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