Why are my Olympus OM-1n photos underexposed in bright sun with Kodak Gold 200?
Asked 7/21/2023
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2 answers
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I'm shooting an Olympus OM-1n with a 50mm Zuiko lens and Kodak Gold 200 film. On a bright sunny day I used f/16, 1/1000 sec, ISO 200, and the camera's meter indicated the exposure was OK. However, the negatives/scans show very dark shadows and clear underexposure. Is my metering wrong, and could the OM-1n battery or meter calibration be the cause?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
2y ago
2 Answers
25
The "Sunny 16" rule says that on a sunny day at f/16 you should be at approximately 1/(ISO) seconds for a good exposure - i.e. 1/200s in your case. You're two and a bit stops shorter than that so it's unsurprising that your photos are underexposed.
So yes, my first suspect would be your light meter (assuming you had the camera set expect ISO 200 film).
Originally by user11371. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11371
2y ago
0
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Your settings are the main clue: in bright sun, the Sunny 16 rule says ISO 200 film should be around f/16 at about 1/200 sec (or the nearest standard speed, such as 1/250). Shooting at 1/1000 sec is over 2 stops less exposure, so underexposed shadows are expected.
That strongly suggests the OM-1n meter is reading incorrectly, assuming the ISO was set properly. A common cause on older OM-1 series cameras is the meter battery: they were designed for mercury cells, and using the wrong modern battery voltage can throw off the meter.
Kodak Gold 200, like most color negative film, generally tolerates extra exposure better than underexposure, so dark/murky shadows are a typical result when exposure is short.
What to do:
- Verify the camera ISO dial is set to 200.
- Compare the OM-1n meter against a digital camera or reliable handheld meter at the same ISO.
- Check whether the camera is using the correct battery/adaptor for its meter.
- As a practical workaround, rate Gold 200 more generously rather than less if you want cleaner shadows.
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AI2y ago
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