Kodak Color Separation Guide with Grey Scale Small Size

photoworks68 · Jul 30, 2011

I have just bought a canon film camera (EOS elan 2) in a local second hand shop and I would like to Adjust the meter to match actual results in the camera. I looked on google and i found this link :

http://super.nova.org/DPR/Ratios/
This is for adjusting the meter to mach actual result in a digital camera but, unless I am mistaken, it would work with a film camera (i intend to use slide film)
the guy recommands to user a Kodak Color Separation Guide with Grey Scale Small Size as seen here :

Do I really need a chart like that to adjust my meter and if so, I was wondering if that stuff was still manufactured.

I realise that it might be a silly query but i am treading in uncharted territory here (no pun intended) an I would appreciate some input from you guys.

Search on the web led me to one available on Amazon.co.uk website but I am not sure about it because there is a bad review. I looked on the Calumet photo UK website but did not find any, same with ebay website.

I am at a loss.

Photo Engineer · Jul 30, 2011

The chart in the top center is a MacBeth Color Checker. It is still sold. The chart at the bottom is a Kodak chart that used to be in the Color Dataguide. It and several others similar to it are still sold in two sizes at most camera stores.

PE

photoworks68 · Jul 30, 2011

Photo Engineer said:
The chart in the top center is a MacBeth Color Checker. It is still sold. The chart at the bottom is a Kodak chart that used to be in the Color Dataguide. It and several others similar to it are still sold in two sizes at most camera stores.

PE

Is the kodak chart that one :

http://www.amazon.com/Kodak-Color-Separation-Guide-Scale/dp/B00009R7G9

Looks like it is not available iin the UK.

Photo Engineer · Jul 30, 2011

One very much like that is included in the Color Dataguide as well.

It also has a gray card in it.

PE

photoworks68 · Jul 30, 2011

Photo Engineer said:
One very much like that is included in the Color Dataguide as well.

It also has a gray card in it.

PE

hard to find those one. I wonder if any one would have a spare one to sell ?

photoworks68 · Aug 4, 2011

back to my original question if someone would be so kind to answer it : Do I really need a chart like that to adjust my meter to match the actual results to my film camera.

Pioneer · Aug 4, 2011

Check Amazon

If you do decide to buy one I just checked on Amazon and there are several of them, new and used, for sale. Just search Kodak Color Dataguide under Books.

photoworks68 · Aug 4, 2011

I have checked in amazon. problem is it take up to 4 weeks to deliver. Hence my original question : Do I really need a chart like that to adjust my meter to match the actual results to my film camera ?

holmburgers · Aug 4, 2011

Without really knowing the answer to your question... can you even adjust the meter on these cameras?

Have you used the camera as it is?

I've never heard of using these guides to recalibrate a meter honestly. It seems like a grey card would do the trick.. but maybe I'm missing something?

If the meter works, just use it! :joyful:

photoworks68 · Aug 4, 2011

holmburgers said:
Without really knowing the answer to your question... can you even adjust the meter on these cameras?

Have you used the camera as it is?

I've never heard of using these guides to recalibrate a meter honestly. It seems like a grey card would do the trick.. but maybe I'm missing something?

If the meter works, just use it! :joyful:

I was talking about adjusting my flasmeter to match the actual results of my camera so that I would know that evey measuring I take with my flasmeter will result in a good exposure on a pic taken with my film camera.

Klainmeister · Aug 4, 2011

I have one of the macbeth color charts if ya need it.

Photo Engineer · Aug 4, 2011

NO! Not if your camera is in good operating condition. It is sufficient to check the camera against another meter or metering camera to see if the exposure is reasonably clsose (within 1/3 stop or better). Also, it would be "normal" to overexpose negative films by 1/3 stop.

PE

MattKing · Aug 4, 2011

The advantage of using the chart and grey scale is that it gives you a constant.

If you are going to do a lot of studio work, or want to do production printing of large quantities of similar photos (think school photos) then including the chart and grey scale in a test scene allows you to easily duplicate results from session to session and shot to shot.

The best way to calibrate a camera meter is to use a known subject, and a standardized approach to metering it. Then expose the film at a series of exposures above, at and below the exposure recommended by the meter (aka "bracketing). Then compare the results to the original subject to determine whether the meter recommended exposure works best for your purposes, or whether slightly more or less exposure should be used in the future.

The Color Separation Guide and Grey Scale together make for an excellent and re-usable "known subject", so in that way they are useful. Other similar things can be used instead.

polyglot · Aug 4, 2011

Flash meters often do have an adjustment at the back but almost certainly you should just leave it alone or set to zero. I would go out in Sunny-16 conditions and see that the meter reads that as expected. Shoot a test roll (with shots between -2 and +2 stops at 0.5 stop intervals) and only worry about adjusting if you have exposure issues.

Photo Engineer · Aug 4, 2011

Actually, if you want a precise reference every time, well, shoot 1 shot of the chart at the head end of a roll and one at the tail end of a roll. That way you know not only end to end process uniformity, but you know the absolute of the exposure used every time with every batch of film.

But, that is not necessary unless you are doing precision work.

PE

2F/2F · Aug 4, 2011

I would not check your meter that way. It makes no sense, because a gray card does not reflect the same amount of light that most meters call middle gray. The card reflects 18 percent, while most meters are designed for around 12 percent. Thus, if you calibrate your meter to a gray card, you will always be using EIs that are unnecessarily low.

The charts are great for finding filter packs, as well as for finding out the color rendering and the rough contrast of films, however.

Kodak Color Separation Guide with Grey Scale Small Size

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