Oh the Messes I Get Myself Into...

Hi.

So, the volunteer tutor coordinator at the after-school program I work at asked me yesterday to take some pictures to use in recruiting presentations.
Fine.
BUT then after I've already agreed, he tells me that he wants me to take them on his "old Nikon film camera." From the way he described it, I'm pretty sure it is an SLR, but I'm a bit nervous about using a camera I've never had any experience with before. (The reason he wanted to use his camera is b/c the price of slide film is less than the cost of converting digital to slides. Understandable.)
Anyway, so here's my questions:

1. Are there any major differences between shooting with digital and film SLRs that I should know about that? I've never used any kind of film SLR.

2. What are the most major differences between an "older-style Nikon" and my beloved Rebel XT?

Thanks bunches for your help!

If shooting slide film use a hand held meter and take an incident reading for correct exposure, failing that,(no access to hand meter) use the camera meter and underexpose by 1/3 stop to saturate colour.

Take your camera too. Shoot with both the bodies, if it's convenient.

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys. And for the heads-up about the split image prism. I'll definately have to check into that... and I think I'll definately bring mine as well; our exec. director always appreciates extra digitals to use on promotional material.
The exposure is definately something that I am concerned about... hopefully I'll get a chance to play around with it for a bit beforehand. Oh well.

If that Nikon of his is anything like my Canon EOS 650 (first EOS slr camera), it will be very similar to a DSLR. I tend to use Av mode and in both my 350D and the 650, that mode has worked great. The 650 came out in 1989, so with anything older, I can't really say, but the experience should be quite similar. Like everyone else said, I recommend either practicing with a roll of film prior to the event or bring along your XT as well. Have fun :)

If you are shooting slides be very very careful with the exposure... Slide film is NOT forgiving at all.

Get him to show you the controls and see if you can't shoot one quick roll of film before the real shoot.

as long as you learn the controls, there isnt much difference. im a film person myself. several times i have been asked by people to do some events where they asked me to use a digital SLR and once i figured out the controls it wasnt much of a problem for me.
as for slide film, it has narrow latitude so proper exposure is important. Find out what kind of light meter it has and if you can do spot checks if there is lots of difference in the light and dark parts of what you are shooting.

oh also, if it is an older camera, it might have manual focus only. This could be tricky for someone who hasnt done it before. Often on old manual focus camers, in the view finder will be a circle that splits down the middle. Proper focus is when the two images w ithin this circle line up. Its called a Split image prism. look it up, other people can explain it better then i
the Aperature settings will be on the actual lens
and shutter speed adjustment will be on the top somewhere next to the film advance lever.

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8 January 2009 | cameltoepants.com | edit