June 2002
President's
Message
Photo FAQs
Photo FAQs
Eric Kissa
Q: Because images can be modified digitally, are filters on the lens still needed?
A: The unequivocal answer is yes, filters on the lens are still needed. The effect of a polarizer cannot be duplicated in the computer. A graduated neutral gray filter is essential for holding back bright areas. A computer cannot generate information absent on the film. The color of the image can be easily corrected digitally but at a considerable expense if the output is a slide. A digitally corrected slide costs 3 dollars, a slide with the color corrected in the camera costs 30 cents. Lastly, a filter protects the lens.
Q: Images made with a Lith film look like a line drawing and seem to have a potential for interesting compositions. Is it possible to use Kodalith type of film outdoors, not just for copying but alone?
A:Creative thinking leads to creative photography and the experimentation with unusual films is certainly worthwhile. For a 35mm camera two Kodak high-contrast films are of interest for outdoor photography. The orthochromatic (red insensitive) Ektagraphic HC slide film (Cat. No 836 0133) is available in 36 exposure rolls. The ISO 12 is slow but handheld exposures are still possible on a sunny day. Kodak Technical Pan (36 exposure rolls Cat. 129 7563) produces highly contrasty images when developed in D-76 or Dektol instead of the recommended Technidol developer. The ISO is 25. I have used Technical Pan to make line drawings for one of my books. High contrast transparencies can be made with Technical Pan by using the Kodak T-Max 100 Direct Positive Film developing outfit. The Kodak line copy film LPD4 comes only in 150 ft rolls, the Eastman positive film 5302 in 100 ft rolls, and the Kodalith 2556 in sheets. The Kodak line copy film 4154 has been discontinued. The high contrast images can be combined with color gels or slides, or modified digitally. Imaginative possibilities are endless.
Q: I would like to store my 35 mm slides on a CD or floppy disk. I have a 30 GB hard rive, CR-R and CR-W drives, and a HP4P flat bed scanner. Scanning is my problem. Slide scanners are expensive. Could photofinishers do the job?
A:
A flatbed scanner is inadequate
for scanning slides unless the quality of the scan is not important. Film
scanners start at $350, good ones cost about $700, and very good ones
about $1600, not to mention the very expensive drum scanners. The better
scanners have a higher resolution, wider dynamic range, better color reproduction,
and many other features. The scan time may vary from less than a minute
to several minutes and is an important factor to consider for scanning
of hundreds of slides. I have a Nikon 4000ED scanner which may be a overkill
for your application. However, the Nikon 4000ED has a SF-200(S) slide
feeder accessory, which holds 50 slides and automatically saves scanned
image files.
If you prefer not to buy a scanner or do not like to spend time feeding
slides into a scanner, Kodak or a local photolab can do it for you.
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Send questions concerning photographic
equipment (cameras, lenses, accessories, filters), photographic techniques
(other than digital), and film, as well as information on international
photographic exhibitions, to: ekissa @aol.com.