A few beginner's question on film

[David Calson]

So I'm very new to film,

 

I'm trying to learn how to set exposure,

 

Let's say I'm using some sort of 52XX film with an EI of 400.

 

I use an incident meter at my talent and it say f/8. What does this mean? That if I set the iris on my camera to f/8, she will be properly exposed?

 

Also, wouldn't the tstop of lens need to be considered, some how some way in which I'm not sure?

 

There seems to be a lot of precise calculation, I don't get how people can light by eye.

 

 

 

Besides differences in latitude, what makes a film stock different from one another? I'm trying to learn about all the different types of Kodak 35, a book I read only had about 9 types from 5201 to 5279, is there a website that tells you what the difference is between each of these?

 

Thank ya kindly!

[Serge Teulon]

Let's say I'm using some sort of 52XX film with an EI of 400.

 

I use an incident meter at my talent and it say f/8. What does this mean? That if I set the iris on my camera to f/8, she will be properly exposed?

Not properly exposed, just your optimum.

 

Also, wouldn't the tstop of lens need to be considered, some how some way in which I'm not sure?

http://www.cinematography.com/forum2004/index.php?showtopic=28058&hl=t+stops

 

There seems to be a lot of precise calculation, I don't get how people can light by eye.

In the 'old' days, photographers could simply look down the barrel and be able to tell what stop they were at.

Although I have a stop that I work with, the only time I light by eye is when I'm setting the mood of the shot. I've never tried to attain my working stop by eye as I am not that confident and experienced enough to feel that I could pull it off but I think that film stock these days have a lot of latitude, thus meaning that the margin for error is wider

 

 

 

Besides differences in latitude, what makes a film stock different from one another? I'm trying to learn about all the different types of Kodak 35, a book I read only had about 9 types from 5201 to 5279, is there a website that tells you what the difference is between each of these?

Each stock gives you its own aesthetics. There are differences in sensitivity, graininess, colour rendition and contrast.

Older stocks have a higher contrast than newer stocks.

You can contact Kodak or Fuji and get them to send you some dvd's of their stocks. I'm sure they'll be happy to help.

 

 

S