How To Meter For Film

Learn how to meter for film. Find out how to get the right light and how to meter correctly to get a great negative, a black and white negative that is going to give you a great scan so you can work with it digitally. It's as much about knowing how to meter as it is knowing how to find the light that's going to give your the best image. #LightMeter #Metering #FilmPhotography

Sekonic Light Meter - LiteMaster Pro L-478D-U:

Kodak Tri-X 400 Black and White Film 120:

Kodak Tri-X 400 Black and White Film 35mm:

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The Slanted Lens is a photography and video YouTube channel where we feature photography and lighting tutorials, camera reviews, photo and video related product reviews and industry business tips. Our founder, Jay P. Morgan, has been working as a Commercial Photographer and Film Director/DP in the Los Angeles area for more than 30 years developing an impressive list of clients from Paramount to McDonald's. Jay P.'s experience with elaborate set design and extensive lighting are key to the success of his illustrative work. Jay P has also taught college level photography and video courses for many years. He is happy to share his knowledge with you. Join us by subscribing and asking questions that we are happy to answer!

[Fidel_Cashflow]

These pictures look incredible. The shot with the woman and the baby at 9:57 is perfect! Love the tones, composition and expressions.

[Allenmarshall]

Thanks alot, JP. A wealth of information I appreciate acquiring through your channel.

[mathewmccarthy]

Thank you! I've been waiting all week for this. Nicely done!

[andrewcroft]

Great video, have you done a video for metering for colour film, please?

[starperformer]

Great tutorial! I think I will get out some of my film cameras and shoot black and white!

[trimatije]

So if I understood correctly, if you overexpose it one stop and then prolong development time, shouldn't that theoretically kill the highlights and increase contrast?

[trigrhapee]

Great video and instructions.

JP can you recommend a light meter for someone that is just learning how to use one, but also grow to use all the functions of a light meter?

[notaone-also]

Thank you so much! That was so insightful!! I so love to shoot with film and that was so cool!! So, without a handheld meter...I could just use the light meter in my camera by knowing where to point it to get a denser negative...right?? Thanks again!!

[Rocking_J_Studio]

If you're metering toward yourself, does the color or brightness of your clothes affect your reading? I'm thinking that turning around the head and turning around to point it away would work better.

[notaone-also]

Thanks for your feedback!! Next question... can I do the same thing but using 100 iso film, shooting it at 200 and develop it at 400 to get a denser negative too? Thank you and the community!!

[SinaFarhat]

interesting!
How do you evaluate a film that is new to you? Use your lighting method and read that the film for example is contrast heavy and compensate for the darker shadows?
keep up the good work!

[ldstirling]

Jay, would it not be easier to meter these shots using a spot meter? Then, using the zone system as a guide, you would meter for the darkest part of the frame that you want to retain some detail. Put that in Zone 2 or 3, and you're done.

[janjasiewicz]

You can also use a 18% Grey card and hold up in the direction of your subject and take a light meter reading (spot metering is ideal) but reflective is acceptable if you hold it close enough. All light meters are calibrated to give you mid tone (Zone 5 - using Ansel Adams ' method). Another trick is to hold up your hand in the direction of your subject, like JP uses the globe and take a reading. If you have light skin (Caucasian) your tone, according to Ansel Adams' Zone system, is in Zone 6, but the light meter puts your hand in Zone 5. To compensate increase exposure by 1 stop to place it in Zone 6 (from 5). If you have darker skin it will be zone 4, but, again, your meter reading is in Zone 5. To get the correct exposure decrease exposure by one stop so your hand falls in Zone 4. It works like a charm.

[stefan_becker]

Thanks for the great video. Yes, I think for light metering this is a good way to get correctly exposed images. However even better is in my opinion to use spot metering. With a spot meter you can point at certain areas and get an EV value. You can place that EV value on a zone using some small zone dial (for example available in the book "Way beyond monochrome"). Once you decided on an exposure you can check with the spot meter what grey value certain parts of your subjects are going to have before you take the picture. An no, you don't have to use the entire zone system. Just assume your film has 10 zones of dynamic range and use standard development. The results will be great in almost all except really extreme cases. It gets better only by using the full zone system. By the way: what also works nicely is to use a digital camera as light meter. You can even check what your image is going to look like by "simulating" the exposure using a digital camera in M mode. Yes it's not completely precise because sensors behave a bit different than film, but the approximation is usually really, really good.

[Fidel_Cashflow]

IF I understand correctly you are underexposing Tri-x by 1 stop to not overexpose the highlights and get a deep shadow reading. Then you push the film 2 stops in development to try and recover the light areas which give your images that grainer look.

[janjasiewicz]

Another comment that is worth knowing is JP did not mention that by Pushing Film by 1 stop (increase ISO to 800) and developing at 2 stops (1600) you increase grain (and decreases resolution). I think he uses 120 film - but you can definitely notice grain. TriX by its very nature is a grainy film anyway. There are tricks to decrease grain - by choosing your developer, lowering developer concentration and increasing development time and your agitation scheme (gentle agitation tends to decrease gain). Or get a slower film like ISO 25 or 100. 35 mm film will not look as good (actually quite horrible) as 120 film or 4 x 5 negatives. A general rule to reduce grain is to "overexpose and underdevelop" - a rule discovered back in the 30's when 35 mm film was not very sensitive and

[petrub]

So confusing. You have a very precise measuring tool and a scientifically iso rated film, yet you're using a totally different iso value. Can't watch this