Can a point-and-shoot film camera limited to ISO 400 use ISO 800 or 1600 film?
Asked 8/14/2018
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I have a point-and-shoot film camera that only goes up to ASA/ISO 400. Can I still load and shoot faster film like Portra 800 or ISO 1600, especially for night scenes with dark tones and bright lights? If the camera can only meter up to 400, what happens to exposure, and is there any way to compensate?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
7y ago
2 Answers
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You should double check the specs on the point and shoot to see if 1) it has the technology to read the ISO from the canister's barcode and 2) use that ISO even if it is outside of the user-adjustable settings.
But, let's assume it can't and the highest you can set it is to 400 and let's also assume you use 800 speed film. In this case, your camera will be overexposing every frame by 1 stop. Color-negative film handles over-exposure quite well - and to be honest, I wouldn't think twice about it.
You have the option of pull-processing the film, a technique where you intentionally over expose the film and then under develop it. Pro labs will offer this but it usually costs extra. This will hopefully salvage some highlights that might otherwise have been truly blown out by the over-exposure.
So, you can still shoot and still get usable negs and you've got options for developing. The biggest downside to your predicament is in not getting to use the faster shutter speeds or more open aperture that the faster film will actually afford you - especially when shooting at night where the difference between camera shake and a decent shot can be only one or two stops away.
Originally by user67377. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user67377
7y ago
0
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Yes, you can load higher-ISO film, but if the camera meters it as ISO 400, it will overexpose the film: ISO 800 by 1 stop, ISO 1600 by 2 stops.
With color negative film, mild overexposure is often tolerated fairly well, so ISO 800 rated as 400 may still give usable results. ISO 1600 shot as 400 is a bigger mismatch and is more likely to cause blown highlights.
If your camera has exposure compensation, set -1 for ISO 800 or -2 for ISO 1600. If it has manual exposure controls, you can also reduce exposure by the same amount yourself.
If the camera reads DX coding automatically, check whether it can detect and use film speeds above 400 even if the manual setting stops there.
If the camera has no way to compensate, it’s safest to use film within its supported range. Another option is pull processing, where overexposed film is underdeveloped to help control highlights, but labs may charge extra.
For night scenes with lights, be aware that overexposure can wash out bright highlights, even if the negatives are otherwise usable.
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