FILMS, EXPOSURE, AND PROCESSING

FILM OPTIONS

Slide Film

Realist and European-format cameras were typically used with slide film because the final pictures would be returned, mounted in image pairs, for use in a hand-held viewer or a stereo projector. I always preferred Kodachrome^TM film because of the extremely fine grain and saturated color. While you can shoot slide film in the brave new world of digital imagery, I would advise against it for several reasons:

• Cost. Slide film is the most expensive film option
• Processing. In some areas you can get 3-hour Elite Chrome^TM processing, but in most cases you will drop it off at your local processor and then have to wait several days for the film/slides. This is always true of Kodachrome^TM.
• Exposure Latitude. Because of the way slide film works, it has a comparatively narrow latitude for exposure compared to most other film types. Basically, slide film doesn't cut you much slack in the exposure department!
• Contrast Range. When you go to scan slides (or print them), the results will tend to be quite heavy on contrast. You can work around most of this with extra digital processing but it takes time better spent on other aspects of your photography.

Depending on your objectives, you can get much better results using other film types, as outlined below.

Black and White Film

The standard medium for black and white photography is panchromatic film that, when processed, results in standard photographic negatives. In the Kodak film line, I have always found Plus-X to be very reliable with good grain structure and a fairly wide exposure latitude. It is my understanding that this film has been recently discontinued, but you can get comparable results with TMAX100. Such films produce very authentic-looking Holmes views:

While color images from other films can certainly be converted to grayscale, actually shooting the images with panchromatic film does have some other advantages:

• Archival Considerations. Color slides and negatives will almost always show color shifts and fading with time. How bad this might be is a function of storage conditions and how much time has passed. Assuming reasonable storage conditions, B&W negatives can be considered as virtually permanent. I was going through some photographic material from my grandfather which had been shot just before WWII. Considering that almost 70 years had passed, his Kodachromes, while faded and shifted, were still capable of being restored. However, his B&W negatives were as good as they day they were processed!

• Processing. While commercial processing of B&W film takes longer and is more expensive then it used to be (volume is very low), it is extremely simple to process B&W films at home without any real darkroom facilities. A roll-film tank, a few chemicals, and a closet to load the film, is all that is required. Once processed, the negatives can then be scanned, at which point you are off and running.

In recent years, Kodak released Black and White +400 film that lets you shoot in black and white but have the film processed at your local one-hour photo lab. Essentially this film is a black and white version of Kodacolor film and it works very well. However, it is within pennies of the cost of Kodacolor and the processing costs are the same. Since the computer can instantly convert color pictures to high-quality grayscale images, I would suggest the use of standard color negative films (see below).

Color Negative Films

Color negative films (also known as color print films) produce a color negative when processed and the negatives are then used to make color prints. The most common color negative film families here in the U.S. are Kodacolor and T-Max from Kodak and the Fuji color print film line. Similar films are often packaged under other brand names. The advantages of using these films are significant:

• Availability. The films are universally available in a wide range of speeds and capacities (typically 12, 24, and 36 exposures).
• Cost. Bulk sales mean that these films are among the least expensive media.
• Processing. One-hour processing is almost universally available. For even less money, many outlets offer one-day service.
• Exposure Latitude. These films are very tolerant of over or under-exposure.
• Contrast. The film and prints will scan with good color and dynamic range but without the high-contrast characteristic of slide films.
• Grain Structure. The grain structure of these films is very good, particularly at film speeds of ASA 100 or 200.

For all of these reasons, I do much of my stereo photography with Kodacolor 200^TM film. In bright sun, I will be shooting at f/11 to f/16 at 1/200th of a second. This gives plenty of latitude for scenes with less light. ASA 400 is faster, but I might not be able to stop down enough in bright light and the film has more grain. All my pairs are stored in color, even if I intend to use them in black and white (grayscale). All in all, a lot of versatility and only one film to learn to live with!

EXPOSURE

In this age of fully-automated photography, proper exposure is not a topic that casual photographers have to deal with. If you are shooting slide bar or dual-camera pictures with modern equipment, you won't have to either. However, the vintage Realist and European-format cameras do not have built-in exposure meters, let alone automatic exposure control. The result is, you will have to step back in time and become a real photographer!

Guesstimation

The inside of the box of single rolls of Kodak film typically contain a range of recommended exposures for different lighting conditions:
 

* Kodachrome slide films

** Fast Kodachrome slide film, Elite Chrome slide films, Plus-X and TMAX black and white film, and Kodacolor color print films

The top row of options can be pretty much ignored unless you are shooting in bright sunlight on sand or snow. For each set of lighting conditions, the table indicates the f-stop (lens opening) and shutter speed for an acceptable exposure. In general, these values will work from 2 hours after sunrise to 2 hours prior to sunset.

Note that if you stick with a single film, such as Kodacolor^TM ASA 100 or 200, the shutter speed (in hundredths) is equal to the ASA rating and you only have to adjust the f-stop based on lighting conditions. This estimation method will work well for color print/negative films due to their wide exposure latitude.

Light Meter

The best way to get the exposure dead-on, regardless of lighting, is to use an exposure meter. These are specialty items these days and you can spend a lot more for a new one than what you shell out for a good Realist-format camera. If you want one, it is best to haunt used camera listings and flea markets. I was able to purchase a fine Gossen Lunar Pro meter in perfect working condition for only $36! You don't absolutely need a meter, but using one will assure optimum slide or negative exposure and final print quality.

If you don't mind carrying around the extra equipment, a modern single-lens reflex camera can be used to read the proper exposure, which you would then use with your stereo camera. Modern cameras of this type will have shutter speeds of 1/60, 1/125 and 1/250 instead of the 1/50, 1/100, and 1/200 common to 50's-vintage stereo cameras but the practical difference in exposures will typically be insignificant.

PROCESSING

Prints

If you are using a twin camera rig or slide bar with conventional film, processing is strictly standard. You drop off the film and pick up your prints in an hour. Of course, either approach with a digital camera (or cameras) is a real time and money-saver as you aren't using film.

Realist and European-format photographers are used to being frustrated at this point but that need not be the case. If the processor has a half-frame mask, it is often possible for them to do a reasonable job of printing your pairs. This, of course, assumes you are using color negative/print film. If the processor has the mask and is willing to take the time, the following points should be emphasized:

• You want the paper oriented horizontally - otherwise they may try to fit the image into the vertical paper format - severely cropping the image.
• Even without a half-frame mask, it may still be possible to print the pictures, although portions of adjacent images will be present on either side. Make the point that this doesn't matter to you.
• Providing a sketch or even a sample print may help to make the point.

So what happens if your local processor cannot make prints from your Realist films? The answer is simple - get the film processed so you can scan the negatives and skip the intervening print stage! I will cover scanning on another page, but, if elect to go this route, submit the film for processing (one-hour places are just fine) with the following specifications:

• Process the film.
• Do not make prints!
• Do not cut the negatives, but return them in the original full-strip format

The cost for just processing color negatives is $2.50 to $3.00 at most outlets. If you insist on using color slide film, have it returned without mounting as well. With either prints or negatives in hand, you can then proceed to the Scanning Stereo Pairs page.