gauge exposure quite correctly by just looking.

Regards
CK

Interesting... Hopefully i can have a chance to use SLR camera in the future.
 

Originally posted by ckiang


Well, that's true if you choose to ignore the in-camera metering (and in-camera metering by the likes of Nikon, Canon, Minolta have become very, very accurate in most situations nowadays) or use a camera without a meter, or use the likes of a Nikon FM2 without batteries.

But some experienced photographers' eyes have become so good, they can gauge exposure quite correctly by just looking.

Regards
CK

hmmm.. well, i do take into account the in-camera metering(i'm using Nikon), then ignore it when i decide on my final shot. :)

depends also on the nature of the film you're using, or if you're using exposure compensation as well, and what you envision your final shot to become. no? I mean, some shots look good slightly under or overexposed.

;)
 

Originally posted by rochkoh


hmmm.. well, i do take into account the in-camera metering(i'm using Nikon), then ignore it when i decide on my final shot. :)

depends also on the nature of the film you're using, or if you're using exposure compensation as well, and what you envision your final shot to become. no? I mean, some shots look good slightly under or overexposed.

;)

Bracket. That's something I need to remember to do. There are some shots where I overtrusted the meter. Especially backlit ones. ;p Other than that, the Nikon 3D Matrix metering on my F100 is excellent.

Regards
CK
 

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