Sunny 16 with a filter help.

Hubigpielover · Jan 4, 2017

Ok, just finally got everything for my OM-1 body but the meter is kaput. I think this would be a good time to learn Sunny 16 but I want to make sure I understand the idea. Really don't want to waste some Efke film.

Perfect sunny 16 day, camera is loaded with 50 iso with a filter. The filter correction is 2 which means 1 stop.

So without the filter it would be

f/16 @ 60

with the filter

f/16 @ 30

To continue w/ filter

f/11 @ 60
f/8 @125
f/5.6 @250

Do I have a grasp on it. Also, I have a light meter coming in but how good are the iPhone meters. Something to get me buy before my meter comes.

Thanks.

Sirius Glass · Jan 4, 2017

Filter factor ==> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filter_factor
Filter factor
Factor => Stops

1 => 0
2 => 1
4 => 2
8 => 3

Leigh B · Jan 4, 2017

Hubigpielover said:
So without the filter it would be
f/16 @ 60
with the filter
f/16 @ 30
f/11 @ 60
f/8 @125
f/5.6 @250
Do I have a grasp on it.

Yep, that's correct.
I know nothing about the iPhone.

- Leigh

Sirius Glass · Jan 4, 2017

Exactly what is this iPhone of which he speaks???

wiltw · Jan 4, 2017

By George (Eastman), I think he's got it!

My own experience with a smartphone meter (Android) is that in incident mode it matched my Minolta Autometer Vf with incident dome...but in reflective mode it did NOT match my Minolta Spotmeter F even though both were pointed at the same 18% grey target area!

I do not inherently trust a smartphone metering app, I have to prove it against known standard photographic meters! And I do not trust rules of thumb about metering green grass and trees, or blue sky, or concrete vs. standard grey cards made for metering purposes.

But Sunny 16 can be pretty accurate at beating wild*ss guesses!

faberryman · Jan 4, 2017

The problem with Sunny 16, at least in my experience, is that it will underexpose by 1-2 stops based on incident light readings. Lots of people don't trust meters; I don't trust Sunny 16. YMMV.

Leigh B · Jan 4, 2017

faberryman said:
The problem with Sunny 16, at least in my experience, is that it will underexpose by 1-2 stops based on incident light readings.

If that's true, there's something wrong with your measurement technique or your processing.

A slightly more formal version of "Sunny 16" is the basis for determining film speed in the first place.

- Leigh

removed account4 · Jan 4, 2017

Hubigpielover said:
Ok, just finally got everything for my OM-1 body but the meter is kaput. I think this would be a good time to learn Sunny 16 but I want to make sure I understand the idea. Really don't want to waste some Efke film.

Perfect sunny 16 day, camera is loaded with 50 iso with a filter. The filter correction is 2 which means 1 stop.

So without the filter it would be

f/16 @ 60

with the filter

f/16 @ 30

To continue w/ filter

f/11 @ 60
f/8 @125
f/5.6 @250

Do I have a grasp on it. Also, I have a light meter coming in but how good are the iPhone meters. Something to get me buy before my meter comes.

Thanks.

you have your calculations right
but if you expose at sunny 11 you might be better off... 16 works great in certain geographic locations ..
but maybe not where you live. if you bracket a little you will be able to figure out for sure which is best for you.
im in southern new england and sunny 11 is perfect for me.

Sirius Glass · Jan 4, 2017

Sunny 16 has worked for me when I did not have a light meter with me or if the light meter battery died and I had not found a replacement.

jimjm · Jan 4, 2017

When I bought my first "meterless" camera years ago (M2), I decided to go old school and shoot the first dozen or so rolls of TriX using Sunny-16. For the most part, the exposures were more consistent than I had had with other cameras with supposedly accurate meters. I think a big benefit is that using Sunny-16 forces you to think about the lighting situation and adjust the camera settings accordingly, rather than just blindly depending on the meter. This time of year it's more like Sunny-11 or even Sunny-8 if it's a bit cloudy.

Hubigpielover · Jan 4, 2017

jnanian said:
you have your calculations right
but if you expose at sunny 11 you might be better off... 16 works great in certain geographic locations ..
but maybe not where you live. if you bracket a little you will be able to figure out for sure which is best for you.
im in southern new england and sunny 11 is perfect for me.

Thanks, I am in South Louisiana so I think it will still be Sunny 16 but will bracket and write what I do in my notebook.

Hubigpielover · Jan 4, 2017

Leigh B said:
Yep, that's correct.
I know nothing about the iPhone.

- Leigh

Cool thank you.

Hubigpielover · Jan 4, 2017

wiltw said:
By George (Eastman), I think he's got it!

My own experience with a smartphone meter (Android) is that in incident mode it matched my Minolta Autometer Vf with incident dome...but in reflective mode it did NOT match my Minolta Spotmeter F even though both were pointed at the same 18% grey target area!

I do not inherently trust a smartphone metering app, I have to prove it against known standard photographic meters! And I do not trust rules of thumb about metering green grass and trees, or blue sky, or concrete vs. standard grey cards made for metering purposes.

But Sunny 16 can be pretty accurate at beating wild*ss guesses!

I don't either but wanted to make sure I wasn't being biased. Hopefully my meter will come in soon. Thanks for the help.

BrianShaw · Jan 4, 2017

Leigh B said:
If that's true, there's something wrong with your measurement technique or your processing.

A slightly more formal version of "Sunny 16" is the basis for determining film speed in the first place.

- Leigh

There might be something "wrong" with the latitude, and maybe the month.

Hubigpielover · Jan 4, 2017

jimjm said:
When I bought my first "meterless" camera years ago (M2), I decided to go old school and shoot the first dozen or so rolls of TriX using Sunny-16. For the most part, the exposures were more consistent than I had had with other cameras with supposedly accurate meters. I think a big benefit is that using Sunny-16 forces you to think about the lighting situation and adjust the camera settings accordingly, rather than just blindly depending on the meter. This time of year it's more like Sunny-11 or even Sunny-8 if it's a bit cloudy.

First, let me say I only spent a 5 hours awake in your city and I love it. One of the best airports. Anyways, Sunny 11 in San Diego?

Leigh B · Jan 4, 2017

BrianShaw said:
There might be something "wrong" with the latitude, and maybe the month.

That's certainly possible.

I __assumed__ the comment was based on climatological conditions where one would expect Sunny 16 to be valid.

- Leigh

RalphLambrecht · Jan 4, 2017

Hubigpielover said:
Ok, just finally got everything for my OM-1 body but the meter is kaput. I think this would be a good time to learn Sunny 16 but I want to make sure I understand the idea. Really don't want to waste some Efke film.

Perfect sunny 16 day, camera is loaded with 50 iso with a filter. The filter correction is 2 which means 1 stop.

So without the filter it would be

f/16 @ 60

with the filter

f/16 @ 30

To continue w/ filter

f/11 @ 60
f/8 @125
f/5.6 @250

Do I have a grasp on it. Also, I have a light meter coming in but how good are the iPhone meters. Something to get me buy before my meter comes.

Thanks.

You've got it!

jimjm · Jan 5, 2017

Hubigpielover said:
First, let me say I only spent a 5 hours awake in your city and I love it. One of the best airports. Anyways, Sunny 11 in San Diego?

Yep - the wife and I have a hard time deciding where to go on vacation cause it's so nice here all year-round.

The sun's low enough this time of year that an extra stop of exposure seems to work out, for me anyway.

Cheers!

RalphLambrecht · Jan 5, 2017

faberryman said:
The problem with Sunny 16, at least in my experience, is that it will underexpose by 1-2 stops based on incident light readings. Lots of people don't trust meters; I don't trust Sunny 16. YMMV.

It sure does.sunny 16 works well;the sun is a very constant light source and varies little during the day or from one place on earth to another.

TheRook · Jan 21, 2017

How good are iPhone meter apps? I recently compared the one on my iPhone against several reliable camera meters, and the results matched almost exactly every time.

Sunny 16 with a filter help.

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