Shooting High ISO Film with Antique Cameras
- Lauren West
- Oct 10, 2020
- 6 min read
Updated: Apr 6, 2021
Hello again! It's been quite a while since my last post, but I'm finally moved into my own space and settled into my new job as an art teacher. So, what better time to do another post! This post isn't about a specific camera this time, rather a discussion on high ASA/ISO films and how to use them with old cameras. I specify the camera age because when your camera doesn't have a built in light meter or a wide range of aperture and shutter speeds, it can be kind of tricky figuring out the best way to get usable shots.
So to preface, I'm relatively new to shooting high ISO films as I mostly stick to around 100-400, but I got a free roll of Ilford Delta 3200 to test and am researching the best way to use it. Let's take this journey together then into using vintage cameras with high ISO!
To begin, I must clarify that I do not use expired film, so this article will focus solely on fresh film. If you're looking for the expiration date for your film, it can be found on the box it came in, usually labeled with the month and year the film would best be used by. If you lost your film box or threw it away already, most films stay "fresh" in the wrapper for several months to a year. If you are using expired film or plan on saving it for a year or more, I recommend investing in a mini fridge to store your long term film projects.
Okay. Before we get to the how-to, let's answer some questions you may have.
What is "ASA"?
So if you're familiar with digital photography, you've probably heard the term ISO used semi-frequently. ISO refers to the sensitivity of the light sensor in the camera, and also has an effect on the grain levels in the image and is determined by the International Organization for Standardization. The higher the ISO, the greater sensitivity to light and the more noise is allowed in the image. The noisier an image is, the more exposure is possible, but some people are turned off by how fuzzy the image becomes at such high ISOs. Many modern digital cameras can reach extremely high ISOs of 100,000 and 400,000; in fact, there was a Canon released in 2015 that had an ISO capability of over 4,000,000. Yes. Four million. I have no idea what those images would look like, but you'd never need a strong light source again at that sensitivity!
ASA was the film equivalent of ISO. This is how "fast" your film reacts to light. The higher the ASA, the greater the grain (film equivalent of noise). Using vintage cameras, you're likely to find this term on some of the camera backs with written light meters. ASA stands for American Standards Association and was the scale used to determine film sensitivity. ASA actually merged with another film scale, DIN, in 1974 to become ISO, which is what is widely used today for both film and digital photos. Most people don't use the term ASA as much unless they're looking at expired film, (or using old cameras) but it's important to know. Some photographers love this grainy look to their film and actively seek out this effect. Others view it as the photographic equivalent of that dreaded TV static screen. Regardless, ASA/ISO is important to consider when going out to shoot in full sun vs dim lighting, and very high ISOs are great for night photography as the film is more sensitive to less light.
What is considered "high ISO" film?
The level of ISO your camera can comfortably handle without producing high-grain images varies, but in general, most modern cameras can handle increasingly high levels of ASA. General consensus for high ISO film would be 1600 and higher. For many years (think 1920s-40s), ASA was very very low, like single and double digits low (although Polaroid released type 47 roll film that was 3000 speed in the 60s!). 400 ASA would be considered pretty high and rare, whereas it's standard overcast day film now.
My camera doesn't have a light meter built in... what are my options for correct exposure?
In general, if you are concerned about the light availability, I recommend using a light meter either on your phone (Lux is free and works fairly well for me) or a physical one-- B&H has several, and Adorama is a good source for photographic materials too. Or visit your local camera store! There's only on in SC, but some states have several. Plus, shopping local is always preferable.
Another option is carrying around a light meter chart in your camera bag to reference. I use this chart for both my digital and film cameras and it works pretty well! This particular chart gives examples of light settings and gives a suggested range of apertures, ISO, and shutter speeds that would best suit that exposure. Once you use this chart or light meter for a while, you'll be able to recognize different lighting and ISO combinations. Practice is key!
When is shooting high ISO helpful?
Shooting very fast images like a hummingbird or a sports game require quick shutter speeds. To compensate for the lower amount of light hitting the film by the fast shutter, you'd need a film that reacts to light quickly to make sure you get a proper exposure.
Photographing night skies and astrophotography requires a lot of light sensitivity because there's not a lot of natural light provided. Higher ISO (and often longer exposure times) aid in creating those night sky photos you may see online.
Forgetting (or not using) your tripod may be a reason some people to shoot higher ISO. Because you're using faster film, you are likely also using faster shutter speeds (unless your vintage camera cannot handle quicker shutter speeds, and then you're in tripod territory with me) which means hand shake is not an issue.
Okay. Let's get into the thick of it. How to use high ISO/ASA films with your vintage camera.
So, you have your film, your camera, and your enthusiasm, now we're ready to begin. I am shooting my roll of Ilford Delta 3200 with a Kodak Jr. Six-20 Series III (post about the camera itself to follow soon). The camera has an aperture range of f/6.3 -- f/32 and the fastest shutter speed is 1/100. Because the "fastest" speed is actually fairly slow, I'll need to use a tripod when shooting this film; anything under 1/250 is recommended for tripod to avoid hand shake. This camera however does not have a tripod mount, and you'll notice most vintage cameras will not have the place to screw in the tripod mount. Fortunately, this particular camera has a "foot" that it can stand on, so I'll just need to find a flat place to set the camera for my shots.
My biggest concern for this film is the exposure count. This camera typically only shoots about 8 shots per roll, and this roll is designed to have 36 exposures. It was a bit of a tight fit to put my adapted 620 roll in the camera, so I'm hoping it doesn't get stuck or stretch the film too much. That's just going to have to be the fun in experimentation!
The first step is to plan your shot. Are you shooting at night or aiming for daytime? If shooting at night, such a high speed film is perfect for capturing low light scenes. Using the Ultimate Exposure Computer at fredparker.com, I can plug in my f-stop, film ISO, and film speed, and see exactly what lighting situation would be perfect for that shot. For example, at 3200 ISO, shutter speed 100 or 50, I'm looking between f/8 and f/11 for a decently exposed shot. On this chart, 1/100 isn't an option, but 1/60 and 1/125 are. The latter would have me slightly underexposed, and the former would be slightly overexposed. I prefer my shots to have a bit more contrast, so I would choose 1/60 over 1/125. Based on the chart, this means my ideal lighting scenario would be "Las Vegas or Times Square at night. Store windows. Campfires, bonfires, burning buildings. Ice shows, football, baseball etc. at night. Interiors with bright florescent lights." You can always use a light meter to double check this, and I likely would before shooting.
If you want darker shadows, you should try metering for the highlight, as this will create deeper darks and a focus on the lighter objects in the shot. If you want a full range of values, meter for the midtones or the shot as a whole. Finally, metering for the shadows will create a lower contrast shot as the shadows will not be as dark, and the highlights will be much brighter.
Now, if I wanted to shoot more daylight scenarios, I would need to adjust my aperture to f/32 (the smallest opening my Kodak will handle) and shoot at 1/100. Proper exposure would be about 1/125 using the chart, but with 1/100 being the fastest this camera can shoot, the brightest I could go while maintaining proper exposure would be open shade or heavy overcast lighting.
Because each camera has slightly different settings, and because every photographer has slightly different lighting preferences, it's important to experiment and see what you enjoy!
Have you shot high ISO before? Share your experience in the comments!
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