I’m going to give film another try. I’ll tempt fate and start with slide film. I have many rolls of 35mm, 120 & 220 film. I use to develop all my film, but won’t jump into developing right away.
My first roll is Ektachrome E100VS Professional which expired, but has been frozen since purchase. Expiration date 07/2012.
I’ll start with external incident metering and subjects with a limited dynamic range and use a color checker card just to see if I can get the colors properly corrected.
Any suggestions as to general recommendations, such as best to under or overexpose.. or film specific suggestions would be appreciated.
I pulled out my Zeiss Ikon ZMs and wow.. I forgot how nice the viewfinder was. Puts my M11M and film Leicas to shame. Unfortunately, frame lines are 35mm (easy to see with glasses), 50mm and 90mm. The 90mm best used with Ikon viewfinder magnifier. A 21mm Super Elmar is coming on Sunday and I have a wonderful 21mm Zeiss Ikon external viewfinder. I want to try my 35mm f/1.4 ZM, but my 90mm is way too heavy..the Leica APO. I think that fast lenses and the long rangefinder base is a perfect match. If you ever have a chance to look through the ZM’s viewfinder you might be tempted to buy the camera. It is the sort of change in clarity as when you move from the Mamiya 7 to the 7II, but it has the added feature of being a much larger eyepiece than any Leica M. Much easier to see 35mm frame lines than with my
My rule of thumb for transparencies is "meter for the highlights, let the shadows fall where they may" (opposite of negative film). Good idea to stick to more even light.
As the film has been frozen the entire time, and it is relatively slow film, just shoot at box speed.
I’ve done that w expired frozen slide film and it was just fine.
It is the faster films that degrade more quickly but the biggest killer is how they have been stored.
My experience with trying to slightly over expose expired (fridge held) slide film has mostly been disaster. Expose at box speed and meter for highlights.
When slides work, they really work...but when they don't...
I'm lucky that my local lab still develops E6 two days a week...so, at least I don't have to wait long to be disappointed.
