Metering for B&W 35mm film

[Sirius Glass]

I have the light meter app on my phone. It agrees closely with the meter in my SLR for an average scene. My phone doesn't support the "incident" mode of the light meter app, so when I want an "incident" reading, I fake it out by using the reflective mode, putting the palm of my hand in the same light as my subject, and aim my phone at my palm. Take a reading, then open up 1 stop. This method has never failed me, and it works for B&W negative, color negative, B&W reversal, and color reversal films. The best part is, the paid version of the app cost me the princely sum of 2.99 USD, and it works great on my Samsung J3 (2016) phone.

Years ago I pointed the Minolta SRT at my palm to get a light reading on the ski slopes. If I used the light meter for a general scene I would get the shape of the snow, moguls, and everything else would be almost black.

 

[Luckless]

Using your palm as a reference standard is a very useful metering trick, whether working with digital or film, but it has two important gotcha's to keep in mind:

1. Establishing a reference for your hand, rather than blindly following numbers off the internet. [As someone of Irish descent, I apparently have to apply a wee bit more compensation than other with seemingly similar complexions. At least at the end of a winter when I haven't seen direct sunlight in months...]

2. Paying attention that your reference is remaining stable and hasn't changed... Apparently my hand can change over a stop after getting a tan. [I also totally haven't quickly metered off my hand without really looking and failed to notice how much dirt I had picked up while hopping over a log... Or absentmindedly tried to meter off it while still wearing gloves...]

 

[Anon Ymous]

@Luckless Do you use the inner side of the palm? I find it strange that you get a tan there.

Anyway, the inner part of the palm is what should be used and when using this (useful) method, care should be taken to avoid any reflections, just like when using a gray card.

 

[Luckless]

@Luckless Do you use the inner side of the palm? I find it strange that you get a tan there.

Anyway, the inner part of the palm is what should be used and when using this (useful) method, care should be taken to avoid any reflections, just like when using a gray card.

Yeah. I'm "Very white", in the "Can get a sunburn while at the bottom of a coal mine if I look at a UV report" kind of white. Being an office worker in the Pacific North West probably doesn't help for how much my skin tone can change from season to season... [My face and back of my hand and go even farther. Sadly it typically involves a shift to a very strong red tone if I don't pay attention]

Most people do get a bit of a variance in skin tone over time, but typically it is like +/- 1/8th of a stop or something at most and not really worth worrying about.

I strongly suspect the average user will have more issues with getting something on their hand, so it is worth not getting too comfortable with 'quickly metering' off your palm without actually looking at your palm.

 

[ME Super]

Yeah. I'm "Very white", in the "Can get a sunburn while at the bottom of a coal mine if I look at a UV report" kind of white. Being an office worker in the Pacific North West probably doesn't help for how much my skin tone can change from season to season... [My face and back of my hand and go even farther. Sadly it typically involves a shift to a very strong red tone if I don't pay attention]

Most people do get a bit of a variance in skin tone over time, but typically it is like +/- 1/8th of a stop or something at most and not really worth worrying about.

I strongly suspect the average user will have more issues with getting something on their hand, so it is worth not getting too comfortable with 'quickly metering' off your palm without actually looking at your palm.

+1. This is where the preview of my phone app comes in handy (pardon the pun); this lets me see exactly what I'm metering, and hopefully I'll notice whether I'm wearing a glove or if I've got dirt on my hand or not.

 

[Sirius Glass]

If I were to get a light meter phone app, has two downsides:

1. I would not have use for my spot meter, and that would be a real waste of money.
2. I might set my iPhone down and walk away.

 

[markbau]

I have the light meter app on my phone. It agrees closely with the meter in my SLR for an average scene. My phone doesn't support the "incident" mode of the light meter app, so when I want an "incident" reading, I fake it out by using the reflective mode, putting the palm of my hand in the same light as my subject, and aim my phone at my palm. Take a reading, then open up 1 stop. This method has never failed me, and it works for B&W negative, color negative, B&W reversal, and color reversal films. The best part is, the paid version of the app cost me the princely sum of 2.99 USD, and it works great on my Samsung J3 (2016) phone.

I heard about that method before I got a handheld meter and I too found it a very reliable way of getting a good reading. Apparently caucasian skin is one-stop lighter than mid-grey!

 

[Sirius Glass]

I heard about that method before I got a handheld meter and I too found it a very reliable way of getting a good reading. Apparently caucasian skin is one-stop lighter than mid-grey!

All skin is one-stop lighter than mid-gray.

 

[CMoore]

All skin is one-stop lighter than mid-gray.

Really...pretty much all people.? I did not think we would be that close.
At any rate..... So you guys meter your hand and open up One Stop.?
You pretty much do that in any situation that you feel your meter is capable of.?
Thank You

 

[markbau]

Really...pretty much all people.? I did not think we would be that close.
At any rate..... So you guys meter your hand and open up One Stop.?
You pretty much do that in any situation that you feel your meter is capable of.?
Thank You

When I heard of the rule it specified caucasian skin, I have caucasian skin and it works for me, yep, get a reading and just open up a stop.
It's a nice sunny day here in Australia so just for giggles I just went out with a grey card, spot meter and incident meter. Both meters set at ISO 200. Spot meter of grey card 250th/f16, incident meter agreed. Spot meter of my hand 250th/f22, so it worked perfectly!

 

[MattKing]

I can't help it - this discussion makes me think of the "See, it is coming off" line from Blazing Saddles.

 

[removed account4]

Really...pretty much all people.? I did not think we would be that close.
At any rate..... So you guys meter your hand and open up One Stop.?
You pretty much do that in any situation that you feel your meter is capable of.?
Thank You

yup SG is spot on,
every human being's palms and sole of their foot,
no matter their creed, race or religion, whether they live at the bottom of a mine shaft
or on the top of a mountain is about 1 stop brighter than 18% grey.
i'm out of practice with this next "trick" but you can judge the exposure by the sharpness of the shadow
cast on your hand as well.
all these things, whether it is sunny 11(16), knowing to develop film a little bit more or less, to over expose a little or
under expose a little or anything else is a matter of doing it a few times and gaining experience ( understanding )
by doing and remembering for the next time. if one's memory is bad or one runs out of paper, tatoos work well

 

[Sirius Glass]

yup SG is spot on,
every human being's palms and sole of their foot,
no matter their creed, race or religion, whether they live at the bottom of a mine shaft
or on the top of a mountain is about 1 stop brighter than 18% grey.
i'm out of practice with this next "trick" but you can judge the exposure by the sharpness of the shadow
cast on your hand as well.
all these things, whether it is sunny 11(16), knowing to develop film a little bit more or less, to over expose a little or
under expose a little or anything else is a matter of doing it a few times and gaining experience ( understanding )
by doing and remembering for the next time. if one's memory is bad or one runs out of paper, tatoos work well

Yes it works for all races.