# High ISO on a Yashica Electro 35



## shermlindcastle (Nov 16, 2009)

Hi all, I've got a Yashica Electro 35 GSN, and I want to shoot some ISO 3200 film with it, but the film speed dial only goes up to 1000. How would I compensate for that? Does it even matter?

Thanks, 

-m.


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## compur (Nov 16, 2009)

Assuming you wish to shoot B&W film at ISO 3200
in an Electro that is working properly:

Since your Electro does not have TTL metering, 
just set for ISO 1000 and use an orange filter 
and you should be fine.  Alternately or for 
shooting color at ISO 3200 you could use an ND 
filter having a factor of 3 instead.

OR-

Shoot your ISO 3200 film at ISO 1000 with no 
filter and process accordingly.


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## Early (Nov 17, 2009)

Does it have an exposure compensation dial?  If so, merely set it at iso 800 and set the dial to -2 stops of exposure.  Or, if you have manual mode, take your reading in auto, and then make your adjustments in manual to reduce exposure by 2 stops.


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## Actor (Nov 17, 2009)

shermlindcastle said:


> Hi all, I've got a Yashica Electro 35 GSN, and I want to shoot some ISO 3200 film with it, but the film speed dial only goes up to 1000. How would I compensate for that? Does it even matter?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> -m.



Yashica Electro 35 GS Instruction Manual



Use manual mode.
Set film speed to 800.
Adjust exposure so neither right arrow nor left arrow is on.
Stop down two stops.  Ignore the arrow.
Take the shot.
E.g., if normal exposure is 1/125 sec at f/4, then either set the shutter speed to 1/500 sec or  set the aperture to f/16.  Or you could even set the shutter speed to 1/250 sec and the aperture to f/11.

I would not recommend using an ND filter.  It would work but, if you do that, what's the point of using ASA 3200 instead of ASA 800?  I use 3200 for three reasons:


I want a really fast shutter speed.
I want lots of DOF, i.e., a really small aperture.
There's simply not enough light.
Using an ND filter defeats all three of these.


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## compur (Nov 17, 2009)

Actor said:


> Use manual mode.
> Set film speed to 800.
> Adjust exposure so neither right arrow nor left arrow is on.
> Stop down two stops.  Ignore the arrow.
> Take the shot.


The Electro doesn't have a manual mode.  It has 3 mode settings: "B," 
"Auto" and "Flash" so the above sequence can't really be done on that 
camera.  It is basically auto-exposure only.  That's why the filter approach
is the only practical choice.

If you use your method of metering a scene and then stopping down,
the  camera will re-adjust its shutter speed automatically in accordance to
your new aperture setting so you'll still be shooting at the ISO setting 
you've chosen with no compensation.


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## Dwig (Nov 17, 2009)

shermlindcastle said:


> Hi all, I've got a Yashica Electro 35 GSN, and I want to shoot some ISO 3200 film with it, but the film speed dial only goes up to 1000. How would I compensate for that? Does it even matter?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> -m.



Yes it matters.

First, what type of ISO 3200 film are you going to use?

Second, the Electro 35 GSN is an aperture priority automatic with no manual exposure mode and no EV compensation dial. There is no way to get the camera to take proper advantage of ISO 3200 film. In most instances, you would be far better of staying with a film within the ISO range of the camera.

The only way you can use ISO 3200 film in the camera is to add a neutral density filter to the lens. A 2 stop ND would effectively drop the ISO to 800, a speed available on the ISO dial. IF AND ONLY IF you were using B&W, you could use a colored filter (orange or red perhaps) that has a filter factor of 4x or more (2 stops or more) while setting an appropriate ISO.

If you are using an ISO 3200 color negative film, you might get away without using any filter and just setting ISO 1000. The resulting negatives would be overexposed almost 2 stops (1 2/3 stops if the meter and shutter are perfectly accurate). Most of the time, usable images can be printed from such overexposed negs, though there will be some lost of highlight detail.


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## compur (Nov 17, 2009)

Early said:


> Does it have an exposure compensation dial?  If so, merely set it at iso 800 and set the dial to -2 stops of exposure.  Or, if you have manual mode, take your reading in auto, and then make your adjustments in manual to reduce exposure by 2 stops.



The Electro GSN doesn't have an exposure compensation control.


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## Actor (Nov 17, 2009)

Dwig said:


> The only way you can use ISO 3200 film in the camera is to add a neutral density filter to the lens. A 2 stop ND would effectively drop the ISO to 800, a speed available on the ISO dial. IF AND ONLY IF you were using B&W, you could use a colored filter (orange or red perhaps) that has a filter factor of 4x or more (2 stops or more) while setting an appropriate ISO.


I've heard (but I can't quote chapter and verse where I heard it) that Kodak's P3200's "true" film speed" is 1000 (and I can't tell you the meaning of "true film speed").  If so then you should be able to set the camera to ASA 1000 and shoot away.  Just make sure the lab knows what speed the film was exposed at.  Kodak's data for D-76 gives time and temperature for processing P3200 as ASA 400, 800, 1600 and 3200.  You should be able to extrapolate for ASA 1000.





> If you are using an ISO 3200 color negative film...


I could be wrong but I don't think anyone makes 3200 color film.  The fastest is Kodak Portra 800 pushed to 1600.


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## compur (Nov 17, 2009)

Actor said:


> The fastest is Kodak Portra 800 pushed to 1600.



Fuji makes at least one ISO 1600 color film (Superia 1600) and has recently
made others, Press 1600 and Natura 1600 which may still be available online 
from Japanese retailers.  All are claimed to produce good results when under-
exposed (i.e., shot at higher ISOs).


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## bhop (Nov 17, 2009)

Basically the short answer is.. you can't.


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## shermlindcastle (Nov 17, 2009)

Dwig said:


> First, what type of ISO 3200 film are you going to use?


Thanks everyone for your ideas.

I was thinking about Ilford b&w. I haven't actually bought any yet. 

So would the 'setting it to 800 and stopping it down 2 stops' plan definitely not work? It seems like the filter option kind of defeats the purpose of using 3200 film in the first place (I was hoping to shoot in very low light). 

I'm hoping to buy an slr soon, so I could probably wait to experiment with higher ISO film. 

-m.


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## bhop (Nov 17, 2009)

shermlindcastle said:


> (I was hoping to shoot in very low light).



Just wondering if you'd even be able to see the focus patch in very low light?  I know with my Electro it's hard to see at night as it is.. all my rangefinders don't seem too great at night, even the M6.. I like using my F100 with 3200 film.  The af system seems to work pretty well in even the darkest environments.


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## shermlindcastle (Nov 17, 2009)

bhop said:


> shermlindcastle said:
> 
> 
> > (I was hoping to shoot in very low light).
> ...



Yeah, it would be difficult...Autofocus would be a good solution, but unfortunately I don't own a film camera with af at the moment. I was thinking about getting an old manual focus slr soon, probably a Minolta.

Thank you very much everyone for your suggestions!


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## compur (Nov 17, 2009)

shermlindcastle said:


> So would the 'setting it to 800 and stopping it down 2 stops' plan definitely not work?



Correct.  It won't work.



> It seems like the filter option kind of defeats the purpose of using 3200 film in the first place (I was hoping to shoot in very low light).


The filter won't defeat anything.  Your camera will be set for ISO 1000
and you'll be shooting ISO 3200 film.  The filter is just there to correct
for the difference. But, if you don't want to use a filter then don't use one
and hope the film's latitude will produce acceptable results (it may).


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## Actor (Nov 17, 2009)

compur said:


> Actor said:
> 
> 
> > The fastest is Kodak Portra 800 pushed to 1600.
> ...


I think Superia 1600 has been discontinued, at least it seems to have disappeared from the offerings of on-line suppliers like Freestyle and BH.


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## compur (Nov 18, 2009)

Actor said:


> I think Superia 1600 has been discontinued



Nope. It's still shown as a current product on their web site:
FUJICOLOR SUPERIA 1600 | Fujifilm Global


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## Dwig (Nov 18, 2009)

compur said:


> shermlindcastle said:
> 
> 
> > ,,,
> ...



Yes, it will defeat a lot. Using the filter will eliminate any low light shooting advantage over shooting an ISO 800-1000 film. With ISO 3200 and a 2 stop filter you will be shooting at the same f/stop and shutter speed combination as you would with an ISO 800 film and no filter.


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## Actor (Nov 18, 2009)

compur said:


> Actor said:
> 
> 
> > I think Superia 1600 has been discontinued
> ...


Freestyle does not have it.  BH is out of stock.  Adorama still has it (yeah!).

Even though it's still on Fuji's web site I fear these are signs they may be planning to drop it.  I may stock up while Adorama still has it.


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## compur (Nov 18, 2009)

Dwig said:


> compur said:
> 
> 
> > shermlindcastle said:
> ...



Shooting ISO 3200 film at ISO 3200 with camera set to ISO 1000 will
over-expose.  The filter would compensate for this over-exposure.

If he wishes to shoot the ISO 3200 film at ISO 1000 then no filter is
needed.  But, the OP said he wished to shoot at ISO 3200 so that
is why the filter was recommended.  The Electro is an auto-exposure
only camera with no internal compensation nor any way to manually
adjust exposure except via a filter.

Now, chances are, over-exposing the ISO 3200 film (by shooting at
ISO 1000 and processing as 3200) will still give acceptable results due 
to the film's latitude.


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## compur (Nov 18, 2009)

Actor said:


> compur said:
> 
> 
> > Actor said:
> ...



Freestyle and B&H have never carried every type of film available so
I don't see that their not carrying this one means anything about the
future of the film.


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## bhop (Nov 18, 2009)

compur said:


> Dwig said:
> 
> 
> > compur said:
> ...



I think you missed the point of the op's question.. it seems pretty obvious he wants to shoot the film _AT_ 3200, not 1000.. so yes, the filter _would_ completely defeat the whole purpose of using 3200 film, so the correct answer would be you can't do it with the Electro since it's got no way to compensate in camera.


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## Actor (Nov 18, 2009)

From Kodak Tech Pub F-4016.


> KODAK PROFESSIONAL T-MAX P3200 Film is specifically designed to be used as a multi-speed film.  The speed you use depends on your application; make tests to determine the appropriate speed.
> 
> The nominal speed is EI 1000 when the film is processed in KODAK PROFESSIONAL T-MAX Developer or KODAK PROFESSIONAL T-MAX Developer and Replenisher, or EI 800 when it is processed in other Kodak black-and-white developers.  It was determined in a manner published in ISO standards.  For ease in calculating exposure and consistancy with the commonly used scale of film-speed numbers, the nominal speed has been rounded to EI 800.
> 
> ...


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## compur (Nov 18, 2009)

bhop said:


> I think you missed the point of the op's question.. it seems pretty obvious he wants to shoot the film _AT_ 3200, not 1000.. so yes, the filter _would_ completely defeat the whole purpose of using 3200 film, so the correct answer would be you can't do it with the Electro since it's got no way to compensate in camera.



I think you missed the point for using the filter. 

I am well aware he wishes to shoot the film at ISO 3200 and the
only correct way to do that with the camera he is using is as I've
stated.

*The Electro does not have TTL metering. * The meter window is up beside
the rangefinder and away from the lens.  So a filter placed on the lens
has no effect on the meter.  The meter will contine to provide exposures
at ISO 1000 and the filter will compensate and provide exposures at
approximately ISO 3200 which is what the OP asked for.

Additionally, the camera only has ISO settings that go up to ISO 1000
and it is an auto-exposure-only camera.

So, using a filter with a factor of about 3 (such as an orange filter)
in combination with an ISO setting of 1000 on the camera will approximate
shooting at ISO 3200 which is what the OP said he wanted to do.

The filter will reduce the camera's ISO 1000 exposure index by 
approximately 2½ stops resulting in approximately the equivalent 
of the ISO 3200 desired.

I think the confusion that this subject is evidently causing on some
people here is the assumption that the camera has a TTL meter 
which it doesn't. 

You have to work it out. It is correct. Remember that the meter is not 
TTL and the camera is auto-exposure only and can only be set to ISO 
1000.  It may not seem correct to place a filter on a camera in which
you wish to shoot in low light but in this case it is correct *IF* you wish
to shoot at ISO 3200.  

I wouldn't do it that way (I would simply shoot at ISO 1000) but the
filter trick does answer the question of how to shoot at ISO 3200
on the Electro.

*Or, as I've said repeatedly, you can simple shoot the ISO film at
ISO 1000 and use no filter -- either by appropriate processing 
or by relying on the latitude of the film.*


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## bhop (Nov 19, 2009)

compur said:


> I think you missed the point for using the filter.
> 
> I am well aware he wishes to shoot the film at ISO 3200 and the
> only correct way to do that with the camera he is using is as I've
> ...



OK.. i'll admit, I forgot about the meter being outside the lens.. been awhile since i've used mine (since it broke) but I still can't wrap my head around what you're saying with the filter.  It seems that if you put a filter on the lens, that would mean less light is hitting the film..so wouldn't that be the opposite of what he wants?


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## compur (Nov 19, 2009)

bhop said:


> OK.. i'll admit, I forgot about the meter being outside the lens.. been awhile since i've used mine (since it broke) but I still can't wrap my head around what you're saying with the filter.  It seems that if you put a filter on the lens, that would mean less light is hitting the film..so wouldn't that be the opposite of what he wants?



Yes, less light is hitting the film through the filter.  That's correct. That's all 
that "shooting at a higher ISO" really means when using film photography.  
It means we are reducing the amount of light which is hitting the film (and 
later processing accordingly).

For example, if you shoot an ISO 400 film at ISO 800 all you're doing is 
using one stop less exposure than you would if you shot it normally.  You're 
just reducing the amount of light that hits the film by one stop. Then, 
later, the film is "pushed" by processing with a longer development stage.

The Electro can only be set for a max ISO of 1000 but the photog wants 
to shoot ISO 3200 film at ISO 3200.

So something must be done to compensate between the 1000 setting of 
the camera and the desired 3200. And, it's an auto-only camera with
non-TTL metering.  We have to "increase the ISO we are shooting at" 
which is the same as saying "reduce the amount of light hitting the film"
and the only way to do that on that camera is via a filter.

Then the camera "thinks" it's shooting at ISO 1000 but it's really shooting 
at ISO 3200 because the amount of light hitting the film has been reduced
to an approximate equivalent to shooting at ISO 3200.

But, again I wouldn't do it that way myself.  I would simply shoot it at ISO 
1000 with no filter and process accordingly.

But, this idea does have application when using these older rangefinders 
with non-TTL meters and we either want to compensate for ISO limitations 
of the camera's meter or because the meter has gotten tired and lost some
of its sensitivity.  The filter trick is an easy way to do that.


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## bhop (Nov 19, 2009)

Ok.. I finally get it.  Makes sense now.


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## ully (Dec 13, 2009)

Use a 2 stop ND filter and then set your ASA on the camera to 800.


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