Shooting with Kodak Vision 500T what ISO should i set my lightmeter too?

[Stewart Munro]

Hey there I am shooting on Kodak Vision 500T and i would like to know what ISO i should be at on my Minolta Light meter please?

[Adrian Sierkowski]

500 if rating it as normal.

I like it at 320 to tighten up grain, personally.

Depends on the look you're going for, of course. This is all assuming normal development. If you were planing on pushing 1 stop then you'd probably want to test 1000, 800, 640 as ratings. (i might rate @640 as well to increase grain with normal development in the telecine but grain is big enough most of the time on 500T in 16mm). This is all based on '18/'19 stocks by the by as it's the only kodak 500T I've shot.

[Rob Vogt]

Are you using any filters. 85, 80a NDs??? 24fps???

Edited November 22, 2008 by Rob Vogt

[Alexander McCarron]

500 if rating it as normal.

I like it at 320 to tighten up grain, personally.

Depends on the look you're going for, of course. This is all assuming normal development. If you were planing on pushing 1 stop then you'd probably want to test 1000, 800, 640 as ratings. (i might rate @640 as well to increase grain with normal development in the telecine but grain is big enough most of the time on 500T in 16mm). This is all based on '18/'19 stocks by the by as it's the only kodak 500T I've shot.

 

I'm a little confused by this. You underrate your film and then, when you process it, the technician pushes it slightly so everything looks right? Do you inform him that you've underrated your film? Do they charge you for pushing less than a full stop? And this is all in the interest of making the film look grainier?

Edited December 7, 2008 by Alexander McCarron

[Ian Cooper]

If you rate the film at 320asa rather than 500asa, the difference will over expose the image slightly.

 

You don't tell the lab, who will process it normally. The resulting over exposure will result in a slightly denser negative, but due to the latitude of the film stock it is still possible to extract a 'normal' picture during subsequent telecine/printing. The effect of the denser negative is to 'tighten' the grain, producing a finer grained image than if you'd just exposed at 500 in the first place.

[Alexander McCarron]

If you rate the film at 320asa rather than 500asa, the difference will over expose the image slightly.

 

You don't tell the lab, who will process it normally. The resulting over exposure will result in a slightly denser negative, but due to the latitude of the film stock it is still possible to extract a 'normal' picture during subsequent telecine/printing. The effect of the denser negative is to 'tighten' the grain, producing a finer grained image than if you'd just exposed at 500 in the first place.

 

I see.

 

But when you telecine or print you need to make sure the lab understands you need some adjustments made to the image?

 

Does the opposite work? Can you increase grain by under exposing?

 

Thanks.

[Adrian Sierkowski]

Yes to both. When you're in the telecine you'd let them know you over exposed by 2/3rds of a stop and they'll compensate. And yes under-exposure and printing up will increase grain -- sometimes considerably. I messed up and was 3 stops under on a shot and when we brought it up, it was grainy as hell and the director loved it. . .thank heaven for small accidents sometimes

[Charles MacDonald]

But when you telecine or print you need to make sure the lab understands you need some adjustments made to the image?

 

Often a cinematograoher will include a large grey card in the frame when shooting a slate. naturaly the card should be exposed at the same light and settings as the subject. The folks making workprints/transfers - if they recognise the grey card - will use that as a reference for exposure and colour balance. this can be handy if you can't quite corect the colour ballance of the light - ie shooting with practicals. you have to be aware of this practice of course if you WANT the shot to look light/dark/green/blue etc.

A macbeth colour checker, or even the MCY patches from the "Kodak Colour separation Guides" are also often included to give the lab something to go on.

[Art Leal]

If you rate the film at 320asa rather than 500asa, the difference will over expose the image slightly.

 

You don't tell the lab, who will process it normally. The resulting over exposure will result in a slightly denser negative, but due to the latitude of the film stock it is still possible to extract a 'normal' picture during subsequent telecine/printing. The effect of the denser negative is to 'tighten' the grain, producing a finer grained image than if you'd just exposed at 500 in the first place.

 

Hello:

 

I know this thread is dated, but I'm new to 16mm and wanted to ask if you generally slightly overexpose all of your negative stocks. I know this practice is common for Super 8 negatives, and was wondering if the same applies here.

 

Many thanks!

 

Art

[Tom Jensen]

Usually, the telecine guy just looks at it and dials it in to what he thinks looks good.