| The final result of your photographic ventures is a | | | | due to fact that you view the film itself not |
| roll of film, a handful of prints or a box of slides. | | | | prints.The manufacturer knows this and will |
| Other than your choice of lens, the film choice will | | | | endeavour to have the film shipped and on the |
| have the biggest impact on the quality of the final | | | | shelves when it is almost at optimum so that is |
| results.DIGITAL CAMERASWhile most of this is | | | | optimum (or near-optimum) for the time it is |
| irrelevant for digital cameras, "film" speed still | | | | expected to be on the shelves. Think of fruit in |
| applies. In this case the speed affects the noise | | | | the grocers. The new bananas arrive slightly |
| level rather than grain size but the final result is | | | | green and ripen on the shelves.Manufacturers also |
| somewhat similar. Choose the smallest ISO for | | | | make "professional" film. This is the same as the |
| the required shutter speed, ie to allow hand-held | | | | non-pro film (though often it actually is better |
| shooting or freezing sports action.CHOOSING A | | | | quality) but has been allowed to age at the |
| FILM1. First choice is slide (positive) or print | | | | manufacturers to optimum colour balance. The |
| (negative) film.Print | | | | extra cost for pro film assures this. Some |
| greater exposure latitude (some 9 stops vs 5 | | | | camera shops and photo labs have a fridge |
| stops for slide) | | | | containing professional slide film - keeping the film |
| cheaper | | | | cool slows this aging process. Storing film in your |
| easy for prints | | | | own fridge helps to keep it fresh if storing for a |
| ideal for cheap compact camerasSlide (also | | | | period or in hot climates. Keep them in their |
| known as reversal or tranparency film) | | | | containers.You should get films processed as soon |
| greater colour saturation and contrast (especially | | | | as possible after exposure as the latent image will |
| professional film) | | | | begin fading.Films beyond expiry dates can still be |
| no "middle-man" adjusting colour balance or | | | | used but you should exercise caution. Do not use |
| exposure | | | | them for anything important. As well as the |
| much easier to digitise | | | | aforementioned colour cast, which might be |
| requires good camera to obtain correct | | | | significant, the film can dry out and crack. The |
| exposureAs slide film has 5 stops of latitude, | | | | result is prints that look like crazy paving! (I've had |
| correct exposure is much more critical than print | | | | this experience with an old black and white film). |
| film. This means the use of a camera with a | | | | Buy film as you need it. Extreme temperatures |
| precision auto-exposure meter such as an SLR | | | | and moisture can really make the film suffer, |
| (or very good compact) or using a light | | | | store them in a cool dry place. Keep out of the |
| meter.Black and white film is all negative | | | | sun, stuffy cars and away from radiators.Always |
| nowadays. There was a wonderful black and | | | | use the container supplied, this keeps dust and dirt |
| white slide film offering from Agfa called Dia | | | | out and spoiling your film.FILM BRANDS AND |
| Direct. Now long discontinued. There are some | | | | QUALITYAs with everything else in life, typically |
| techniques for creating B+W slides from negative | | | | you get what you pay for. Big brands like Kodak |
| film.Slides are also a better choice if you want to | | | | and Fuji make very good films and you'll pay a bit |
| take film pictures and then digitise them. | | | | more than lesser brands for the better quality. |
| Negatives are notoriously difficult to colour correct | | | | Ilford makes some excellent black and white |
| after scanning. You can look at the slide and | | | | films.Kodachrome is number one for film archival. |
| compare with the digitised version to get an | | | | It's longevity is second to none.Kodak colour films |
| accurate colour balance. Prints do not give you a | | | | typically are strongest in the red/yellow part of |
| valid reference point!Summary: if you want prints | | | | the spectrum. Rendering of reds, yellows and skin |
| go for print film. Slides if quality or scanning.2. Next | | | | tones look great. Fuji films traditionally are |
| choice is film speed.As with everything else in life, | | | | strongest in the green part of the spectrum. |
| choosing the film speed is an exercise in | | | | Great for nature and landscapes. Velvia 50 is |
| compromise. Slower film speeds (smaller ISO) | | | | superb, now discontinued, replaced by Velvia |
| have a finer grain but the greater light required | | | | 100.DX FILM SETTINGOn most rolls of 35mm film |
| means slower shutter speeds and could interfere | | | | there is a pattern that looks something similar to |
| with picture taking. Faster film speeds allow for | | | | a barcode. This is the film speed coded on the |
| faster shutter speeds but the increased grain size | | | | canister. It allows cameras that support DX coded |
| can be distracting.ISO 100 or slower for the finest | | | | canisters to automatically set the film speed. Very |
| grain. Use in good lighting conditions such as bright | | | | useful if you often use different speed film and |
| sunny days.ISO 200 is a good general purpose | | | | forget to reset the film speed. It also simplifies |
| film for slower lenses such as those found on | | | | compact cameras to the point where they don't |
| compact cameras or zoom lenses. In print film | | | | allow manual setting of film speed.A LITTLE |
| this speed has all but replaced ISO 100 as the | | | | HISTORYMany, many years ago two film speed |
| quality of modern films have grain comparable or | | | | designation systems competed to be the |
| better than last year's ISO 100.ISO 400. Where | | | | standard. One was defined by the DIN standards |
| you require faster shutter speeds for action | | | | body the other by ASA standards body.The DIN |
| shots or in medium to low lighting conditions. Grain | | | | system is an additive scale where each stop of |
| is getting noticeable at this speed.ISO 1000 or | | | | film speed alters the DIN number by three. So to |
| faster. Use in low lighting conditions such as | | | | increase the exposure by one stop subtract three |
| indoors and at dusk. Grain is quite noticeable. One | | | | to the DIN film speed setting and to decrease the |
| can exploit this resulting in grainy, gritty | | | | exposure by one stop add three. Each "one" of |
| photographs.STORING FILMAs film ages its colour | | | | the DIN scale effectively being one third of a |
| changes. This colour cast is subtle but noticeable. | | | | stop.The ASA system uses a multiplicative scale |
| For example, a brand new film fresh from the | | | | where one stop doubles or halves the ASA |
| factory might have a slight red colours cast | | | | number. To increase the exposure by one stop |
| where the same film (and same batch) that has | | | | half the ASA film speed setting and to decrease |
| sat on a shop's shelf for a year might have a | | | | the exposure by one stop double it.The DIN |
| slight green cast. At some point in its age the film | | | | system simplifies exposure compensation settings |
| will have an optimum colour balance where the | | | | but the ASA system is more akin to the way the |
| colour cast is a minimum.For print film this effect | | | | rest of the camera works (ie shutter speed |
| can usually be ignored as the photo labs' printing | | | | doubles or halves per stop) and ultimately chosen |
| machines will automatically compensate for this | | | | for the ISO standard.You will still find both settings |
| cast and produce acceptable prints (though | | | | on the outside of film boxes. |
| probably inaccurate). Slide film is more sensitive | | | | |