Position:Home>Visual Arts> What's the best film to use?

The best setting you will determine by using the fine light meter your N60 has!. ISO 200 is fine for shooting in sunlight with the lens you are using !.!.!. don't for get to take other lenses with you !.!.!. like a nice wide angle lens!. Unless you are shooting birds and other wild life, the 200 mm will not show off the beauty of the Grand Canyon!.

Most of the shots I take there are with a 20 mm or 55 mm macro on my 35 mm lensWww@QuestionHome@Com

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The lower the ISO the finer the grain!. Personally I would shoot with a 200 or even 100 speed to get the best grain quality!. I would only use the 400 if the day was overcast and ISO 800 only if I am trying for action!. I've never really cared for color negative film and would much rather use a good fine grain transparency film like Velvia!.

Speed and metering - If you are going to hand hold I would shoot at least 1/125 of a sec!. For a normal lens I would go f16 (sunny 16 rule) but with the 200 I would open to at f8 or f11 depending on the light!. Best thing to do is bracket the exposures!. Sure you burn film but you want to get the shot!. Be aware of shadows and shade!.

Color negative film is more forgiving to exposure differences than most other films so this should put you in the ball park!. Before you go you might want to shoot a roll varying the exposure and see how they look!.

Heck - I have an "old school" 80-200 f4!.5 Nikkor lens I am using with my D40 - it dosen't auto focus or auto meter either but it is working just fine!.

Glad to see someone using film - this rush to digital is killing photography!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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I honestly don't know why anyone would be telling you to use 400 or 800 ISO!. The grain would be horrible, especially with 800 ISO!.

And whoever said that the "colors would be better" with "better resolution" with 800 ISO really must not have that much experience with film (or any photography for that matter)!. In fact, I rarely hear anyone refer to "resolution" when talking about film photography!. Do NOT use 800 ISO, unless you expect very bad lighting conditions - cloudy, overcast sky, etc!. Otherwise, you never want to shoot with anything over 400 ISO if you can avoid it!. Your pictures will start to look very grainy!. If you are taking pictures at sunset or other conditions with low light, you can always put the shutter speed on the "B" setting and just do a long exposure!. There really is no need for a high speed film with landscapes!. You want the picture to be as sharp as possible, with the finest grain possible!. That means a low ISO film!.

200 ISO film is just fine!. In fact, that's usually the ISO rating I prefer!. It's great for outdoor pictures!. It gives you the right balance of a medium ISO rating (where the lighting might not be "ideal") but still gives very sharp pictures with no graininess!. I think Kodak Gold 200 is probably one of my favorite films for landscapes!. It gives nice warm tones, with great color saturation!. The good news too is that we're getting into fall!. So the sun is at a lower angle, so you will get better lighting, especially later in the afternoon!. You might also want to try to get Kodak Ultra Color 100!. I think Kodak is going to stop making it (they're actually replacing it with a NEW film, which is supposed to have even better color saturation)!. But you can still find 100 UC, especially if you order it online!. Fuji 100 is another good film too!.

If you're using manual exposure, then you will want to use the "Sunny 16 Rule!." It's just a guideline, but it will help to give you a decent exposure!. Basically, the Sunny 16 Rule says that you will set the shutter speed to the same as the ISO rating of your film, or the closest available number!. So for 200 ISO film, you will set your shutter speed to 1/200!. Then adjust your aperture for the lighting conditions!. On a clear, sunny day, set your aperture to f /16!. If it's a little hazy or if you're in light shade, you might open the aperture to f/11!. If it's overcast or if you're in darker shade, you would open the aperture to f/8!. Late in the afternoon, near sunset, you might also open up the aperture to f/8 or maybe even f/5!.6!. You can also leave the aperture the same, and change the shutter speed, but that can get tricky!. Keep in mind too that when you change the aperture, it will affect the depth of field!. With a wider aperture, you will have a more shallow depth of field!. At around F/8 or f/5!.6, your background will start to look blurry!. With landscapes, you usually want to have the longest depth of field possible!. So if you can, try to keep the aperture at f/16 or f/11!.

You will have to judge the light!. But I would say that for most landscape photos, on a normal clear sunny day, f/16 should be fine!. So with 200 ISO film, set your aperture to f/16 and your shutter speed to 1/200!.

I have a collection of antique cameras that are COMPLETELY manual!. I don't even need a light meter!. I just judge the light and expose manually using the Sunny 16 Rule, and I've had pretty good results!.

Good luck and have fun!Www@QuestionHome@Com

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My favorite film for nature and scenics is Fujicolor Superia Reala, ISO 100!. I also use Kodak Portra 160VC (ISO 160, Vivid Color)!. If its overcast or windy I'll use Fujicolor PRO400H (ISO 400) or Kodak Portra 400VC (ISO 400)!.

Several answers have mentioned the "Sunny 16 Rule" as a guide!. It states: "On a sunny day, set your f-stop to f16 and your shutter speed to 1/ISO!." So if you're using ISO 100, you set your shutter speed to 1/100!.

I have several suggestions for you:

1) Buy the FotoSharp (http://www!.fotosharp!.com) Day & Night Exposure Guide!. It begins with the f16-1/ISO and then has suggested settings for "Hazy sun, soft shadows", "Cloudy bright, no shadows", "Heavy overcast - mid day" and more!.

2) Buy a hand-held meter like the Minolta Spotmeter M!. You'll have to buy used on eBay or maybe your local Craigslist but its definitely worth having!. You can take a reading of the shadow area, enter it in Memory and then take a reading of the highlight area, enter it in Memory and then press the Average key to get your f-stop/shutter speed!.*

3) I'd be using a wide-angle lens!. IMO a 200mm is simply too long for a good overview of the Grand Canyon unless you're wanting to isolate certain details!. A 21mm lens will give you a sweeping view of this natural wonder!.

4) Use a tripod!. You'll be surprised at how your pictures will improve even if you're using a fast shutter speed!.

5) Have a circular polarizer** so you can darken a blue sky and enhance colors!. also, have a Haze/UV filter - which should always be on your lens to protect your front element!. Take it off when using the polarizer!. When buying filters, buy quality: Heliopan, B+W, Singh-Ray, Hoya, Tiffen!. Don't "cheap out" on these important accessories!.

* If you go to http://www!.shutterbug!.com and type 'spot meters' in the Search box you will pull up several articles/test reports!. This will give you a better understanding of their benefits!.

** A polarizer will usually reduce light transmission by 2 stops!. So if you use a spot meter or the Day & Night Exposure Guide you'll have to compensate!. f16 @ 1/125 would become either A) f8 @ 1/125 or B) f16 @ 1/30!. If you use a spot meter you can check the light loss from the polarizer by metering through it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Best, best, best

best setting: depends on the light and the depth you want to show

best film: depends there are so many creative choices, i would shoot fuji velvia 50iso on transparency or maybe EBX kodak if i wnated rich golds/yellows - best is a matter of opinion and depends on the look you want

200iso is ok, i would want a finer grain, you might not

take a tripod

iwpWww@QuestionHome@Com

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go with 400 or 800!. canyons create shadows in many places, and there is always sunrise and sunset,the clouds might be overcast; its not always bright and sunny!. you should take different lenses, if you have them!. i believe your question was for a recommendation of the best film, the second answer is correct!. go with that one!. i dont see why anyone could give that a thumbs down!. bored people with only their lack of respect, that somebody gave you the best answer first!. thumbs up to the second answer!!Www@QuestionHome@Com

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I would guess ISO 200 would be Ok!

ISO 400 may be better though!

I turned digi recently and would probably set digi to 400 and AF for general stuff!. But you are likely to get great lighting at GC so go for 200!

Edit - thanks for thumbs down - added to my collection!.

I gave an honest answer - if you don't like it then fairy nuff!

It really does depend on the result you want!Www@QuestionHome@Com

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Personally I go with the lowest ISO speed film I can because there is less grain and the picture is more crisp!. The setting really depends on what you want to achieve with the image!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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I believe that 400 or 800 film would be better because the color, resolution and speed of the film are of higher quality!. I would want to preserve the memories and scenic views of my vacation in the best possible quality!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

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