View Full Version : Question about film cameras


katie2279
02-20-2007, 09:28 AM
My friend has a 35 mm film camera and he is going to the Illini B Ball game tomorrow night and wants to take pics of the Cheifs last time. He has a telephoto lens and can set the ap and ss but he was wondering what film he should use. He has 400 and 800 ISO film. I was hoping someone on here would know this kind of stuff. He is not sure if he can set the wb but if so do you recommend certain wb for stadium lighting? He can not use a flash.
So no flash
ap?
ss? I assume it will have to be fast in order to not get blur.
Film? Will 800 be to grainy?

TIA
Katie

Greg McCary
02-20-2007, 11:43 AM
My friend has a 35 mm film camera and he is going to the Illini B Ball game tomorrow night and wants to take pics of the Cheifs last time. He has a telephoto lens and can set the ap and ss but he was wondering what film he should use. He has 400 and 800 ISO film. I was hoping someone on here would know this kind of stuff. He is not sure if he can set the wb but if so do you recommend certain wb for stadium lighting? He can not use a flash.
So no flash
ap?
ss? I assume it will have to be fast in order to not get blur.
Film? Will 800 be to grainy?

TIA
Katie

It depends on the lighting. If it is very well lit like a pro game I might try the 400, I think maybe I would take a roll of each. Remember if he is using a 200mm zoom then the shutter speed needs to be at least 1/200. I have used 400 at little league games with fairly good results. The flash probably won't work if you are having to use a zoom to bring the action in that much.
Greg

Marc2B4
02-20-2007, 01:44 PM
There is no white balance with film cameras. The film is balanced to the color temperature of the light. I'd shoot a daylight balanced film in an arena for hoops, 400 might work but 800 gets you an extra stop, which is a big deal indoors. Especially if your friend is trying to stop action at a hoops game. He'll be too far off for a flash to be of any use, so crank up the ASA, it's a trade off concerning the grain. Besides with today's modern films, grain is negligable. If people have a problem with grain, tell em it's a special effect and charge them extra for it.

Mark

drg
02-20-2007, 04:07 PM
At the Assembly Hall at U of I C-U 400 or 800 ISO should be plenty fast. They will have every light in the building turned up for the final dance of the Chief ! !

Depending on where he is sitting, make sure he meters off the floor and doesn't try to use a pattern or matrix mode as the darker part of the Hall may confuse the camera.

Try to get copies of have them post. This is a historic event.

katie2279
02-21-2007, 05:00 AM
Thanks for the replys. I will have him give me a copy and post them. He is a huge IL fan and loves the cheif. It will be sad to see him go :(

freygr
02-21-2007, 02:28 PM
Unless he has a F2.8 zoom he's going need the high ISO film he can find.

another view
02-22-2007, 05:10 AM
DRG has been there so I'd go with his advice (a day late...) and use ISO800, but I'd set the camera at 640. This will give you a little over exposure which works just fine with neg film. You'll start seeing grain in underexposed areas, and this bit of overexposure is like insurance against this happening.

Marc is right that WB doesn't apply to film. Well - the concept does, but it's a little different. Most film is daylight balanced, which is like using a "sunny" WB preset on a digital camera. Some film is tungsten balanced for incandescent light, but it's fairly hard to find - and usually only used by studio and architectural photographers working in that kind of light. The negatives will be developed and will be color corrected when printed so you won't need to worry too much about the light source not matching the film. If the prints don't look right have them re-printed, possibly by a better lab.

katie2279
02-23-2007, 05:11 AM
Well thanks for all the responses. Unfortunatly they wouldt let him take the camera in. I guess sicne it was a big event and the last dance they were not letting cameras in with detachable lens unless you were a member of the press. Personally I think that is wrong but ohwell. So no pics of the Chiefs last dance to post :(