Can I use a Canon 5D Mark II at ISO 50 to meter exposure for Fuji Velvia 50 film?
Asked 8/12/2011
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I want to use a Canon 5D Mark II on a tripod for composition, focusing, and spot metering, then swap in an EOS 300 loaded with Fuji Velvia 50 (RVP 50) to make the actual exposure. Is there a reliable way to translate the DSLR meter reading to the film exposure? I’ve heard DSLR ISO values may not match film speeds exactly, and I’m also unsure whether digital and film meters treat middle gray differently.
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
15y ago
2 Answers
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DxO Mark measured the 5d mk2 ISO 50 as ISO 73, which is almost 1/2 stop off the actual. So, assuming the camera otherwise meters correctly, you can adjust your film camera to the settings on the 5d and the compensate for the half stop slower "film" speed on the sensor by faster shutter speed or using a smaller aperture.
In terms of gray metering, I don't think digital has particularly changed versus film, so I don't think I would especially worry about it.
Originally by user472. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user472
15y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—this can work, because exposure itself is the same for digital and film. In general, you can use the 5D Mark II’s meter reading as a starting point for Velvia 50.
One caveat from the community answers: the 5D Mark II’s ISO 50 has been measured closer to ISO 73, about a half stop different from a true ISO 50 setting. So if you meter at ISO 50 on the 5D II and then transfer those settings directly to Velvia 50, you may want to compensate by about 1/2 stop when setting the film exposure.
Also, the middle-gray assumption is not fundamentally different just because one camera is digital and the other uses film, so that part is not the main issue here.
If you plan to do this often, a dedicated handheld meter—or even a phone light-meter app—would be simpler than swapping cameras back and forth.
Bottom line: use the DSLR reading as a guide, apply roughly a half-stop correction for the 5D II’s ISO 50 behavior, and treat it as a starting point for testing with your film.
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