Kodachrome...Spotmeter or Incidental metering

jasonhall · Aug 12, 2009

When shooting Kodachrome 64, what is your preferred and most reliable method of metering. I use a Sekonic 558R and I am very comfortable with either method with B&W film and Digital capture. However this is my first run with slide film at all.

This is mostly for portraits. I know the incidental is a no brainer for this (or I think it is, have not developed any yet), but not sure about the spot meter. With B&W film I have done well with metering subject and adding a stop of exposure(zone VI). Or for a landscape scene, I would place the preferred high lights into zone VII...maybe VIII.

So, what is the best method when doing portrait with a spotmeter and slide film(in this case Kodachrome), or should I just stick with the incidental meter.

Thanks

Jason

Pinholemaster · Aug 12, 2009

I always use an incident meter for transparency film, especially with portraits.

Ian Grant · Aug 12, 2009

Usually I use a Spot-meter for slides but in reality it's a case of knowing your meters, I would be within a third of a stop with either a spotmeter or incident meter.

Ian

benjiboy · Aug 12, 2009

Incidental metering for portraits on slide film is in my experience is the best way, because It's foolproof , and pegs the exposure to a constant highlight, so all your shots of the same sitter taken at the same time have the same density when you project them.

Pupfish · Aug 12, 2009

Incidence is great for when you have a lighting the same on your subject as the meter, close at hand. Formal portraiture is certainly one of these. Incidence is also helpful whenever you're shooting subjects that are hard to place middle tones (bride in white, broom in black tux-- but I wouldn't tend to use K64 for this!). Incidence is not nearly as useful at a distance. Spot metering is better, and it will also enable you to meter the brightness ratio/dynamic range of a scene, which is really the key to whether or not to load the camera with Kodachrome or print film in the first place. Kodachrome requires not only getting the exposure to within 1/3 to 1/2 a stop, but also calls for keeping the light within 5 stops dynamic range. So, meter AND bracket. Being most comfortable with it, I use spot metering most often-- in landscapes, wildlife, and environmental portraiture.

Martin Lee · Aug 12, 2009

Sekonic L-758 for when I really want accuracy and I'm shooting under controlled conditions.

Otherwise (say, street photography with clouds moving around, subjects in and out of shadows, etc.) I've had perfectly good results with my Nikon FM2n's built in meter. As long as you know how to use it and how it's weighted it's perfectly adequate for most things.

jasonhall · Aug 12, 2009

jasonhall · Aug 12, 2009

Thanks to all. I guess my real question should have been, When shooting Kodachrome, If I use a spot meter for a portrait and I meter the subjects face(the meter is giving me middle gray, 18%) how much more exposure should I give? As I said, with B&W film I give 1 stop.

It makes the most sense to say that this can only be truly determinded with experience with both the film and the meter together. With only two rolls of Kodachrome on hand (and it looks like that is all I will be able to get), It looks like I will be using the incidental meter. Of course that will not be an issue as I intend to be doing mostly portraits with what little film I have.

Thanks

Jason

Nikanon · Aug 12, 2009

Anytime i shoot color i dont do much more than a general metering, there is only so much you can do with it unless you have your own color processing at home, which most dont as far as i know, either way it dosen't have as much control as black and white especially in exposure so its incident for me, or a matrix reflected.

Nicholas Lindan · Aug 12, 2009

An incident meter is useful in portraiture for checking lighting ratios.

See, for instance: http://www.studiolighting.net/lighting-ratios-for-portrait-photography/

Google for more.

PKM-25 · Aug 14, 2009

I use spot once and awhile, when it counts. Otherwise it is all incident at ISO 80, it seems to work well for me.

But then again, what the heck do I know? Some lo-fi windbags seem to not care for what I do on Kodachrome and have voiced it accordingly.

And I'll be honest, that has what has kept me and will continue to keep me from ever posting on here again, all technical, no talent, no photos and just talk from certain people ( Not you PE ).

But back on topic, incident works best for me as professional Kodachrome shooter.

Bye for good folks, 444 posts is a great number to part on!

Kodachrome...Spotmeter or Incidental metering

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