Trying to find a quote on how to exposure film vs digital...

[Patrik]

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Someone wrote a quote in a tread, which I now can't find, a very good quote of 2 lines on how to exposure film vs digital. it went something like:

Always exposure film at highlights.

Always exposure digital at shadows.

Am I correct in this? 

Haven't shot film Leicas for 20 years and have just added one to my digital setup.

Thanks for any input or even if the "quote maker" would chime in!

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[a.noctilux]

Hello Patrik,

I'm not "quote maker",

but I have some comments ...

the "always..." do something bother me, as we are not "machines doing always same things on and on"

Exposure is only for rendering in final picture, so nothing wrong with each type of exposing.

In film, negative's behavior is opposite of positive films in most cases, if only for "mean exposure" excluding high key or low key

In my use, as slide film fan for very long when I went to digital, I expose as if for slide, in most cases this practice satisfied me, but not for others I fear.

 

I invite you to experiment a lot, film exposure as your metering technic comfort, then adapt after results, if need be.

 

Arnaud

 

[jeffz]

I believe it is: Film - Color Expose For The Highlights, Film - B&W Expose For The Shadows, Digital - Expose For The Highlights

[Guest Nowhereman]

The general idea was to expose negative film for the shadows and slide film for the highlights — or more extensively:

(1) expose negative film for the shadows and let the highlights fall where they may: meaning, in effect, that negative film could be overexposed and its great latitude would result, generally, in acceptable highlights; and (2) expose slide film for the highlights and let the shadows close up as they may: meaning that slide film, with its lower latitude, needed to be underexposed not to blow out the highlights, and blocked-up shadows needed to be accepted — and that overexposed slides wouldn't work.

Now, digital generally is more like slide film, with the proviso that current digital sensors allow for substantial shadow recovery. This means that when you expose digital for the highlights, you can raise the shadows in post-processing, which you couldn't do with a slide that was going to be projected.

Keep in mind that different sensors can require somewhat different exposure to preserve the highlights: for example, the M10 requires more underexposure than the M9 when shooting into the light and with strong sidelight in order to preserve the highlights; but M10 files can also be raised in the shadows more than those of the M9. As Arnaud states above, you need to experiment to see what results you like — and that can also differ somewhat with the nature of the light.

One approach is to start by exposing for the mid-tones: for example by pointing the exposure oval in your Leica M at the grass with moderate shade (Zone V in the Zone System). With negative films that will usually give you a good exposure for the highlights as well; for slide films or for digital, you may also be okay but, if the highlights are very bright, you will have to reduce your exposure somewhat, and may need to raise the shadows in post-processing.
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[newtoleica]

Actually the full quote for B&W film is 'expose for the shadows, develop for the highlights' - the idea being that you need to capture then minimum needed detail in a shadow to record on the film and then control overall negative contrast by the degree of highlight density afforded by different development times. Works best on large format sheet film, but you can develop a bit longer on a dull day to provide a bit more contract in your negs. I suppose its a bit like digital if you consider 'develop' post-processing....

[Gregm61]

You should expose SLIDE film for highlights.

Color negative and black & white film, you should expose to ensure the shadows where you want detail retained are exposed properly which, for me, would be a reflected reading, less one stop of exposure. If you expose for highlights there will be areas of the darker shadows that go completely black with no detectable detail. Color negative film has a very good amount of highlight retention/latitude. Porta 160 and Ektar 100 can be exposed for shadows and, assuming good scanning and getting the scanning done to where ALL the negative detail/information is retained (scanning to DNG, not JPEG), you can process an image file in your raw processor choice to look any way you want.

 

 

Edited March 24, 2021 by Gregm61

[Patrik]

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Many Thanks for your input!