Choosing the correct film speed can be tough. The options are plentiful, so the decisions are difficult.
Kodak and Fuji are coming out with different types of film so fast that your choice is likely to be obsolete by the time you pay for it.
You also have to sift through some rather extraordinary advertising claims. One poster brags, “World’s Sharpest Color Film,” referring to Kodak’s Ektar 25. A bus bench for Fuji carries a sign that boasts, “The New Way of Seeing.” Other ads claim anything from “safe at any speed” to “a 2,900% blowup with detail never before possible in a 35-millimeter color print film.”
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Even Polaroid has entered the color film market with its Polaroid One Film for all occasions. It’s rated ISO 200 (ISO is the same as ASA; both are ratings of a film’s speed).
When choosing a film, a simple rule should be followed. Select a film with the slowest ISO that will give you a fast enough shutter speed to stop the action and a small enough aperture for the depth of field you desire.
Here is a guide that will help you select the proper film speed.
ISO 25 or 50--These are outstanding fine-grain films that should be used for landscape and nature photographs in bright sun. This is good for any shoot where quality is a must and you have plenty of light (sun or flash). Because of the slow speed of the film, use a tripod whenever possible to steady your camera for sharper photographs.
ISO 100 or 200--You are starting to get closer to the all-purpose range here. This is a fine-grain film that will work well for most outdoor shots, including bright and overcast days. This is a great choice for most point-and-shoot cameras where flash is used indoors.
ISO 400--This film is a great film for those who want to shoot outdoors and then move indoors without a flash. This film should be used for sports because you can use a fast shutter speed and get considerable depth of field. It’s also ideal at dawn, dusk and for heavy overcast or rainy days when you must hand-hold the camera.
ISO 1000 or 1600--This is where you start to sacrifice quality for speed. Don’t try comparing this film to 50 or 100 ISO film, because, simply, it’s just higher in contrast and the grain is much larger. But it is the only way to shoot under low-light situations without flash at nighttime sporting events and concerts. The disadvantage is that the grain and higher contrast are more noticeable.
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Slide Shows: Debbie Stock of Huntington Beach wrote with some interesting ideas and topics for slide shows.
“If you’re looking for some fun on your next photo adventure . . . try 30 things along the coast,” she says. “Look for some unusual things such as a reflection . . . in a pool of water. Try (using) silhouettes, special filters and explore.
“How about a slide show of your favorite city? Pull out your (map book) and pick a route to cover the most interesting spots of a city. If you head out with some Fujichrome 50 or 100, many one-hour photo labs will process and mount within (a few hours). Be a tourist in your own city. Take a picture of a statue or fountain that you like. Go explore your civic center.
“Photograph people at a golf course, playing Frisbee golf and shopping at familiar or unusual shops, such as Old World Village in Huntington Beach. Every city has so many unique things. If you like the project and become ambitious, try a slide show of the county. If you don’t own a slide projector, many public libraries have media centers that rent projectors and other equipment.
“And for those who would rather stay home to shoot, choose a theme such as shoes. Take pictures of shoes on feet, muddy shoes at the door or choose a subject of your interest.
“Another approach is to pick a song such as “Splish, Splash,” and work a slide show around the tune and its lyrics. By choosing a theme before you begin the shoot, you probably will not have a shortage of ideas as to what you are going to photograph.”
Photography Classes: If you want to learn photography, consider colleges’ community services offerings, where courses are inexpensive and varied. Orange Coast College Community Services is offering two classes.
“Introduction to 35-mm. Photography,” taught by Eleanor Anderson, will meet twice, starting Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. The class will cover the basics of camera handling, film characteristics and composition. The cost is $25.
“Sell Your Photography: How to Shoot and Sell Stock Photography,” taught by Kristi Bressert, is a one-day seminar Sept. 23. Topics will include marketing your photographs, copyrights and organizing your work. The cost is $59. For more information, call (714) 432-5880.
Camera Expo: Irvine photo-show promoter Bill Bagnall will take his Camera Expo to Santa Barbara on Sunday. It will be one of his largest expos ever, with more than 170 tables of photography-related items. He will return to his regular location, at the Sequoia Club in Buena Park, on Sept. 17. The cost is $4. For more information call: (714) 786-6644.
The Photography Column, which runs Saturdays in Orange County Life, is intended to help the serious amateur and weekend shooter. Questions and ideas are encouraged. Write to: Robert Lachman, Photography Department, The Times, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, Calif. 92626.
