Using a 35mm Film SLR to take night photos

[jason2010]

Hi all, recently I used a 35mm Film SLR to take night photos of Merlion, CBD and Marina Bay Sands. When I collected the photos from the photo shop, the images is very grainy and blur.

When I took the photos it is on Auto-mode and I got use the flash... Can any pro here help me with it? Thanks..

 

[spidey89]

Hi all, recently I used a 35mm Film SLR to take night photos of Merlion, CBD and Marina Bay Sands. When I collected the photos from the photo shop, the images is very grainy and blur.

When I took the photos it is on Auto-mode and I got use the flash... Can any pro here help me with it? Thanks..

Head down to the library and borrow books on exposure, in low light conditions, flash is useful and useless, based on what you've said you've shot,most likely in scene,flash would be useless

Think about this, you go down to hardware shops and buy a normal flashlight, if I were to have you where you were when you shoot, and all the lights in Singapore were turned off, and you shine your light at something far away, it won't be lit up,simply because the flash isn't powerful enough

Also, the shutter speed wasn't open long enough, consider this situation, if I blind fold you, and I ask you to describe to me what you see when I remove the blindfold, I just open and close almost immediately, there isn't enough time for your eyes to capture everything,similarly in night landscape, because there isn't enough light,it takes time for the camera to "see" everything in detail

Honestly,my explanation isn't the best,I highly recommend you go to the library and borrow some books to read up on basic exposure

Film or digital,all methods are the same, even different formats,compact cameras,DSLRs and whatever other types there are,all are based on the same principles

 

[jason2010]

Head down to the library and borrow books on exposure, in low light conditions, flash is useful and useless, based on what you've said you've shot,most likely in scene,flash would be useless

Think about this, you go down to hardware shops and buy a normal flashlight, if I were to have you where you were when you shoot, and all the lights in Singapore were turned off, and you shine your light at something far away, it won't be lit up,simply because the flash isn't powerful enough

Also, the shutter speed wasn't open long enough, consider this situation, if I blind fold you, and I ask you to describe to me what you see when I remove the blindfold, I just open and close almost immediately, there isn't enough time for your eyes to capture everything,similarly in night landscape, because there isn't enough light,it takes time for the camera to "see" everything in detail

Honestly,my explanation isn't the best,I highly recommend you go to the library and borrow some books to read up on basic exposure

Film or digital,all methods are the same, even different formats,compact cameras,DSLRs and whatever other types there are,all are based on the same principles

any books to recommend?

Thanks, really appreciate it

 

[aquilaa]

Hi all, recently I used a 35mm Film SLR to take night photos of Merlion, CBD and Marina Bay Sands. When I collected the photos from the photo shop, the images is very grainy and blur.

When I took the photos it is on Auto-mode and I got use the flash... Can any pro here help me with it? Thanks..

Check your shutter speed. When you use flash, the shutter speed may be 1/30 in auto
mode, resulting in underexpose pictures. Do check for reciprocity failure of your film.
If you shoot only buildings, no point using flash.

 

[spidey89]

any books to recommend?

Thanks, really appreciate it

Understand Exposure by Byran Peterson, do take note that for films,IIRC,after exposures longer than 1 sec will have a colour cast or something like that

 

[jason2010]

in this case what should be the correct ISO setting to put to?

my Film SLR can set ISO 6 - 6400

some set put ISO 100 but some say put highest the best.. very confusing..

Thanks!

 

[aquilaa]

in this case what should be the correct ISO setting to put to?

my Film SLR can set ISO 6 - 6400

some set put ISO 100 but some say put highest the best.. very confusing..

Thanks!

Set ISO based on the film ISO you use. For example, if you use Velvia 50, set ISO at 50.

 

[jason2010]

Set ISO based on the film ISO you use. For example, if you use Velvia 50, set ISO at 50.

Sometimes I use fujifilm or kodak 200, those regular films bought from photo shops. Does this means I set ISO to 200? Thanks! http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/images/cs/smilies/teeth.gif

 

[Daoyin]

Sometimes I use fujifilm or kodak 200, those regular films bought from photo shops. Does this means I set ISO to 200? Thanks! http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/images/cs/smilies/teeth.gif

In the example you gave, you should set the camera for iso200 - at your stage of learning. You have a long way to go if you have to ask this question. Time to start some serious studying if you want to get the most out of your new purchase.

 

[Genie In A Lightbox]

For the start, select DX for ISO. Your camera should have this setting. It will automatically detect the film ISO for you. If you are doing landscapes, shoot without the flash first. Just use combinations of aperture and shutter speed to achieve the correct exposure first. You will need a tripod.

 

[Genie In A Lightbox]

If you need books, look here: http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=214602

 

[spidey89]

in this case what should be the correct ISO setting to put to?

my Film SLR can set ISO 6 - 6400

some set put ISO 100 but some say put highest the best.. very confusing..

Thanks!

For the time being, I'd suggest if you buy ISO400 film,just use it at ISO400, higher is not better,it becomes grainier, by today's standard,cameras like Nikon D3s and Canon 1D MK something(not really sure what) its pretty clean, when you use ISO say... 1600,its so grainy you can puke, some love it,some don't, so as suggested,best now is to just play with aperture and shutter speed,read up and you'll learn

 

[wootsk]

I guess the problem about ISO is that TS mix up setting ISO on DSLR and SLR.

ISO on DSLR: Due to digital function, user can set the light sentivity of the camera sensor. ISO 100, ISO 200 etc etc

ISO on SLR: ISO on SLR is determine by the type of film you use. In short if the film you load into the camera is ISO 100 (Stated on the film), then it is die die only ISO 100. The ISO / ASA that you can set on the camera is to help in calabrating the light meter to your film type.

Guess TS still got a long way to go before we discuss about grainy photos and different camera types etc etc. For now, go download a manual of your camera, older camera manual are so incredible that it is almost like a guidebook introduction to basic lighting in photography. Some even have hyperfocal written in the book...

 

[Muckafutha]

blur could be due to hand shake,
grain could be due to the photoshop compensating for underexposed shots when scanning.

 

[ndroo]

In short if the film you load into the camera is ISO 100 (Stated on the film), then it is die die only ISO 100. The ISO / ASA that you can set on the camera is to help in calabrating the light meter to your film type.

Not 100% true lah. You can adjust it to manipulate the exposure like when you wanna do double exposures etc.

 

[toledosun]

Hi all, recently I used a 35mm Film SLR to take night photos of Merlion, CBD and Marina Bay Sands. When I collected the photos from the photo shop, the images is very grainy and blur.

When I took the photos it is on Auto-mode and I got use the flash... Can any pro here help me with it? Thanks..

Hi Jason,

1) As some other forumers have commented, flash photography does not work for landscapes at night, simply because the flash cannot light up the whole landscape. What you need is a tripod and long exposure.

2) unlike a digital SLR, the ISO for a film camera is determined by the film you used. So, if you load a Fuji Superia 200, then the correct ISO setting on the camera will be 200, nothing more or less.

Note that (2) does not apply for B&W film, where photographers can "push" or "pull" a film. But don't worry about that, it's a separate subject altogether.

3) "auto mode" may work in some cases but not if it's too dark. For example, with my Nikon FG20 the "alarm" will sound telling me that it is too dark and the picture will be under-exposed. However I can still press the shutter if I want to.

Here's an example of a shot taken at night. This was done using a tripod. As there was insufficient light, I set the camera to "bulb" mode and triggered the camera with a release cable. Film used was Fuji superia 200, which is similar to what you mentioned. My privacy settings doesn't allow me to post my pic from flickr here so here's the link:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/sunkm/4671244689/in/set-72157624148178299/

 

[epalite]

Very firm tripod, bulb setting, cable release. Guess you can stay at ISO100/200, which I would using tripod.

And instruct the photo shop not "brighten" them. Use those experienced shops.

 

[wootsk]

Not 100% true lah. You can adjust it to manipulate the exposure like when you wanna do double exposures etc.

Yup I know, but TS need to understand about Film ISO and what the ISO switch on the SLR is for first. Feeding him stuff like double exposure and CURRENT unneeded knowledge will get him mixed up. For now TS needs to learn how to handle the camera and visualise how the camera actually works when shooting.

I believe for most film starters, they must be thinking that the films actually has a square box for them to expose nicely on the box not understanding that the box is actually created by the camera when winding the slide.:bsmilie: