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#1
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digital camera as exposure meter
looking for a digital camera to use as an exposure meter and histogram
display for my film camera. preferred features: - small size - low price - accurate histogram - iso range 100-1600 - zoom range 24-200 (35mm equiv) - manual aperture & shutter speed - ease of use to look at histograms resolution/noise are not important. |
#2
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digital camera as exposure meter
viewerofrecphoto wrote:
looking for a digital camera to use as an exposure meter and histogram display for my film camera. preferred features: - small size - low price - accurate histogram - iso range 100-1600 - zoom range 24-200 (35mm equiv) - manual aperture & shutter speed - ease of use to look at histograms resolution/noise are not important. Non that I know of have a 24mm w/a end. The discontinue Sony R1 did, but it's a big camera, and was expensive. Film doesn't match a digital histogram, so buy an exposure meter. Buy a dSLR, film is dead, get over it |
#3
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digital camera as exposure meter
viewerofrecphoto wrote:
looking for a digital camera to use as an exposure meter and histogram display for my film camera. preferred features: - small size - low price - accurate histogram - iso range 100-1600 - zoom range 24-200 (35mm equiv) - manual aperture & shutter speed - ease of use to look at histograms First off, most digital cameras don't give you a 3 color histo and you might miss some "over the top" light content and lead yourself to the hell of burned out slides. So if you choose a DSLR, get one with a color histogram. (I believe the Nikon D200 has this, for example). Secondly, the "ISO" settings of the various DSLR cameras does not track to film ISO that closely (at least 2/3 variance amongst the DSLR's, maybe more)... [of course a lot of photogs treat film that way too (thinning out slides; under-rating ("over" exp) negatives, etc.] If you get a P&S, be sure that it has aperture and speed settings (or at least indications) so that you can "transfer" the data. Some P&S have somewhat limited aperture ranges so you will have to apply reciprocity to get to your film speed/aperture setting. In summary, I suggest an exposure meter. If you're shooting slide then one with a spot meter is recommended (and can be used for negative as well). Finally many film SLR's (including some medium-format) have excellent spot meters built in (though not incident meters). However, a great advantage of a DSLR for film shooting is in setting up studio lights. You can spot troubles quickly (shadows, glare/reflections, etc.) and quickly fix them... much quicker than Polaroid tests. Just remember that the ISO of the DSLR and your film may be a little different. (I've done this and finally set the aperture per a key light incident meter reading. Works fine. Cheers, Alan -- -- r.p.e.35mm user resource: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpe35mmur.htm -- r.p.d.slr-systems: http://www.aliasimages.com/rpdslrsysur.htm -- [SI] gallery & rulz: http://www.pbase.com/shootin -- e-meil: Remove FreeLunch. |
#4
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digital camera as exposure meter
Spam THis wrote:
viewerofrecphoto wrote: looking for a digital camera to use as an exposure meter and histogram display for my film camera. preferred features: - small size - low price - accurate histogram - iso range 100-1600 - zoom range 24-200 (35mm equiv) - manual aperture & shutter speed - ease of use to look at histograms resolution/noise are not important. Non that I know of have a 24mm w/a end. The discontinue Sony R1 did, but it's a big camera, and was expensive. Film doesn't match a digital histogram, so buy an exposure meter. Buy a dSLR, film is dead, get over it I believe there are far too many differences to be useful. I suggest you start with a good book or two on the zone system and work from there. Move slowly and get a good knowledge of B&W before even think about color. -- Joseph Meehan Dia 's Muire duit |
#5
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digital camera as exposure meter
viewerofrecphoto wrote:
looking for a digital camera to use as an exposure meter and histogram display for my film camera. preferred features: - small size - low price - accurate histogram - iso range 100-1600 - zoom range 24-200 (35mm equiv) - manual aperture & shutter speed - ease of use to look at histograms resolution/noise are not important. What type of film, if you are shooting print film the digital will tend to expose less then you would want to expose negative film. If you are shooting slides you will find that the digital camera will loose the shadows long after slide film does, for the same exposure. In shot a digital camera will not make all that great of an exposure meter, better to get a good spot meter. Or better yet get a good digital and just shoot digital. Scott |
#6
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digital camera as exposure meter
viewerofrecphoto wrote:
looking for a digital camera to use as an exposure meter and histogram display for my film camera. preferred features: - small size - low price - accurate histogram - iso range 100-1600 - zoom range 24-200 (35mm equiv) - manual aperture & shutter speed - ease of use to look at histograms resolution/noise are not important. I assume you are asking this because you medium format camera has no meter? In contrast to what others have posted, I've been using digital cameras for exposure metering for over 5 years. I have shot large format for about 2 decades and originally used a 35mm film camera as my meter. I use a zoom lens so I could do spot metering. Then in 2002 I switched to DSLRs, carrying 4x5, 35mm film and DSLRs initially so I could cross calibrate them. You will need to understand the differences in the response of the digital camera, its characteristic curve, and its light meter. Digital characteristic curves are like a generic print film. Here are some example large format images: http://www.clarkvision.com/galleries...y.large_format all were metered with SLRs or DSLRs. My experience with light meters and digital cameras is that the cheaper the camera, the more inaccurate the meter. Higher end DSLRs work well. But, for the last couple of years I have done digital mosaics and find I can get more detail in less time (in the field) than with 4x5 film. e.g., see: Large Digital Mosaics as a Substitute for Large Format Film http://www.clarkvision.com/photoinfo/large_mosaics In developing my technique, I now do moving subjects as mosaics: http://www.clarkvision.com/galleries...4-91d-800.html http://www.clarkvision.com/galleries...1-6c-1200.html Roger |
#7
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digital camera as exposure meter
viewerofrecphoto wrote: looking for a digital camera to use as an exposure meter and histogram display for my film camera. preferred features: - small size yeah, that would be digital. - low price nope, not digital... I mean, if all the other conditions are to be met as well. - accurate histogram now, this baffles me. the histogram is really not mandatory for exposure metering. it is useful mostly for dynamic range and colour balance checking, particularly the rgb histogram variety. Are you absolutely sure you are not after a colour temperature meter? - iso range 100-1600 that's easy. fun starts when you push tri-X to 3200! ;-) - zoom range 24-200 (35mm equiv) that will be hard - manual aperture & shutter speed - ease of use to look at histograms resolution/noise are not important. can't help feeling what you need is a colour temp meter. Try google and ebay for "color meter" and "light meter" and check out the stuff. I think if you shoot film you'll be a lot better off with a dedicated light meter and a colour meter. I use both with my 6x7 gear and the information is quite different from what my digital camera displays. Mostly because the response curves and colour response characteristics of digital sensors are much different from film. Having said that, most good quality "bridge" cameras will do a reasonable job of this, with any errors being more visible on marginal lighting situations. Forget the compacts. |
#8
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digital camera as exposure meter
On Aug 6, 9:24 pm, Scott W wrote:
What type of film, if you are shooting print film the digital will tend to expose less then you would want to expose negative film. If you are shooting slides you will find that the digital camera will loose the shadows long after slide film does, for the same exposure. I use both slide and print film, mostly 100ASA from Fuji. |
#9
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digital camera as exposure meter
On Aug 6, 9:32 pm, "Roger N. Clark (change username to rnclark)"
wrote: I assume you are asking this because you medium format camera has no meter? Actually, it does have a meter - a full averaging type. I also have a Minolta spot meter, but don't use it much. In contrast to what others have posted, I've been using digital cameras for exposure metering for over 5 years. I have shot large format for about 2 decades and originally used a 35mm film camera as my meter. I use a zoom lens so I could do spot metering. Then in 2002 I switched to DSLRs, carrying 4x5, 35mm film and DSLRs initially so I could cross calibrate them. You will need to understand the differences in the response of the digital camera, its characteristic curve, and its light meter. Digital characteristic curves are like a generic print film. Here are some example large format images:http://www.clarkvision.com/galleries...y.large_format all were metered with SLRs or DSLRs. My experience with light meters and digital cameras is that the cheaper the camera, the more inaccurate the meter. Higher end DSLRs work well. But, for the last couple of years I have done digital mosaics and find I can get more detail in less time (in the field) than with 4x5 film. e.g., see: Large Digital Mosaics as a Substitute for Large Format Filmhttp://www.clarkvision.com/photoinfo/large_mosaics In developing my technique, I now do moving subjects as mosaics:http://www.clarkvision.com/galleries.../zebras.c01.23... http://www.clarkvision.com/galleries.../zebra.sunrise... Roger |
#10
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digital camera as exposure meter
On Aug 7, 1:22 am, Noons wrote:
now, this baffles me. the histogram is really not mandatory for exposure metering. it is useful mostly for dynamic range and colour balance checking, particularly the rgb histogram variety. Are you absolutely sure you are not after a colour temperature meter? I'm most interested in a dynamic range check. For exposure, I usually use a gray card or my hand, with the built-in full frame meter. I'd like to see how far out the sky is, without pulling out my spot meter and taking several readings. |
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