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Tough Exposure Settings
There are many lighting situations that will fool your camera. If you can
override your camera, here are a few tips for calculating a good starting
point. With most of these, take 2 or three shots, one using the table below,
and one with a bigger f stop and one with a smaller f stop (or one with a
faster time and one with a slower time.) If you are using negative film, try
going one "stop" higher or lower. If you are using transparency reversal
(slide) film, try 2 - half stops below and 2 - half stops above (ie take 5
pictures.) Transparency reversal is pickier.
There are 2 steps to calculating the exposure. The tables for these two lookups
are on separate pages to make it easier for you to print out. (See notes below
on permission for printing.)
The first step is to calculate the "EV" value required.
You need to know the subject matter and the ISO of your film to
calculate the EV value.
Calculating EV Value
The second step is to calculate the exposure. What
you do is take the EV value calculated and look it up on this table. This table
gives you the combinations of f-stop and shutter speed required
to get an exposure at that EV value. Note, if you are taking a picture at a
shutter speed greater than 1/10th of a second, check the film manufacturer's
instructions. Many films, starting at somewhere between 1/10th of a second or
longer (depends on the film) start to have problems (color shifts etc..,) with
long exposures. They have instructions for "fixing" the problem. In general, if
you can make your f-stop a smaller number (larger hole), that is the better
solution, because if you make the exposure longer, then you have another
adjustment to make.
Calculating Exposure
Personally, I print these forms out back to front on a pair of
8.5"x11" paper, and then I laminate them. I put one set it each of
my camera bags so that I always have them when I need them. Although I own the
copyright, I hereby give you permission to do this as per the following: You
put on the bottom of each page "Copyright 1985-2002 Photos By Madman,
www.PhotosByMadman.com". If you do that, I give you permission to copy them for
your own use, or for the use of your business. You may not resell them, but you
may give them away for free, or direct them to my site and have them get them
themselves for free.
Now. Would you believe, less than an hour after I placed these on my web site
for the first time, a request from someone to "buy" a pair of these
laminated sheets? So here's the deal.
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You still have permission to do it yourself for FREE (see the rules above for
doing this.) But if you want to pay me to do it for you:
-
Your first set, delivered by mail anywhere in North America is $15 USD Use your
favorite credit card under Paypal to pay me Peter@PhotosByMadman.com or ask
me via email to send you a PayPal invoice or snail mail me a
check or money order. If you are Canadian, you can pay me in
Canadian $ if using a check or money order - you figure out the amount you owe
me, I won't quibble over pennies. (If you want, use Yahoo's financial
converter, that's what I use.) If you are
outside of North America, add $5USD for shipping Airmail. If you are
International, I do not accept bank transfer for orders under $1000 because of
the costs nor do I accept checks or money orders from non-Canadian/US banks -
my bank charges me a $40-$60 collection fee. Basically, those systems in North
America are way too expensive. So sorry, you have to use Paypal or send me US
or Canadian cash.
-
Your second, third etc.., set, is $10 USD each set. And that
is the same for International customers as well (Because, unless you buy a LOT
of them, my cost of shipping doesn't go up so your cost of shipping
doesn't go up.) So get together with friends and buy lots of them -
or pay me nothing by printing them out on your own printer and laminate them
locally.
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