Barcelona and TLR

Matus Kalisky · Feb 6, 2008

Hello, I am going next week for a 5 days to Barcelona and plan to do some photography with my Rolleiflex T there. I will also be using for a first time a new-to-me Gossen Digisix lightmeter (up to now I was using a DSLR) which I will have only a few days to get used to - as I am flying there next week. I will actually be using a lightmeter for the first time.

I have a hard time to decide on the film. I am thinking of either BW only (TMax 400) or a color-neg only (Fujifilm Pro160S). Or should I take my Provia 100F and hope I manage the metering ?

Apart from that I plan to take only my tiny table top tripod (Manfrotto Digi), sunhood, few filters and cable release.

If you have any advices I would be gratefull.

Ian Grant · Feb 6, 2008

Matus, only you can decide whether you shoot B&W or colour, if your not confident with the meter don't shoot Provia as you have no tolerance with the exposure.

Personally I'd shoot B&W and like you are thinking Tmax400 as its speed makes hand-held use far easier, if you do shoot colour why not use the Fuji 400 ISO neg film for the same reason.

Ian

Uhner · Feb 6, 2008

A DigiSix is easy to use, and a few days are ample time to learn how to use one. Read a bit on the subject of incident lightmeter’s and you’ll be fine.

The only time I’ve been in Barcelona I had two cameras with me – a rangefinder with slides and a TLR loaded with B&W. This was in April and I’m glad I choose this setup. The city is photogenic in both B&W and Colour, at least during spring.

Ralf · Feb 6, 2008

Shooting with ISO 400 film you might consider a ND filter or slower film for some situations here in the south of Spain. It is now 10.30 in the morning and I am getting f/16 at 1/500 s.

Ian Grant · Feb 6, 2008

Following on from Ralf's point, you should probably use Tmax400 at 200 EI as the lighting will be quite harsh & contrasty as well, I'm shooting under similar conditions this helps retain the shadow details.

Ian

Pinholemaster · Feb 6, 2008

It all depends on how you see. All these films could be great, or terrible.

Matus Kalisky · Feb 6, 2008

Thanks for all you answers. I hope that I will manage the lightmeter fast.

- Ralf -

I shoot the TMax 400 at EI 200 for most of the time as I develope it in Pyrocat HD. Should there be TOO MUCH sun I will take some fp4+ (EI ~ 80) along as well. I just miss some stronger BW filter or polarifilter (I have only yellow-medium) as I would like to get more "dramatic" skies in some shots.
The yellow filter also takes one stop down when necessary.

I will probably skip the slide films because of the constrast and indeed the negatives are more forgiving for a slight overexposure.

Ole · Feb 6, 2008

Don't be afraid of slide film - I've shot slide film on trips with meterless cameras before.

How many rolls are you bringing? I shot 20 rolls in total in 5 days in Egypt, and I was really busy and unable to wander off for most of the time there. That was on 645, so you get fewer shots than I did...

I think Barcelona deserves some colour.

Ralf · Feb 6, 2008

slnce-z-gsi said:
Thanks for all you answers. I hope that I will manage the lightmeter fast.

- Ralf -

I shoot the TMax 400 at EI 200 for most of the time as I develope it in Pyrocat HD. Should there be TOO MUCH sun I will take some fp4+ (EI ~ 80) along as well. I just miss some stronger BW filter or polarifilter (I have only yellow-medium) as I would like to get more "dramatic" skies in some shots.
The yellow filter also takes one stop down when necessary.

I will probably skip the slide films because of the constrast and indeed the negatives are more forgiving for a slight overexposure.

Having the yellow filter and shooting at 200 you'll be fine. And you can still hope for bad weather.

Using the Digisix is really easy, no need to leave the slide film at home.

Matus Kalisky · Feb 6, 2008

- Ole & ralf -

I will HAVE TO take some slide film. Just today we had a rainy day byt it cleared out 1hour before the sunset - what colors! I want to see that on a light table. A few Provia 100F rolls will be taken along. What if ...

I plan to take some 15 films. That should do.

P C Headland · Feb 7, 2008

If you want to take slide film, consider taking some Astia - it is quite tolerant of exposure errors as far as slide films go.

You may want to grab a yellow and/or orange filter too for the B+W. Oh, and a lens hood too.

Matus Kalisky · Feb 7, 2008

I have only Provia in hand now (actually also Velvia, but this one I do not consider for this trip). I am still in the stage when I am figuring out which color films work for me and which don't. I have to get a few Astia films and compare with Provia.

I do have a lenshood. But unfortunately no orange filter, only yellow. But with a bit of luck I will have a polarizer, as my BAY I to 49mm adapter arrived yeasterday and a heliopan filter should be on its way too.

I have also an BAYI "Agfacolor" filter from Rolleiflex - it is comparable to a 81B or KR1.5 filter, but it is uncoated, so if I decide to use it - I have to be probably carefull.

cmo · Feb 11, 2008

Barcelona is a fast city - 400 will be nice. If you go out at night a Tmax 3200 will be nice... and at night the city is even more interesting.

Barcelona and TLR

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