ChiILX1 Posted July 22, 2011 Share #1 Posted July 22, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi everyone I'm hoping you can help me get he results I want out of this film. I'm still kind of new to film but in a darkroom photography class now and learning quick. I have an M2 with the collapsibles summicron 50mm and elmar 90mm I love the look of this film overexposed with blown highlights and a soft, pastel, low contrast color. I set my leica meter M at 50 ISO and expose properly from there. The lab I send the film to (Central Camera in Chicago) though has given me varying results despite all my consistency. I considered that perhaps I just underexposed a bit, but the whole roll is darkened. It's like they are trying to compensate for my overexposure. Is that possible? My questions are: -Is it my fault or theirs considering that I'm overexposing by 2 stops consistently and my leicameter m is calibrated perfectly to my X1. -Is there some sort of note I can leave on each roll I drop off that would solve this issue and get me the results I want? Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 22, 2011 Posted July 22, 2011 Hi ChiILX1, Take a look here Portra 160. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
adan Posted July 22, 2011 Share #2 Posted July 22, 2011 Central Camera (under the L on Wabash) is a good outfit and should be able to get you the results your want. You do need to ask, though. The usual procedure for a lab, in the absence of any other information, is, indeed, to correct for exposure in printing. That's what the average customer wants - their "missed exposures" corrected to be normal-looking. (We had a photographer come in the shop the other day with a roll of exposure tests and specifically ask that we not correct the brightness of each shot individually - he wanted the light shots to be light and the dark shots to be dark. Easy to do - we just turned off the Noritsu print machine's auto-exposure for his roll.) A good idea would be to shoot a standard 18% gray card at the normal ISO (160) as the first frame on each roll, and then ask the lab to set their machine's "metering" using that frame, and print all the rest of the roll at the same exposure, which will make your denser ISO 50 images print blown and pastel-like. The same would apply if you are having them make contact sheets of a whole roll - expose for the "gray card" image on frame #1, and let the other pictures fall where they will. You can write a note yourself and have the clerk include it in each processing envelope - or just ask the clerk to whom you give the roll(s) at the counter to write in some special instructions - there is a space for "Special Instructions" or "Remarks" on most standard processing envelopes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiILX1 Posted July 22, 2011 Author Share #3 Posted July 22, 2011 Thanks! Great advice. I don't know anything about grey cards so I will just ask that they turn off autoexposure. Thanks a lot! Do they do that on the developing or printing? For example, could I take in a roll to reprint with autoexposure turned off? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted July 22, 2011 Share #4 Posted July 22, 2011 Yes, you should be able to have them reprint a roll without the machine "correcting" your over-exposures, and have it be lighter, the way you want. Never hestitate to communicate your desires clearly, though. We aren't mind-readers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolo Posted July 27, 2011 Share #5 Posted July 27, 2011 Isn't the point of over-exposing this film to change the character of the negative, but in doing so to allow the print machine to pull it back using auto exposure ? Whilst switching off the auto pilot will illustrate what's happening to the neg, isn't it the finished compensated print that's the end goal ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
adan Posted July 28, 2011 Share #6 Posted July 28, 2011 Well, the original poster said, "I love the look of this film overexposed with blown highlights and a soft, pastel, low contrast color." Doesn't sound like he wants it "pulled back" by auto exposure. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolo Posted July 28, 2011 Share #7 Posted July 28, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Well, the original poster said, "I love the look of this film overexposed with blown highlights and a soft, pastel, low contrast color."Doesn't sound like he wants it "pulled back" by auto exposure. I think we'd need to observe what happens on a test sample to know precisely, but I follow a couple of shooters that do this regularly, Jose Villa and Jonathan Canlas. Now, from their writing, they talk about doing this overexposure within the standard development and printing processes. But they use Richards and who can define what they are capable of, not me. Whilst it's not the same as digital, if the highlights are blown on the film, a machine would never pull them back, IMO. I'm going to try this, as I too would like to be able to have that look in my palet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth3kpl Posted July 28, 2011 Share #8 Posted July 28, 2011 I followed ADAN's suggestion with my last couple of films sent to Palm Labs. They said they're not able to over-ride the autoexposure but figured they knew the sort of high key I'm looking for (I sent them the Canlas link but I don't know if they looked it up). We'll see what comes back. Should be here tomorrow. Pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth3kpl Posted July 29, 2011 Share #9 Posted July 29, 2011 This is asking for "High-Key" at Palm labs, both films over-exposed by 1 stop: Portra 160 Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Ektar You'll notice it was a good drying day. Pete Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Ektar You'll notice it was a good drying day. Pete ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/157571-portra-160/?do=findComment&comment=1750462'>More sharing options...
ChiILX1 Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share #10 Posted July 29, 2011 Beautiful-that's the look I was going for too. I'm waiting on return film as well and should be able to see if they are able to achieve it at my lab. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Henry Posted August 16, 2011 Share #11 Posted August 16, 2011 here is a picture of the new Portra 160 developed to day IMHO: natural color and fine image, very nice Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Leicaflex SL (1969)+ Extension tube + Tele Elmarit 135mm (1970) Epsonscan V750 + AntiNewtonGlass (ANR) Henry Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Leicaflex SL (1969)+ Extension tube + Tele Elmarit 135mm (1970) Epsonscan V750 + AntiNewtonGlass (ANR) Henry ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/157571-portra-160/?do=findComment&comment=1767576'>More sharing options...
ChiILX1 Posted August 24, 2011 Author Share #12 Posted August 24, 2011 just an update- I had central camera send it to their better lab with the instructions of what I was looking for and to turn off the autoexposure correction. The results are dead-on and gorgeous. I'll scan a couple in next time I head over. This is a beautiful film! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert blu Posted August 26, 2011 Share #13 Posted August 26, 2011 Glad to know, please post a few photos when you have time...thanks robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinA Posted September 5, 2011 Share #14 Posted September 5, 2011 I am not sure over exposing Portra by one stop will blow many highlights, I did a test overexposing Portra the other day. Here are a quick look at the results, I intend to post a more comprehensive set at a later date. My reason for using film is it's very difficult to blow out the highlights, digital on the other hand only needs half a chance. Portra 160 and 1DsmkIII test | Tree Without a Bird | Kevin Allen Kevin. Home Page | Tree Without a Bird | Kevin Allen Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jippiejee Posted September 5, 2011 Share #15 Posted September 5, 2011 Here's my example from a recent high-key photo on Portra160 (M4-P / 28mm asph f/2.8)... and I like the muted pastel colors of it. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/157571-portra-160/?do=findComment&comment=1785716'>More sharing options...
Michael Geschlecht Posted September 5, 2011 Share #16 Posted September 5, 2011 Hello ChilLX1, You might also try a softer uncoated lens from the 1930's like a 50mm Summar or a 73mm Hektor @ maximum aperture. This will soften your hi lites & pastel your colors. You can put the ISO back to where it was @ 160. The pastel softness & rounded hi lites will come from uncorrected abberations instead of overexposed film. That gives you 1 & 2/3 stops more speed hand held. Best Regards, Michael Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChiILX1 Posted September 6, 2011 Author Share #17 Posted September 6, 2011 Thanks Michael- I've definitely noticed that I like the lower contrast and the soft look of my collapsible summicron 50mm at f/2 with this film more than anything I get from the 90mm collapsible which has much more contrast. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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