Ideal conditions to take pictures with this film?

markbarendt · Aug 4, 2011

elammm said:
But an ISO of 400 is alot better for picture taking right?

No.

There are three basic variables for any exposure.

1-Time
Your camera can do ~1/100 or "B" where you simply hold the shutter open for as long as you hold the button down.

2-Aperture
Your camera ~f/8, not a variable.

3-Sensitivity
ISO or EI. The bigger the number the more sensitive it is.

In your specific camera using the normal 1/100 shutter speed, 100 ISO film is best for bright sunny shots, ISO 400 for late afternoon outside or shaded mid-day shots, maybe inside with fairly bright lighting.

To do a nice job inside you may need to use "B" mode with the camera sitting on something solid.

elammm · Aug 4, 2011

markbarendt said:
To do a nice job inside you may need to use "B" mode with the camera sitting on something solid.

Thanks, I'll be getting some 400 film anyway, any idea of the time range i'd have to use B mode for inside?

pentaxuser · Aug 4, 2011

Your lomo seems to have a very limited range adjustments, similar to the old Box Brownie or 127 Brownie. With a 400 film from one of the top three manufacturers( Ilford Fuji Kodak) you might be OK outdoors but your scope is very limited.

I'd give serious thought to a reasonable secondhand 35mm camera with a full range of shutter speeds and apertures. There are plenty about for reasonable prices. Then buy a book about taking shots. There are plenty of those about at reasonable prices as well.

Ironically the simpler the camera i.e. the more restricted its controls then the more experienced the photographer needs to be to: either recognise when he can and can't take good photos or when he can, to a limited extent, take action to make an acceptable photo

If you are new to analogue photography and want success as quickly as possible then get the kind of camera I mention above.

I wish you luck if you stick to the Lomo but I fear that sticking to the Lomo will end in tears more often than not.

pentaxuser

Chan Tran · Aug 4, 2011

May I ask how much does this camera cost you? But I thought if you want well exposed, sharp pictures you don't go for Lomo stuff. I thought Lomo stuff are for fuzzy strange looking images.

MattKing · Aug 4, 2011

elammm said:
Thanks, I'll be getting some 400 film anyway, any idea of the time range i'd have to use B mode for inside?

For a well lit room, some where between 1/4 second and 2 seconds. To be more sure, you need a meter. If your camera is one with a built in flash you could use it, but I doubt that the flash will illuminate more than the centre of the image.

You need to have the camera on a tripod or otherwise held still for this to work.

EDIT: The Lomo fisheye isn't a good choice to learn how to use film. It is a relatively inflexible special purpose instrument. If you are trying to learn how best to use film, there are many, many options that would be much more likely to satisfy.

If you do pick up some experience and knowledge using something else, you might then want to re-visit the Lomo fisheye, because if you like the fisheye effect, it is a reasonably inexpensive way to experiment with it.

pbromaghin · Aug 4, 2011

elammm said:
Thanks, I'll be getting some 400 film anyway, any idea of the time range i'd have to use B mode for inside?

Probably around 1/16 to 1/4 second. Awfully hard to do.

zsas · Aug 4, 2011

elammm said:
I know it wasnt the lab, it was probably me, 2 rolls have failed, going to try a third roll now, on sunny clear days, whats best conditions for iso 100 indoors? like how bright should a room be etc? 3rd times the charm?

If you have a roll of 100 speed left, dont shoot it indoors, shoot it outdoors at 1/100. I think it will prob work then.

2F/2F · Aug 4, 2011

Before you buy anything else, I'd suggest that you go to the library and read a basic photography textbook, or at least the chapters on films and other supplies. The knowledge within will allow you to make the necessary decisions for shooting and selecting materials to use. You are going to learn very slowly and very poorly, and waste a lot of money ruining film, if you attempt to learn the basics of photography from scratch in an Internet forum, post by post as questions come up. At the very least, do yourself the favor of reading some sort of basic guide.

That Lomo film is a ridiculous price too. Why pay over twice as much for who-knows-what kind of film of who-knows-what age? It is likely just dollar-store film (Ferrania, maybe?) in a fancy box. I'd just get some Fuji Superia or Kodak Gold from a pro photo store if you want nice results, or ultra cheap expired film or dollar-store film.

Dshambli · Aug 4, 2011

Lomo film is Shanghai GP 100. I'm not going to jump on the Lomo bashing train here (although I certainly have my opinion) but don't buy anymore of that film. I shot an entire roll with nothing developing other than the frame numbers and for some reason the design from the backing paper (it was 120 film). Even the rolls that developed had faint designs from the backing paper. Try a regular consumer film. I'd recommend two rolls, one 100 ISO and one 400 ISO. As you use that camera, and hopefully learn more about photography, I think you'll naturally want more control and options and grow into something else. But until then, I say shoot away with that Lomo camera, just don't buy anymore Lomo film.

To answer your original question, with that camera and 100 ISO film, you'll want to use a flash inside with a close subject, or have sunlight shining on your subject through a window. But seriously, you'll only grow more frustrated by ordering more of that Lomo film.

EDIT: I just realized my avatar was taken with that Lomo film.

BobD · Aug 4, 2011

Shooting ISO 100 film indoors at f/8 will likely get you what you say you got i.e., dark/black photos with visible detail only at the windows unless you used a long exposure (on B) which would also require a tripod.

Shooting 400 film under the same conditions would be a little better but still not great.

I suggest shooting your camera outdoors in sunlight and either taking a course in basic photography or at least reading a basic book on the subject. Shooting film isn't as easy as shooting with digital automated cameras with built-in flash, etc.

Shooting film indoors with available light requires a fast film and a fast lens and some basic photo knowledge.

F/1.4 · Aug 4, 2011

With 1/100th of a second and f/8, regardless of film, forget about shooting indoors with it. That's basically outside, bright daylight only. Those are very similar specs to a disposable camera.

markbarendt · Aug 4, 2011

elammm said:
Thanks, I'll be getting some 400 film anyway, any idea of the time range i'd have to use B mode for inside?

Well that's a variable based on the brightness of the scene.

Given that the "B" mode will not truly be accurate at short speeds, under say 1-second you may be better off pushing the shutter seveval times, say twice or four times, as long as you can hold he camera still.

The "B" mode will work fine with a 1001, 1002, 1003 count. Again you will have to hold the camrea still.

Without a meter, it is a guess and you will need to waste some film to figure this out.

Chan Tran · Aug 4, 2011

I see this 10 golden rules about Lomography on Wiki. and if these are true then you do just fine.
1.Take your camera everywhere you go.
2.Use it any time day and night.
3.Lomography is not an interference in your life, but part of it.
4.Try the shot from the hip
5.Approach the objects of your Lomographic desire as close as possible.
6.Don't think! Just Shoot (also the credo of Lomography).
7.Be fast
8.You don't have to know beforehand what you captured on film.
9.Afterwards either.
10.Don't worry about any rules

AezranHakim · Aug 5, 2011

What camera are you using again? Do a proper metering before you shoot something

woosang · Aug 6, 2011

FYI the Lomography lomo 100asa film is mde by ferrania imaging. It's the same film as the Lomogrpahy red scale 100 just reversed. Both films are Ferrania color FG plus.
I did a blog post on where to find the info once.. If interested I'll find the link.

woosang · Aug 6, 2011

Actually the 135 film is ferrania the 400 îs a different manufacturer again and The 120 i didnt know. so i'll write that one down.

elammm · Aug 10, 2011

taken new batch of pics, will take to get developed tomorrow, should get results by monday, third time lucky.......lets hope.

eddym · Aug 10, 2011

elammm said:
taken new batch of pics, will take to get developed tomorrow, should get results by monday, third time lucky.......lets hope.

Hate to break this to you, but luck has nothing to do with it.

eddie · Aug 10, 2011

Lomos are really not the right way to start out in photography. You'd be better off with a solid, consistent, manual 35mm SLR (Pentax K1000, for example). Lomos just don't have the controls necessary to get the hang of it. I'm not knocking Lomography- I own about 10 Dianas and about 7 Holgas, a Lubitel, as well as other simple cameras/lenses, and use them often (I have some recent ones posted in the Gallery). I just don't think of them as proper learning tools. One of the problems is the simple spring shutter. With use, the spring stretches, and a 1/100 speed can slow to 1/50, and even slower. The few ( and inconsistent) f-stop settings are inconsistent too. There doesn't seem to be a lot of quality control to their builds. As such, gleaning any useful information about how light effects film is haphazard at best.
Better to learn on a fully functioning manual camera before delving into cameras which offer erratic results.

mr rusty · Aug 11, 2011

If you want good pix rather than Lomo pix why not e.g.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Minolta-X...174526?pt=UK_Film_Cameras&hash=item3a68e88ebe

holmburgers · Aug 11, 2011

Guys, elammm is experimenting with and enjoying the Lomo. Although encouraging better cameras is certainly noble, it's also beginning to sound like a broken record.... one that drives people out of rooms.

Lomos are a bit about luck, a lot about whimsy, and all about not giving a hoot about anything other than pointing it at a subject and hitting a crappy plastic button. That's the beauty, that's the fun, and it has brought someone to APUG.

Do you tell your kid that his training wheels make it "not a real bike"? No, you encourage them until they're ready to take them off. I think elammm is exploring the film world, and I bet if it strikes his fancy he'll step up to a more sophisticated tool on his own accord.

Monito · Aug 11, 2011

holmburgers said:
Do you tell your kid that his training wheels make it "not a real bike"? No, you encourage them until they're ready to take them off. I think elammm is exploring the film world, and I bet if it strikes his fancy he'll step up to a more sophisticated tool on his own accord.

You make a bit of a point, but miss the real analogy. It's more like if someone is getting their feet wet with snorkeling, you don't take them on a 60 meter scuba dive in shark waters. If a life-long classical musician finally wants to begin exploring the world of rock and roll, you don't throw them into a death-punk-metal mosh pit.

The OP should step down to a less sophisticated tool than a Lomo. A consistent, reliable, dependable camera. Even if it has fewer controls or less range for the controls. I started in film years ago with a Kodak Instamatic and a Polaroid Big Swinger. The former had one shutter speed and one aperture but it advanced the film reliably, didn't leak light, and could take a clear picture in daylight or with a blue flash cube.

railwayman3 · Aug 11, 2011

holmburgers said:
Guys, elammm is experimenting with and enjoying the Lomo. Although encouraging better cameras is certainly noble, it's also beginning to sound like a broken record.... one that drives people out of rooms.

Lomos are a bit about luck, a lot about whimsy, and all about not giving a hoot about anything other than pointing it at a subject and hitting a crappy plastic button. That's the beauty, that's the fun, and it has brought someone to APUG.

Yes, fair enough. But elammm has said himself that he is wasting film and getting no pictures.....the problem being, I suggest, the limitations of a very simple Lomo-type camera and (possibly poor quality) film. Do the suppliers of Lomo cameras give any instructions on the use and limitations? Even disposable cameras state the conditions and distances needed to get a good picture....

If I hadn't had some guidance from my Dad when I got my first Brownie 127 (with Verichrome Pan!), I'd have soon lost interest if I'd failed to get any pictures at all . After these first good (to me, at that time!) shots in bright outdoor lighting, I experimented....some worked, some didn't, and I soon started to understand the need for films of different speeds and an adjustable camera.

holmburgers · Aug 11, 2011

I don't disagree, but perhaps we should focus on what he's working with for the moment.

So this Lomo camera only has a shutter speed of a 100th of a second and an aperture (f-stop) of f/8; that puts you at EV 13 for ISO100 film, ev = exposure value. On wikipedia there is a chart for different EV's and the typical brigthness of a given scene.

Film speeds range from ISO (or ASA) 25, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, etc: with many films fitting "in the gaps", like 64, 125, 320, etc. Each doubling of speed equals 1-stop. This would be the same as changing the aperture by one-stop, or changing the shutter speed. These 3 things, film speed, aperture and shutter speed, determine the exposure. They're are laid out in such a manner that the adjacent setting is a doubling or havling of exposure, depending which way you go. In photography, we generally pick our exposures by doubling or halving. A bit more control can be had with 1/2 and 1/3 stops, but this is not important at the moment.

You can buy any 35mm and put it in your camera; Lomo's film is generally considered to be a rip-off anyways. Kodak, Fuji, Ilford; that's the good stuff. This will give you more options with speed as well.

Since this camera has barely any control over the two most important things that a camera can do, f/stop and shutter speed, you have to pick your film to suit the environment you'll be shooting in.

If you're interested in understanding this better, just ask.

elammm · Aug 11, 2011

holmburgers said:
Guys, elammm is experimenting with and enjoying the Lomo. Although encouraging better cameras is certainly noble, it's also beginning to sound like a broken record.... one that drives people out of rooms.

Lomos are a bit about luck, a lot about whimsy, and all about not giving a hoot about anything other than pointing it at a subject and hitting a crappy plastic button. That's the beauty, that's the fun, and it has brought someone to APUG.

Do you tell your kid that his training wheels make it "not a real bike"? No, you encourage them until they're ready to take them off. I think elammm is exploring the film world, and I bet if it strikes his fancy he'll step up to a more sophisticated tool on his own accord.

Thanks , I do appreciate all the help and encourage ment guys but I really only got into film cameras because of the lomography idea that is really the only sort of film I wanna get into I think its good, some of you might not like the idea of that but just trying to have a whacky bit of fun with some lomo

Ideal conditions to take pictures with this film?

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