Minolta dynax 7xi

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Gerard Fisher - 26 Jul 2007 09:15 GMT

Hi to all.
After using a 5MP Kodak digital camera for the past 5 years I've
decided to go back to film camera. While I was taking the dust of my
old Minolta Dynax I noticed it had ISO settings similar to those on
the digital camera. The manual says it can can override the value of
the ISO value on the film.Has anyone experimented with these settings.
The range is pretty exciting from 16 to 6400.

Gerard

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Richard Polhill - 26 Jul 2007 09:55 GMT

> Hi to all.
> After using a 5MP Kodak digital camera for the past 5 years I've
> decided to go back to film camera. While I was taking the dust of my
> old Minolta Dynax I noticed it had ISO settings similar to those on
> the digital camera.

Yes, that's where ISO (aka ASA) speed ratings come from.

> The manual says it can can override the value of
> the ISO value on the film.Has anyone experimented with these settings.
> The range is pretty exciting from 16 to 6400.
>
> Gerard

If you change it you will either overexpose or underexpose your film. You will
need to over- or underdevelop the film to match, which is known as pushing and
pulling the film.

Underexposing the film by setting an ISO value higher than the actual film
rating requires increasing the development time to compensate. Known as push
processing, the additional development increases the contrast and grain in
negative films.

Pull processing (overexposing by setting a lower ISO and then underdeveloping)
should give a softer, low contrast negative but I've never tried this.

Using E6 positive film the effects should be reversed with pushing being low
contrast and pulling being high contrast, but again I've never tried it.

You can also cross-process, developing E6 in C41 chemicals and vice versa for
some interesting effects. I've seen it done but as I don't do my own
developing I've never tried it.

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hoi - 26 Jul 2007 10:50 GMT

well, you can stil buy 25 iso or 3200 iso film if you want.

efke and macophot make 25 iso film and kodak 3200 iso film. And if you are
in luck, you moght find some ilford 3200 film as well

Those films are all black and white by the way

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Richard Polhill - 26 Jul 2007 11:16 GMT

> well, you can stil buy 25 iso or 3200 iso film if you want.
>
> efke and macophot make 25 iso film and kodak 3200 iso film. And if you
> are in luck, you moght find some ilford 3200 film as well

Plenty around here. But that would happen automatically using DX coding,
whereas the question was about overriding the DX coded rating.

> Those films are all black and white by the way

You can get Fuji 1600 which can be useful at concerts and parties.

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Gerard Fisher - 26 Jul 2007 13:46 GMT

On Jul 26, 4:55 am, Richard Polhill
<richard.n...@polhill.vispa.invalid> wrote:

> > Hi to all.
> > After using a 5MP Kodak digital camera for the past 5 years I've
[quoted text clipped - 28 lines]
> some interesting effects. I've seen it done but as I don't do my own
> developing I've never tried it.

Well that is really interesting. I've never personally developed
Photographs and I don't think I'll be investing money into that right
now unless its cheap and straightforward. I'm sure you guys here know
better. From your answer it would look like I would have to talk the
people who do the development process to get the job done as you say.

I was particularly interested in the less grainy lower ISO values.
Comparing some old pics I took with my over 10 year old Minolta with
25 ISO Agfa film with the newer Kodak digital camera made me run back
to film.
Problem is the lower ISO film is tough/expensive to find at least here
where I live.

If the ISO change on the camera would somewhat be equivalent to an
ISO film change then that would let me photograph different light or
motion scenes without having to wait for the whole roll of film to
get finished and then changing to a film of appropriate sensitivity.

Gerard

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Richard Polhill - 27 Jul 2007 10:12 GMT

> On Jul 26, 4:55 am, Richard Polhill
> <richard.n...@polhill.vispa.invalid> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 47 lines]
>
> Gerard

You need to ensure that the lab you use supports it. There will usually be a
surcharge too.

I don't believe the results are just less grainy; you'll get a severe drop in
contrast also which can suit some subjects but will not give the results you
used to get from 25 ISO film.

Worth a play if you can get it developed.

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