hello everyone,
I used to do still photography a lot, and just recently got dragged into motion picture, which i find more fascinating and confusing at the same time.
anyhow, i'll jump straight to the point.
still films has a lot less latitude that film for sure. it is only +2 stops to get white with detail and -2 stops to get black with detail. outside those 5 stops exposure latitude, you will get nothing but pure black or white without detail.
so, if I am using a spot meter to measure a white with detail object --let's say, a fabric--, i spot it, and overexpose it by 2 stops so it is +2 exposure which is white with detail.
I'm sure it works the same way with motion picture film, but the problem is it has more latitude! maybe 3/4 stops over expose to take it to white ith detail. so it raises the question: should I overexpose it by 3/4 stops to get white with detail?
Then i made a little test with my gray card and meter. I spot both the gray side and the white side, and the meter told me 2 stops difference.. OMG i'm confused, so this raises another question: does the meter I have only calibrated for still photography purposes? because if I'm using a motion picture film, it should show more than 2 stops exposure difference, right?
I don't know if you guys are following me this far.
the only purpose i ask this is spot metering maybe crucial sometimes, especially when you want an EXACT tonality for a reflection on specular object --e.g. a black car--
help...
Dee