Canon A1 35 mm film camera users please

middlearthimages

middlearthimages

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john
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HI,
canon A1 35 mm camera
I am using the 50mm 1.8 canon fd lens.
I't was on Wednesday and it was sunny around 1pm.

I have just started using my canon A1 film camera at college. We were told to go out and take some photos on manual and using an aperture of f1.8 and f22.
Each time i tried to get the camera set to these apertures the aperture in the view finder would flash like it was warning me the exposure was out. I know with my digital camera if this happens i can adjust the shutter speed to compensate to give a correct exposure.

I tried this with the canon but just could not get it to stop flashing. If you are a canon A1 user you will know there is something in the manual about the f22 flashing.

Look forward to reply on this.

Regards john
 
What film were you using? Sunny 16 would mean a shutter speed at F22 of half your ISO, IE using an ISO 100 film would mean a shutter speed of 1/50 and at f1.8 well you'd need around 1/8000, which I doubt the A1 goes up to!
 
It flashes if it needs to set a smaller f number but physically can't - if I remember rightly. I.e. it's telling you it's overexposure. Anyway, why?
 
Alan Clogwyn said:
What film were you using? Sunny 16 would mean a shutter speed at F22 of half your ISO, IE using an ISO 100 film would mean a shutter speed of 1/50 and at f1.8 well you'd need around 1/8000, which I doubt the A1 goes up to!
Click to expand...

Max shutter speed is 1/1000th :) - could have always stuck a 3 stop ND over the lens - or if in B&W, put a polariser and red filter on :lol:
 
Alan Clogwyn said:
What film were you using? Sunny 16 would mean a shutter speed at F22 of half your ISO, IE using an ISO 100 film would mean a shutter speed of 1/50 and at f1.8 well you'd need around 1/8000, which I doubt the A1 goes up to!
Click to expand...

i was using iso 400. the speed only goes to 1/1000

john
 
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Yep. You'd need to find a darker spot for the f/1.8 picture, probably indoors on a day like today.
 
"We were told to go out and take some photos on manual and using an aperture of f1.8 and f22."

Was your experience not then the whole point of the exercise? I suspect it possibly was. And, as you're not afraid to ask for advice here, you'll get quicker answers to your questions and possibly learn more into the bargain if you ask these questions in class.

Good luck with your learning.
 
tikkathreebarrel said:
"We were told to go out and take some photos on manual and using an aperture of f1.8 and f22."

Was your experience not then the whole point of the exercise? I suspect it possibly was. And, as you're not afraid to ask for advice here, you'll get quicker answers to your questions and possibly learn more into the bargain if you ask these questions in class.

Good luck with your learning.
Click to expand...

The idea was to see the difference between the dof. 1.8 showing a small dof and 22 having a large dof. I don't have a problem with this using my digital camera, but the A1 film camera is new to me and the instuction book is not very clear.

regards ,

john
 
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middlearthimages said:
The idea was to see the difference between the dof. 1.8 showing a small dof and 22 having a large dof. I don't have a problem with this using my digital camera, but the A1 film camera is new to me and the instuction book is not very clear.

regards ,

john
Click to expand...


John, I too have "discovered" film photography in the past few months. having been playing in full manual mode with RAW images in digital. Your biggest culture shock is not getting the instant er, gratificatiot of "this is what you've just taken":thinking::thinking:

Why not take your DSLR with you so that you can dial in the same settings as for your 35mm film camera and give yourself the extra reassurance?

Actually, I'm suggesting that you do something which I've not:bonk::bonk: But I have invested in a small light meter to refine what settings I'd thought might be appropriate for a shot.

Trust your instincts, make a note of what settings you've used so that you can tie results to settings once the film is back from development.
 
Hi,

I thought about that afterwards about taken digital out too. I'm getting a light meter also. The range for the film camera is small compared to the digital and then you also get the option to change the iso with digital giving you a much bigger range.

The film developed ok though as I just took the aperture to the nearest reading to what I was trying to achieve.

Regards,

John
 
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