biglouis Posted August 1, 2007 Share #1 Posted August 1, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Got the first shots back from my recently acquired M6TTL. This was Neopan 400 and mostly using my 35mm ASPH. One this I immediately noticed was that a lot of my shots were over-exposed. I'm wondering if the conventional wisdom is to underexpose? If so, by how much? If there are any obvious mistakes or tips to help with exposure which are apparent in the following photographs, I would be grateful for the advice. Apologies if I should really post these in the picture forum but they are a variety of subjects and my interest is in film exposure technique not content critique. 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! Quote 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/30096-first-shots-m6ttl/?do=findComment&comment=318210'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 1, 2007 Posted August 1, 2007 Hi biglouis, Take a look here first shots M6TTL. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
StS Posted August 1, 2007 Share #2 Posted August 1, 2007 Sorry, these images don't look overexposed to me. Maybe a matter of taste. I would recommend to overexpose negative film rather, if in doubt. Even very dense areas can give some structure when exposed generously, whereas underexposed areas have no structure at all to display. Well, at least for the enlarger, I still lack film scanner experience. You are probably aware the M6 has a rather confined measurement angle? Some people measure the darkest area which should show some structure and expose about two or three stops below this light value. B/W is very tolerant anyhow. If you are looking for even more exposure tolerance my recommendation would be the XP2. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photoskeptic Posted August 1, 2007 Share #3 Posted August 1, 2007 They look good to me, Louis. Keep it up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolo Posted August 1, 2007 Share #4 Posted August 1, 2007 Hi Louis, I'd really need to see the negs to make a valid comment. The prints look OK, but the originals are masked by the time you've post processed them. If you scan a set of good negs alongside your problem negs on a flat bed we might be able to post some useful comments. Negs tell the whole story. Add film/dev/dilution/time/temp details. When testing, use a hand held meter, or check your M6 meter with a meter of known accuracy, or use the reliable 'sunny 16' rule as it's more reliable than a meter tat's out of calibration. If you get really knotted up, I have a densitometer and will measure the neg density for you. Rolo Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peyton Hoge Posted August 1, 2007 Share #5 Posted August 1, 2007 Hello Louis, The M6TTL is a wonderful camera. The metering area is pretty small in the center. Similar to a spot meter. Also, check your exposure readings against another camera or hand held light meter, to be sure your meter is correct. Your pictures look good. Also, you might try some Kodak T400CN. It's a really nice C41 B&W film. Keep shooting!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolo Posted August 1, 2007 Share #6 Posted August 1, 2007 Louis, Is that your bike leaning against the fence?? Rolo 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! Quote 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/30096-first-shots-m6ttl/?do=findComment&comment=318669'>More sharing options...
biglouis Posted August 1, 2007 Author Share #7 Posted August 1, 2007 Advertisement (gone after registration) Guys, Thanks for the comments, it really helps. Rolo, I guess what bothers me is that I have to post process to get a decent result. Perhaps I shouldn't care so much? Or maybe, because I lack the experience of darkroom development I don't realise how much processing actually goes into 'developing' a negative? Good idea about checking the meter, that had not occured to me. I have a trusty Weston Super V so I'll compare the two (I've had good results using the Weston in the past). Rolo, thanks for the rework. I think I'll go with something like this for a final print. No, that is not my bicycle, I'm a strictly "shank's pony" person. Thanks again for all the comments LouisB Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_parker Posted August 2, 2007 Share #8 Posted August 2, 2007 Louis Like the new strap line - glad you found the other half again !! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Metroman Posted August 2, 2007 Share #9 Posted August 2, 2007 Louis they look good to me for your first film. Once you have checked/compared the light meter - and as has been already mentioned - try some C41 process B&W film, Kodak T400CN or Ilford XP2 Super to help you get to know how the camera/lens combination exposes and just stick with that film until you are happy and confident in using the camera. Depending on where you get it processed they will probably be able to give you scans on CD and/or prints. This obsession with Ampthill is getting worrying Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StS Posted August 2, 2007 Share #10 Posted August 2, 2007 Rolo, I guess what bothers me is that I have to post process to get a decent result. Perhaps I shouldn't care so much? Or maybe, because I lack the experience of darkroom development I don't realise how much processing actually goes into 'developing' a negative? I take it you are working with an enlarger? My proposals would be as follows then: First I would go with Andy's advice, try some films until you found the one which feels best to you. In the next step I would (have) the film processed always in the same way (control over enlarging is better compared to control over film development, hence I would keep the film dvt. parameters fixed. My advice would be still to over-expose slightly, if in doubt. If there are images which are over-exposed (neg. too dense) in some areas, I can recommend this method: Get some black cardboard Rip out the area which is over-exposed Move this mask out of focus (together with ripping for soft transition to unmasked areas) slightly while giving extra exposure to the over-rexposed area It takes some time to get the feeling for it (a print can easily take one hour then). However, there is almost no negative 'too dense' which does not give any structure after some robust exposure (can need several minutes) with the enlarger. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
francofile Posted August 2, 2007 Share #11 Posted August 2, 2007 Or maybe, because I lack the experience of darkroom development I don't realise how much processing actually goes into 'developing' a negative? The images look fine to me. I remember a quote from Ansel Adams, using a musical parallel, to the effect that "the negative was the score and the print the performance". In my experience this is true of both wet and digital print making. For me the nearest to the perfect negative seems to come from Tri X and Xtol Welcome to the world of tones, tones and half tones! Andrew Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
biglouis Posted August 2, 2007 Author Share #12 Posted August 2, 2007 I take it you are working with an enlarger? . Stefan Thanks for your advice but I may have miscommunicated my process in my response to you. At present my commitment to film is using it. I have it developed only and at the same time I get a photo CD. That lets me review the results. My intention is that I will get a slide scanner and scan only those negs that I want to process in Lightroom and CS2. That's where the photo CD comes in handy. I think it will be some time before I venture into the darkroom, if at all. Although in the past I used to process my own slides, so I would not count out doing that. Financially speaking the cost of processing and CD creation for the amount of shooting I do is acceptable. Thanks, again, to everyone for their comments and advice, to echo "peyton", I am beginning to realise what a wonderful camera the M6TTL is - I kinda feel like I am holding a BMW in my hands - if you get the analogy. LouisB Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Letsrock Posted August 3, 2007 Share #13 Posted August 3, 2007 Looks fine to me as I can't really see that they are over exposed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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