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In a message dated 98-04-23 02:20:04 EDT, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

> They were taken with Ektachrome 100 plus 120 (2 1/4 x 2 1/4).  The camera 
> was a Bronica with no filter and I used my Nikon 8008 as a light meter.
>  

I'm intrigued now to see the Railnews story and how the 100 Plus acted.  What
kind of shutter speeds were you using, Dave?  Some else had asked about
shooting in the shops....

There are several factors to getting good shop shots, but the most important
variable is the shutter speed or open time.  The artificial interior light
does not produce the full spectrum of sunlight, and the film generally renders
these lights with odd color balances.  What compounds the color balance is the
reciprocity rate of the film you use -- each color layers exposes at a
different rate.  Most daylight films are designed for faster exposures --
1/30th  of a second or faster.  Kodak sez Kodachrome is good to about 1/10th.
The shifts at a second or less are almost unnoticeable.

Shop shots are normally taken in the 1/15th to 3 second range.  If you want
sharp shop shots, then use a tripod or bean bag and cable release.

I have found in practice that Kodachrome, if exposed for less than five
seconds or so, or at whatever the meter tells you, will appear pretty much as
your eye saw it.  It's the exposures of 30 seconds to a minute or more that
have the flood lights and interior lights looking like the Emerald City.

I have also found in practice that the Fuji E6 films are very sensitive to
ambient light, and that the reciprocity failure time is much shorter.  Colors
seem to shift to the yellowish-green at just a few seconds.  Also, five
seconds with Fuji will get you a brighter slide than five second exposure on
Kodachrome of the same abient light source.  sporrs members have written here
that they like the look of night shots on Fuji films -- that's a matter of
individual taste.  I'm only pointing out the differences and why they occur.

Next time you're taking long exposures with artificial lights in 'em, try the
exposure you like, then double the time and close 1 stop, double the time
again and close another stop, double the time again and close another stop.
You'll see the failure rate for that particular type of film and light source.
You'll find negatives are much more forgiving than slide film.

You can play with filters, but the results will still change with exposure
times.  Mike Thomas did a Camera Bag for R&R about filtering for shop lights.
If I can find an electronic version, I'll post it here.

Mike

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