Can you figure shutter speed? - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

02/16/2006 04:25:49 PM · #1

If you have a fixed apature with no adjustment. And a fixed film speed say 200. How could you figure what shutter speed would be good? No light meter, but i know i have 3 75 watt incandecent lights. One overhead, 2 pointing at subject.

hsteg

Fujifilm X-T20

02/16/2006 04:33:55 PM · #2

if you have both a film and digital camera, use your digital camera for a metering and use the film camera with the settings the digital tells you to use.

deapee

Kodak V803

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

02/16/2006 04:35:47 PM · #3

I'd say just use the histogram and adjust manually your shutter speed until it looks right.

Manic

DJI Mini 3 Pro

Kamlan 28mm F1.4 MF for APS-C

02/16/2006 05:01:23 PM · #4

If you want to get a decent exposure, you'll either need to invest in a handheld lightmeter, use a lightmeter on another camera, or shoot a lot of bracketing shots and hope that one is the correct setting...

Kamlan 28mm F1.4 MF for APS-C

02/16/2006 05:23:37 PM · #5

What if you dont have a histogram? and no digital camera? how did they do it in the old days? they didnt have meters and histograms. You mean they just shot tons of film and hope they had the right settings?

Manic

DJI Mini 3 Pro

02/16/2006 05:27:38 PM · #6

In the old days they used handheld lightmeters, just like pro's still do today.

Tamron 70-180mm F/2.8 Di III VXD

02/16/2006 05:30:56 PM · #7

So everyone with a camera used a light meter?

Message edited by author 2006-02-16 17:34:51.

MadMan2k

Sony Alpha a6400

02/16/2006 06:13:59 PM · #8

Probably...

Maybe they could guess after doing some experimentations though..

Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra

02/16/2006 06:38:55 PM · #9

For all those interested:

//www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm

Bear_Music

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

02/16/2006 06:50:21 PM · #10

I can only speak for myself, but I don't think my experience is that uncommon. I spent 25 years as a professional architectural photographer, and did landscape photography as an "artist". All of it with large-format cmaeras and sheet film. I started out with several light meters and spent all sorts of time "calculating" exposures. After a while, it became second nature. I found that I could "guestimate" an exposure, then go through the metering ritual with spot meters and incident meters and so forth and find that the end result very closely approximated my guesstimate.

So I stopped using light meters and went with my eye and experience. Saved a lot of time, gave the same results. BUT, remember that we'd bracket exposures as a matter of course. Most of the time the "neutral" exposure was the best one, and invariably the over or under was adequate to save a shot where the guesstimate was off. It's not that difficult, but it's a skill that can only be acquired through experience.

R.

Spork99

Canon EOS M6 Mk II

Canon EF-M 22mm STM Lens

02/16/2006 07:19:29 PM · #11

I had a teacher who had spent 30+ years as a photographer for Life Magazine. He usually used a meter, but sometimes he'd just say something like "1/60 at f8" but you meter it if you want. Inevitably someone in the class would get out their meter and say "I'll be dammned, 1/60 at f8"

One night, several of us got together and invited him over as well. After we had gone through a few bottles of wine, we challenged him to take on the meter. He walked around, inside and out and told us what the exposure would be and every time, when we checked it with the meter, he was within 1/2 stop and usually dead on.

thegrandwazoo

Nikon D750

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

02/16/2006 07:40:04 PM · #12

Do most of you use spot and incident meters?

Is it worth the investment?

I just use the cameras but I was thinking about getting one.

Keith Maniac

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM for Canon

02/16/2006 07:59:14 PM · #13

Originally posted by thegrandwazoo:

Do most of you use spot and incident meters?

Is it worth the investment?

I just use the cameras but I was thinking about getting one.

I don't use one, and I'd be surprised if most people did. With digital cameras, you can just take a shot and look at the histogram (or just look at the thumbnail on your camera's LCD display). If it looks a bit off, then simply adjust exposure and re-shoot. No need for a separate dedicated meter.

thegrandwazoo

Nikon D750

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

02/16/2006 08:11:22 PM · #14

Thanks! That's kinda what I figured. I'll spend the money on more glass.

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D

02/16/2006 08:17:51 PM · #15

Originally posted by Spazmo99:

Thats cool, i guess its like music. Some people can hear a note and tell you what it is or if its sharp or flat.

Did he know at any ISO? or did he just know a certin ISO speed?

Message edited by author 2006-02-16 20:21:00.

deapee

Kodak V803

02/16/2006 08:36:40 PM · #16

I think if you pay good enough attention to those things while you're out, you'll get it down...

like on a sunny day, f/16 1/250th at ISO 200 will yield good results, then you go from there f/8 1/500 f/4 1/1000 I think I could be way off, just saying that you probably have to remember what is what and kind of go off that.

I could be wrong again, but I think also that in developing the 'film' or whatever, that you have some play to work with also.

--

Personally, I'm spoiled by the histogram -- just look at it, and make any adjustments you may need to.

02/16/2006 09:51:48 PM · #17

If you read that link I posted it's got the rules . The teacher knew the rule for daylight which was I think for ISO 100 (if it was in fact 1/60 at f8). So from that, you can get to whatever else you need by doubling or halving depending on aperture, shutter speed, and ISO.

Pulled from the "Ultimate Exposure Computer"

On a bright, sunny day, the correct exposure for any subject is f/16 at the shutter speed nearest to the reciprocal of the film speed.

Message edited by author 2006-02-16 21:53:23.

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

02/16/2006 09:57:27 PM · #18

What is F16? my camera only has 2.6-8.0 so i cant shoot on sundays?

jefalk

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

02/16/2006 10:02:23 PM · #19

When it comes to metering or the eye, the art is not how it reads, it's "what" you read.. All too often the meter albeit the camera's or a handheld, only reads what it's pointed at per se'. Sometimes it seems the more photos one takes, the more troubled one gets at deciding where the correct brightness and contrast is in the view.

jf

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm f2.8-4.0D

02/16/2006 10:02:26 PM · #20

Sunny f16 is just a guide you can figure from. I'm not sure if this will equal out but it's worth a shot. So Sunny day:

So ISO 100
f16 1/125s is about right. From that...(since f8 is your minimum aperture), 2 stops down in shutter speed gives:
f8 1/500 at ISO 100.

That link also deals with different types of lighting...it's exactly what you need. Check it out.

Message edited by author 2006-02-16 22:03:01.

Nikolai1024

Nikon D300

02/16/2006 10:12:40 PM · #21

Just use digital camera to do metering for you.

Nick

Sigma 28-80mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical HF for Pentax

02/16/2006 11:38:45 PM · #22

No cool equipment like this?

//i27.photobucket.com/albums/c197/Peregrinor/technical/P2155256aw1.jpg

Message edited by karmat - please only use thumbs or links in forums.

Pug-H

Pentax K10D

02/17/2006 12:01:09 AM · #23

Originally posted by BowerR64:

What is F16? my camera only has 2.6-8.0 so i cant shoot on sundays?

No, and you might have to give Tuesdays a miss, too. ;-)

Of course you can shoot on sunny days: your shutter speed will need to be faster.

Message edited by author 2006-02-17 00:01:20.