Re: Pyro negs and stain


Carl Weese (cjweese@wtco.net)
Wed, 19 May 1999 17:03:57 -0400


Gary Miller wrote:
>
> Speaking of the difference of shooting outdoors as opposed to shooting in
> the studio, why are the outdoors negatives so much more dense. If I am
> taking a meter reading both inside and outside shouldn't the negatives
> ultimately be the same density if I am rating the film at the same ASA. I
> know that Carl has mentioned the difference between using a spot meter
> reading outdoors as opposed to a flash meter reading in the studio. But
> shouldn't it all be relative?My shoots from outside are much more dense and
> stained than my studio shots.

Gary,

Does this mean that even film edges and "empty" shadow areas are more
dense in your outdoor shots? This sounds like light leaks: either in the
camera or the holders. Your density from measured areas, and certainly
of the fb+f *should* be identical for indoor and outdoor negatives. But
a camera that is perfectly light tight (as far as film can tell) in the
studio may leak like a sieve in sunlight. One way this shows up is when
you suddenly get lots of excess density on a shot that you pulled the
slide and then waited, maybe for a cloud to get in just the right spot,
before shooting. If it has too much density and base fog, it means
marginal leaks that don't affect the film during a few seconds
slide-pulled-time wreak havoc in a period of a couple minutes. "Light
tight" is pretty relative. All this applies to holders as well as
cameras, lens boards, shutters, etc. I have a 'vintage' 12x20 holder
that I'll get overhauled someday: it can't be used safely in sunlight so
I keep it loaded with HP5+ and only pull it out in very dim lighting
conditions, where the fast film is handy too.

---Carl



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