Slr metering wrong
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Ben, tbh the latitude on b&w negative is such that one stop out in metering won't cause an issue re exposure so if you are convinced that your AT metering is going to give you negatives that are a stop underexposed, allow for that stop whne shooting.
Have you actually run a film through the AT yet, using the built in meter to see how the exposures come out.?
I could do a comparison with same lens, same subject, lighting etc on my FM2 and two FE2 bodies and I'm pretty darned sure they won't all meter exactly the same.
My best advice is ignore what the camera says, use a handheld meter and learn how to read exposure through practice and experience. as against getting hung up on figures that differ slightly between camera bodies.
Have you actually run a film through the AT yet, using the built in meter to see how the exposures come out.?
I could do a comparison with same lens, same subject, lighting etc on my FM2 and two FE2 bodies and I'm pretty darned sure they won't all meter exactly the same.
My best advice is ignore what the camera says, use a handheld meter and learn how to read exposure through practice and experience. as against getting hung up on figures that differ slightly between camera bodies.
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Ben johns
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Same subject, same metering, same lens on ae1 and at1, same focal length on a6000
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Ben johns
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I know, it's just annoying to get a camera and have it potentially not working, was sold as fully tested and working. To be fair I've run film through but not got it back. Just seemed odd to me that both the ae1 and a6000 metered the same
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How do you know that the ae1 and a6000 haven't got the fault and are overexoposing the scenes??
Even if you compared resuls from those two bodies against those from the AT, it means nothing ......you may prefer images to have a bright, slightly overexposed feel to them, I personally prefer the opposite, thus you would be convinced that the AT has an innacurate meter whereas I would consider it spot on.
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Ben johns
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I know your right logically
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You have a fully tested and working camera, it just didn't have its neter compared against the ea1 and a6000 that you are attempting to match it with.
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So.......await your results, assess them, reload the camera with film, adjust exposure compensation/ iso setting if needs be and get out and enjoy your new toy
So.......await your results, assess them, reload the camera with film, adjust exposure compensation/ iso setting if needs be and get out and enjoy your new toy
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FishyFish
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Have you got a correct voltage battery in the AT-1?
The reason I ask is that my Olympus OM-1, which is supposed to use a 1.3v battery, contains a modern 1.5v battery instead, which results in approx 2 stops of overexposure in the metering. I'm currently getting around the problem by just setting the film speed dial a couple of stops lower to compensate (which, going on the roll of FP4+ 125 that I shot as though it was 80 ASA, works out about right).
The reason I ask is that my Olympus OM-1, which is supposed to use a 1.3v battery, contains a modern 1.5v battery instead, which results in approx 2 stops of overexposure in the metering. I'm currently getting around the problem by just setting the film speed dial a couple of stops lower to compensate (which, going on the roll of FP4+ 125 that I shot as though it was 80 ASA, works out about right).
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That's a b####y good point there Nige.
I'm not familiar with the AT-1 so I have no idea re its battery requirements but I too have bodies that I have to make voltage allowances for>
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Ben johns
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Yea I believe so, says it needs 6v, uses the same as the ae-1 I think. Just makes me apprehensive to use more film until I know. I do have some of that cheap Agfa vista 200 coming Friday, think I'll blast through a roll quick and get it processed on the high street on Saturday, hopefully they can do that film in an hour.
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Ben johns
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Hypothetically if it does meter 1 stop over I could just dial down the ISO 1 stop? So if I wanted to shoot 3200 I'd tell the camera it was 1600?
HoppyUK
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You're comparing at a very low light level, so I'm not surprised there's a difference. Canon AT-1 has a CdS metering sensor, whereas the AE-1 and later cameras all have much more sensitive silicon metering sensors. Try it in good daylight, make sure the framing is identical (tripod), and make sure the light doesn't change - if it's cloudy and there's a bit of wind, exposures can move half a stop or more in a couple of seconds without you noticing.
If you can get within a third of a stop, that's about as good as it gets in a comparison like that though the a6000, presumably with a zoom, has some other variables going on.
If you can get within a third of a stop, that's about as good as it gets in a comparison like that though the a6000, presumably with a zoom, has some other variables going on.
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Exactly!
Ben ... I hope I'm not treating you like an idiot ... but you realise with film you have to set the ISO on the camera to the ISO setting stated on the film - that allows the camera to set the correct exposure for the film you are using. Its not like digital where the ISO setting can be varied frame by frame. You can do some tricks in processing the film (pull and push processing) to vary the ISO; but that still applies to the whole film and is something you do if processing film yourself.
So for the Agfa Vista 200 you would set the cameras ISO to 200. If you find everything is slightly underexposed, then the next film run at 100 ISO or 125 ISO.
Again apologies if you realise this...
srichards
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You can't guarantee a camera will over expose or under expose by the same amount consistently either. If you have exposure compensation on the camera then it's better to use that for times when it is picking the wrong exposure or it's not to your preference. I'd definitely wait until you get the films back.
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The camera might have the right voltage and type of battery in it, but is it on its last legs? If it came with the camera then I'd seriously consider replacing it with a brand new one with plenty of sell by date left on it (regardless of whether or not the meter reading was right) if only to reduce the possible risk of an old battery starting to leak.
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EXACTLY the same framing? Can the old camera meter in the same way as the modern ones? How do meter readings compare at less extreme ISO/ASA settings? Unless the films come back horrendously over or under exposed (unlikely, given the latitude that negative films allow), don't worry about it - if it really bugs you, run a roll of slide film through the "offending" body and see if there really is a problem.