Overexposure on a Nikon FM2n

[markbarendt]

Don't use scenes with extreme brightness range, that is deep shadows and harsh highlights.

I'd actually suggest that you try various situations. Yes do the normal scenes but also throw in some tougher scenes too.

My FM2 meters very differently than my N90s's do, it has taken practice and patience to understand how to use it effectively.

[Anon Ymous]

I'd actually suggest that you try various situations. Yes do the normal scenes but also throw in some tougher scenes too.

My FM2 meters very differently than my N90s's do, it has taken practice and patience to understand how to use it effectively.

Mark,

trying tough scenes is a good way to learn how your meter sees. It will be good practice and useful experience. There's no other way to learn the limitations and characteristics of your equipment.

The difference is that in his case, eliminating as many variables as possible will reveal if the meter responds strangely or not. There's no need to go too far and buy a grey card, but keeping it simple will prevent confusion. I'd even avoid back lit subjects in this test.

[markbarendt]

Im using an Nikon FM2n.. it has no Exposure Index... It has only, the film speed knob, and shutterspeed knob.. i only base my shot from my FM2n's light meter.. and yes, i set the film speed correctly..

Exposure Index, EI, is a setting not a knob.

If you are using, for example only, an ISO 400 film you can rate it at EI 200 or EI 800. This is done by setting the ISO/ASA knob on the camera to either 200 or 800. The 200 rating, for a 400 ISO film, tells the meter "I want to overexpose this roll of film one stop", the 800 rating tells the meter "I want to underexpose this roll of film by one stop".

its a test roll, i only used a cheap film to test my camera.. im gona put a good film on it and test it again..

Cheap film is fine for playing around as long as it is fresh.

im gona try three shots per subject.. one would be, exposed correctly, then, slightly underexposed, and finally, one full stop underexposed..

I strongly suggest that you try overexposure too. Negative films in general like more light.

I'd also go farther, -3, -2, -1, normal, +1, and +2, +3, seven shots.

Try this in a white scene like your example above, a normal scene, and a dark, dark scene.

il tell the lab to not color correct my film.. im gona post one more image.. and a pic of the color of my negative... im just new to film.. i just started photography a few months ago.. so im not familiar with looking at the density of the film... thanks guys.. please post more information about this... im disappointed with my shots.. i dont know how far off my light meter or even compensate with the lighting..

I'd actually let the lab do their thing. Negatives are meant to be corrected and you need to know what their limits are too.

Keep notes so you know what you did, then look at the negatives to figure out what you did and how that relates to what the lab does.

If you start underexposed and work up to overexposed you should see progressively darker negs. Match those to the prints.

[markbarendt]

The difference is that in his case, eliminating as many variables as possible will reveal if the meter responds strangely or not.

I don't disagree.

[Chan Tran]

I don't want to make story long but from what I saw so far I think it's this.
Your film was exposed slightly under (not much about 1 stop).
Your lab print it too light.
Your meter was just right.

I would bring the negative back to the lab and ask them reprint darker.

If I were to shoot another roll I would increase (not decrease) the exposure by about 1 stop.
I would also check the print and ask them to print dark enough to my liking.

[denmark.yuzon]

there was one frame from my roll, the first shot, that is after loading the film, i forgot to set the correct asa of the film.. about one stop underxposed.. after realizing, i quickly set it at the correct film speed.. it is darker than all of my shots.. but it is more usable than the rest.. maybe my lab, do process and scan my film a little to bright for my taste.. i will also try underexposing one roll by one stop, and have it process and tell the lab nothing.. then i will decipher if, it is my fault, meter, or the lab's fault...

[2F/2F]

Although I have given up on this thread, since the OP has terminology issues and is unwilling to fork over the details, I will offer one more piece of advice if you really want to get a definitive test. Put a Kodak grey card on a stand in the sun at noon, and diffuse the light falling on it with a neutral white material. Put your camera on a tripod, fill the entire frame with your grey card, and focus on infinity. Set the EI on your camera to the box speed of your film. Do not focus on the grey card. Leave your lens at infinity. Take a shot exactly as the meter recommends, making sure that the EI on the camera is set to the box speed of the film. Pack the whole mess up and finish off the roll on whatever you want. Have your film processed and have the grey card exposure read with a densitometer. (If your lab does not have a densitometer, they have no good way of controlling the quality of their process, and you need to find a new lab anyhow.) Compare the densitometer reading to what Kodak or Fuji sez an 18% grey card should be on that film. Voila. Now you know if you have problems with your meter or not.

[markbarendt]

there was one frame from my roll, the first shot, that is after loading the film, i forgot to set the correct asa of the film..

Look at the negative NOT THE PRINT!

Is that first shot darker or lighter that the rest?

[katphood]

denmark,

STOP EVERYTHING and tell us what the ISO is set to on your camera. Take a look at step 15 here:

http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography...ual/index1.htm

The rest of us here need to rule out an improper ISO setting so that we can better help you.

In a nutshell, different films react to light at different speeds. This speed is the ISO (formerly called ASA) number. When you load film, always check the ISO setting to make sure it mathes that on the film canister or box, as the illustration shows.

I'm betting that's the problem, but if not, the NEXT THING to do is to get some help from a friend with a camer and see if both of your light meters agree with each other. Again, check the ISO setting on both so they are thinking alike. If they are close, then, as others suggest, it may just be tricky lighting or a development error.

[denmark.yuzon]

ok.. guys..

I set the ISO of my film correctly... heres what happened..

FUJIFILM YKL 100ASA (a very cheap film.. i used it just to test my camera)

I took out the film from the box, loaded it in the camera.. i took a couple of blank shots just to get the film counter to frame 1.. i shot my first frame... i looked at the film speed knob and it was on 400asa... i realized i forgot to set it to 100asa. knowing its only the first shot and i have more left that will be usable, i set the film correctly now to 100asa which is the correct film speed of the film... and took pictures of everything i saw...

of course, my aperture and shutterspeed combination was based on the light meter that reads + 0 -... if thats the EI, then i took all my shots at -1/2 exposure because my light meter reads at 0 - (slighty underexposed or half stop underexposure) because i dont want my pictures looking too bright.

after i finished my roll, i took it to my lab and had it developed... i told the lab nothing but just develop and scan the negative, put it in the cd and give back my negatives..

and when i received my pictures, viewing from the cd of course, i noticed that all my shots were either too bright (like the one i posted) or overexposed, knowing that i shot all my pictures - 1/2 underexposed... i have shaky hands so some are blurred (my bad)...

so there, i hope i clarified things to you guys...