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