Slide Film Exposure: Light overexposure, Dark under?

peter k. · Apr 30, 2020

Just getting back into positive, reversal film shooting, and looking at some 35mm 100 Velvia and wanted to verify, for slide film, that a light image is overexposed, and underexposed is darker.
Usually keep notes, but for some reason failed on several sequences of shots.

cmacd123 · Apr 30, 2020

too much light, makes the slide Light, while not enough light would make the slide dark. NO light would be black.

mshchem · Apr 30, 2020

If you are processing your own film, temperature and timing of 1st developer is critical. Over active 1st developer, too long, too warm you can have very light slides. It's the first developer that can dramatically effect the effective film speed.
Reversal film is stunning, but unforgiving. When I shoot 35mm with my grand old F5, I auto bracket, this takes 3 consecutive shots, as set and a frame over and under.

Ariston · Apr 30, 2020

Yes, too much exposure makes it light. It's the same with a print from a negative... you can think of a slide and the final print/scan as the same.

Sirius Glass · May 1, 2020

Show us a photograph of the slides.

guangong · May 1, 2020

A moderately underexposed slide can often be interesting if not perfect; an overexposed slide looks bleached out an is usually unusable.

peter k. · May 1, 2020

Here's a scan of four: Velvia 100

Sirius Glass · May 1, 2020

peter k. said:
Here's a scan of four: Velvia 100

View attachment 245139

Knowing the area and that the SBR can be great, I think your did well and your exposures are correct.

foc · May 2, 2020

Frame 2A & 3A have bright/harsh sunlight and shaded areas together, which is very hard to expose for and difficult for the film to capture. The only way I can see to improve the shot would be to use either a reflector or fill flash to try and lighten the shadows
Frame 4A looks good to me, maybe slightly over exposed but again it's harsh lighting conditions.
Frame 5A, I'd be delighted with that, especially the blue sky.

peter k. · May 2, 2020

foc said:
The only way I can see to improve the shot would be to use either a reflector or fill flash to try and lighten the shadows

Oh my, yes, fill flash!
Da, got one of those for the 35, and oh my, haven't used it in years. Would have to learn how to use it again.
Hmmm, wonder if it would lend a hand on some of the shots took of the shaded Oak Creek.
But flash and water, with wet rocks?
Hahaha ah ha.. were going to have to try it, just to see.

Its great shooting slide again. Quit when we discovered the local dug store developed print film, at that time we didn't know how to develop anything! So got a lot in the freezer, and shooting some more of this Velvia 100, remember began to shy away from it and went to Provia instead. Think we have some of that left to. Slip side away.

Slide Film Exposure: Light overexposure, Dark under?

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