Through the Lens Metering for IR simplified

["Rolland Elliott" <rolland_elliott@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Subject: Through the Lens Metering for IR simplified
Date: Wed, 08 Sep 1999 17:58:45 EDT
    P.S. the only reason why I'm being such a bother to you folk is
cuz, the F90X & the Minolta 4F are just recently bought and I'm
still trying to get a feeling of how my gear works. I want to be > able to
know exactly how my equipments metering works w/o burning
too many rolls ;)


        You want an honest suggestion?Brutally honest?
Forget the inboard light meter.Forget any light meter.
For #25, and assuming a bright sunny day, simply use a bracket of >>1/250s
@
f5.6-11....for #87C, a bracket of 1/60s @ f5.6-11.
This not only gives you much more consistent results, but also a >>much
better 'feel' for the film, since you can spot instantly what value
created the best image in a given situation. And makes you more
flexible when you use different cameras, mixing inboard with
>>outboardlight meters constantly..



Sorry, but I have to play the devil's advocate on this topic.  A very quick
and easy way to calibrate your camera's inboard light meter to IR light is
outlined below:

1. Take your camera outside around noon on a bright sunny day and adjust
your aperature and shutter speed to f/11 & 1/125.

2.With a 25 Red filter over your lens adjust the film speed of your camera
until the onboard light meter shows you that f/11 and 1/125 is the correct
exposure. Use this film speed to shoot IR film.

3. Your camera meter is now calibrated to read IR light fairly accurtely.

This has worked well for me using both the Nikon F90x/N90s camera and the
Pentax 67II camera.  I suppose your milage will vary depending on the
senstivity of your inboard camera's metering system.  But it seems to me
that SO MANY BEGINNERS get frustrated with the metering issue to the point
that they give up.  This method is simple and should get beginners
interested before they give up.  Some other notes:
If you're using an 29 filter use f/8 and 1/125 as a calibration point.
If you're using an 89B filter use f/5.6 and 1/125 as a calibration point.
If you're using an 87 filter use f/4 and 1/125 as a calibration point.
If you're using an 87C filter use f/2.8 and 1/125 as a calibration point.
As you use darker filters your film speed will increase.  If I remember
correctly, I think I use EI=5000 TTL with an 87 filter.

Good luck Rolland

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