Marv Goldsher

M

Marvin Goldsher

Member
I'm a new member...from Wilmette, IL. Just got--via ebay-- a Canon FTbn SLR. Will now resume my photog pursuit which I began 2 yrs ago...but I got away from it. I must mostly relearn it all like a beginner. I "flunked" digital camera aspirations when I went that route--could not get past mini-step one. The directions confounded me. I hope I'm not that stupid...will get back to it for another try someday soon. So here I am with film...Looking forward to shooting some pix. T reviews on the FTbn have mostly bn full of praise--a reliable warhorse down thru the yrs. I am concerned about metering. Merc batts no longer allowed or available. I hope with substitutions,calibation--exposure--whatever--is accurate. I wouldn't have a clue about compensating by iso change etc. So...glad to join you experts who will no doubt clue me in to the forthcoming FTbn mysteries in the near future. Thank you in advance.
 
Hi Marv, and welcome. There are quite a few fans of film photography here, myself included, though I'm no expert. I looked up the Canon FTbn after you mentioned it, as I'd never heard of it. Some good websites on it, and it looks an excellent camera. Looking forward to seeing some shots from it soon.

Some smart people here, who are very willing to help others, so remember that the only stupid question is the one you don't ask.
 
Hello, Rob...Thanks for the response. Glad to know film is not dead...though someday I will catchup with the digital 21st century. Best wishes...Marv G
 
Hi Marv, a film shooter here (occasional digital)
Film is most certainly not dead, make the most of it whilst we've still got it. Catching up with 21st century is something that you, or anybody is not required to do IMO, at Least not here anyway.
I'm going to take my 4 year old daughters first roll of film to get developed this week sometime.
She's a little bit excited. That's what photog is all about, anticipation and excitement in which cannot be achieved by digital.

Anyway, welcome to the site. Really looking forward to see some photos :)
 
Oh, Dan, you've just reminded me of when my daughter was four, and we went to collect her first film from Boots. But they had LOST it! I couldn't believe it. I hope they don't lose yours!
 
Welcome in :D You can indeed get replacement batteries for those, although it might be an idea to get a simple hand held light meter as they are pretty cheap - I believe I got mine for around £3 and works fine.

Anyway, I look forward to seeing what images you produce :)
 
Rob MacKillop said:
Oh, Dan, you've just reminded me of when my daughter was four, and we went to collect her first film from Boots. But they had LOST it! I couldn't believe it. I hope they don't lose yours!
Click to expand...

I hope not! lol.
My resource is cheap, realiable, and good friends too. I shouldn't have much to worry about (fingers crossed)

I normally get all my negs scanned onto disk, but in this occasion only, I'll get them printed on 6X4's.
The roll is going through a Canon AF-7 which has a HUUUUUUGE viewfinder, ideal for a child to see through with no drama.

I photog'd a wedding this weekend just gone, my daughters both had cameras (digital I'm afraid (guests at the wedding too)), an indestructable Fujifilm, and a canon powershot. I left them with those cameras all day to do as they wished to test the waters, my eldest Grace did very well, but Millie took 95% of the 138 shots with her finger over the lens. :D Not sure she is ready for film yet..... but she is only 2. :)

I'm really excited for her, going to finish the roll of film with a walk to go and feed the ducks. :)
 
Welcome Marv, I'm not a film user, not any more anyway but welcome to the forum :)
 
I shoot digital! (Once in a while.;))

Don't worry about the meter in that FTb. Use the "Sunny 16 Rule" and pretty soon you'll start to trust your instincts more than your meter anyway. At least, that's what my experience has been.

Welcome to RPF, Marv.
 
To all of you who have responded...what a thrill! I feel like a member of the club now...part of the brother/sisterhood. This photographer camaraderie (or CAMERAderie has added to my anticipation to get started. Here's' my first "there-is-no-stupid" question. I've seen reference to the Sunny 16 Rule repeatedly as I've poked around on the 'net these last few learning days. I don't have a clue...although I will right now google it. Again...thanks, folks, for your responses. Best...Hv a grt day Marv G
 
It's very simple, Marv.

Let's say you're shooting ISO 100 film.

1. As a starting point, set your shutter speed to the nearest number to 100. Probably i will be 1/125th. (If shooting 400 ISO film, set your shutter speed at 1/500th, if that's the nearest reciprocal.)

2. If the day is sunny, adjust the aperture to f16 (some prefer f11).
2a. If the day cloudy or dull, open the aperture up. You may go to f8 or f5.6 or whatever. Its a little bit of a guessing game. But print film has a lot of latitude these days, so you'll probably find yourself getting acceptable images right off the bat. (Chrome film has less latitude.)
2b. You can also adjust the shutter speed once you get comfortable with the concept.

3. Shoot.

I have a Canon F1 that I use quite a lot. I shot it for years without using the meter. Finally I decided to put a battery in it. The meter works fine. But I'll often second guess it by checking that the exposure values it told me to use match my inner skeptic's notion of what the ambient light suggests the exposure should be.
 
Its also best to run a test roll through the camera first to make sure the shutter speeds are about right with some cheap basic film. I think you can also test shutter speeds for the camera using a microphone and an audio recording program to see where the spikes are in sound for the shutter speeds.
 
David Mitchell said:
test shutter speeds for the camera using a microphone and an audio recording program to see where the spikes are in sound for the shutter speeds.
Click to expand...

I sort of get where your coming from, Mitchell. But I'm not sure that is a practical method....... although I am intrigued?
Ive not heard if this before, Is this new? (See Marv, there's my 'there's-no-stupid-question' contribution)
 
Dan Cattermole said:
I sort of get where your coming from, Mitchell. But I'm not sure that is a practical method....... although I am intrigued?
Ive not heard if this before, Is this new? (See Marv, there's my 'there's-no-stupid-question' contribution)
Click to expand...

Dan, I've heard of this kind of test before--not sure exact details--but its not something I'd attempt even if I had the hardware to do it. When I inspect an old camera I just listen to the shutter at various speeds, in particular the low speeds. If it sounds OK--meaning, if I can detect a speed difference by ear and it sounds about right--that's good enough for me.
Maybe David inspects his old cameras more carefully, though.
 
not quite right DM, check out this seller
vfmoto | eBay

and associated light reading
Shutter tester for shutter speed up to 1/1000th $14.99

one of those is on my shopping list ...


But, for the sake of not causing worry in a person wanting to shoot more film... and for the sake of not adding unnecessary complication ... ...


Its not worth worth too much worry Marv...

If you take the lens off the camera and open the back of the camera. fire it looking through the body of the camera at various speeds. you should at very least witness a difference in speed. if the speeds are all the same you have an issue. If the speeds are different, you will probably be fine.

Film is incredibly forgiving! you could shoot a photo that should be exposed at 1/60th at 1/250th and you will still get an image, it might be a touch underexposed... but it will be an image nonetheless

so yeah, by all means, at test roll is not a bad idea, but dont let the fact that it is a test prevent you from trying to take nice shots ... get some up here once they are taken and we can help you work out if all is well with the camera!
 
Thanks for the acknowledgement, Dave. Best wishes to you. I WILL get back to digital. On my digital camera--when I first tried to use it...even from Step One, confusion...no real luck. Trial and error and it just was not happening. I wondered how I failed to grasp what should be so simple on a presumably basic digital camera (operating instructions perhaps poorly expressed). I need to take a hands-on class with a good instructor. Nevertheless I do like the manual control of a film camera in my limited experience so far. I hope digital is the same vs auto mode. I like to try to be "the artist", to be creative. Marv G
 
And once again thanks to all of you for the responses. I'm immediately into "healthy" information overload, but this is fun. And I'm hearing the "language", getting comfortable with it, and will gradually absorb & learn. Y'all have a great day!
 
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