Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/11/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]You can not test for accurate film speed by using the greycard and exposing it as a mid gray. The correct way is this one: Take a close-up picture (or as close as you can) from the grey card: expose as the meter indicates (reflection from the M or any handheld meter. NOW; take a series of pictures everyone one stop more under exposure. Five in total. So assume the greycard reading is 1/125 at f/8 take a series with A: lens cap attached and B: 125/8, and C: 125/11 and D: 125/16 and E: 250/16 and F: 500/16 and G: 1000/16 Develop as you wish or have been advised to do. The negative exposed with 500/16 should have a very light grey density, visibly above fog level (this you see in the negative with lens cap. If that is the case your EI value is equivalent to the ISO value. Most often you will see that this F neg is also blank (only fog level). Then you should look at the E neg: has this one some density, you should lower your EI setting by 1/2 to 1 stop. If you are not interested in deep shadow details, just proceed with the higher setting. Erwin