Metering film is the most common cause of frustration amongst new film shooters, but it’s also one of the most important skills to master. Incorrect metering can lead to wasted sessions, missed shots, and lots of wasted money on film. The good news? Once you understand the fundamentals, metering becomes second nature. In this article, we’ll give you tips, tricks, and advice on how to use a light meter for film so you can start getting consistent, beautiful exposures every time you press the shutter.
How to Use a Light Meter for Film: At a Glance
This guide covers everything you need to know about metering for film photography, from choosing the right equipment to mastering different techniques for color and black and white stocks.
- The Basics of Light Metering for Film – Essential equipment and why external meters matter
- Light Metering for Film – Color – Techniques for overexposing color negative stocks
- How Do You Figure Out What Works Best? – Developing your personal metering approach
- Pushing and Pulling Film – Understanding development adjustments and when to use them
- Frequently Asked Questions – Common metering questions answered
The Basics of Light Metering for Film
Do yourself a favor and buy an external light meter. The Sekonic L-358 is a great starter; I have the Sekonic L-508 because it allows me to spot meter for black and white film. Internal light meters tend to be wonky. Some work, most don’t or work inconsistently. Your iPhone is not a light meter. Don’t waste your money on apps or cheap meters. Get a good light meter and you have solved half your problems with shooting film.
Why are external meters so much better than in-camera meters or phone apps? It comes down to how they measure light. External meters like the Sekonic models use incident metering, which measures the light falling on your subject rather than the light reflected off of it. This gives you a much more accurate reading because it doesn’t get fooled by bright whites or dark shadows in your scene. In-camera meters use reflective metering, which can be easily tricked by high-contrast situations, backlit subjects, or scenes with lots of white or black. For film, where you can’t just review your exposure on the back of the camera, that accuracy is worth its weight in gold.
How to meter is a personal preference. Remember that black and white film should be metered spot on with a gray card. Yes, that thing that you learned about in your high school photography class. It’s cheap, so buy five and keep them around. You’ll use them more than you know. A gray card reflects exactly 18% of the light that hits it, which is what your meter is calibrated to read as middle gray. When you meter off a gray card held in front of your subject, you’re telling the meter exactly what middle exposure should look like in that light. This is especially critical for black and white film because you want accurate tonal separation across the entire range from shadows to highlights.
Light Metering for Film – Color
Color film likes to be overexposed. How much is your call. If you meter bulb out and straight out (towards the camera in front of the subject’s face), you will get the most accurate metering for the ISO. When I say “bulb out,” I’m referring to the white dome (lumisphere) on your light meter. With the dome extended and pointed toward the camera from your subject’s position, you’re measuring all the light falling on your subject from every direction. This incident reading gives you a baseline exposure that’s technically correct for the film’s rated ISO.
You can either rate the light meter at a lower rating (example, you are shooting Fuji 400H but rate the meter at 200 and then use the shutter speed the meter tells you to use), or you can rate the meter at the box speed then go bulb in and 45 degrees down, thus creating the overexposure you want. Or, find any combination in between. The “bulb in” position retracts the dome so you’re taking a more directional reading, and angling it 45 degrees down toward the ground biases the reading toward the shadows, which naturally results in more exposure hitting the film.
Why does color negative film benefit from overexposure? Color negative film has tremendous latitude on the overexposure side, meaning it can handle a lot of extra light without losing detail in the highlights. However, it doesn’t handle underexposure nearly as well. Underexposed color negative film gets muddy, loses shadow detail, and develops unpleasant color shifts. By intentionally overexposing, you’re giving yourself a safety margin and often getting smoother skin tones, better shadow detail, and that creamy film look that so many photographers love.
How Do You Figure Out What Works Best?
You try it. Starting out, I had a notebook that I wrote down all my shots and settings in. I bracketed and figured out how I like to shoot each film in different light. As with most things in photography, there is no one way. So practice and see what methods you prefer when light metering for film. Just remember that if you are using an external light meter and have your camera set on manual, then it does not matter what the camera’s internal meter is rated at.
Bracketing means shooting the same scene at multiple exposures, typically one stop under, one at your metered reading, and one stop over. When your scans come back, you can compare them side by side and see exactly how each film stock responds to different exposure levels in that specific lighting situation. Over time, you’ll build an intuitive understanding of how to rate each film stock for your style. Some photographers always rate Portra 400 at 200 and shoot it at box speed development. Others rate it at 320 and push it one stop. Neither approach is wrong; they just produce different looks.
I usually set my camera’s internal meter to the film I am using anyway, solely to remember what I loaded, but it will not affect your film if you are on manual. Another important thing to know is that the flatter the light, the more you need to overexpose. Flat, overcast lighting doesn’t have the natural contrast that direct sunlight provides, so giving extra exposure helps maintain separation in your tones. And if you want to backlight an image, give yourself an additional stop of overexposure to compensate! Backlighting is beautiful on film, but the bright background will fool your meter into underexposing your subject if you’re not careful.
Pushing and Pulling Film
Film can be pushed or pulled during the development process. This means the lab is essentially developing the film for a longer or shorter duration. I have never pulled film, but often push film. Pushing film means you are rating it at a higher ISO than the box speed. So Portra 160 is rated at 320 and pushed +1 in development because you are using the standard ISO increases (100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400). Pushing does not add more light! I REPEAT, PUSHING DOES NOT ADD MORE LIGHT. It simply increases contrast and saturation in an image. Yes, you can work in lower light settings, but you still need a good source of light to push film.
Here’s what’s actually happening when you push film: by rating your film at a higher ISO, you’re intentionally underexposing it in camera. Then, by having the lab push it during development (leaving it in the chemicals longer), you’re compensating for that underexposure. The extended development time increases the density of the image on the negative, but it also increases grain and contrast. This is why pushed film has that characteristic punchy, contrasty look. Pulling film is the opposite: you overexpose in camera and then have the lab develop for less time, which reduces contrast and can be useful for very high-contrast scenes.
Please don’t shoot Portra 400 in a windowless room and then wonder why your images look like nasty, muddy soup. That’s not how light metering for film works! You also need to remember that once you decide to push the film, you need to PUSH THE WHOLE ROLL. You can’t “change” ISO mid-roll. Pushing black and white film is a great way to use ambient light (if it’s decent) at a reception or a softer video light. I love videographers at weddings. I slide over to them with a big smile and tell them to light it up. Then I use their lights for my benefit. It’s a win-win. I’ve pushed Kodak Tri-X up to 6400, and it looks great for fun reception photos.
Film has some interesting nuances that make it seem difficult. But once you master these, it’s quite simple and relaxing to shoot film, even on wedding days with no digital backup! The biggest tip I can give you is just to shoot, shoot, shoot. Get out there and practice. Try each film stock, bracket your light metering for film and write everything down. Shoot in different light and see how the film does with your style of shooting. You can’t look at someone else’s work and say, “Oh, I like their images so I’m going to buy the camera they use, the film they use and BAM I will look like them.” Just like in the digital camera world, that’s not how it works.
Frequently Asked Questions About Light Metering for Film
Can I use my phone as a light meter for film photography?
While phone apps exist for metering, they’re not reliable enough for film photography where you can’t immediately check your results. Phone sensors aren’t calibrated for accurate light measurement, and the readings can vary significantly between devices and lighting conditions. Invest in a dedicated light meter from a brand like Sekonic for consistent, accurate results that will save you money on wasted film in the long run.
How many stops should I overexpose color negative film?
Most photographers overexpose color negative film by one to two stops, but the exact amount depends on the film stock and your personal preference. A common starting point is rating 400-speed film at 200 (one stop over) or rating 160-speed film at 100. Experiment with bracketing and keep notes on what you prefer for each film stock in different lighting conditions.
What’s the difference between incident and reflective metering?
Incident metering measures the light falling on your subject using the white dome on your meter, while reflective metering measures light bouncing off the subject (like your camera’s built-in meter does). Incident metering is generally more accurate for film because it doesn’t get fooled by bright or dark subjects. Use incident metering for most situations and reserve spot metering (a type of reflective metering) for specific tonal placement in black and white work.
Do I need to tell the lab I pushed my film?
Yes, you must tell your lab exactly how many stops you pushed the film. Write it clearly on the film canister or roll, and note it on your order form. If you shot Portra 400 at 800, tell them “push +1.” If you shot it at 1600, tell them “push +2.” Without this information, the lab will develop at box speed and your images will be underexposed.
Why do my indoor film photos look muddy and underexposed?
Indoor environments typically have much less light than our eyes perceive, and film needs adequate light to produce clean images. Make sure you’re shooting near windows or using off-camera flash. If you’re pushing film indoors, you still need a decent light source; pushing doesn’t create light, it just allows you to shoot at faster shutter speeds in exchange for increased contrast and grain. Consider using faster film stocks like Portra 800 or pushing Tri-X for indoor reception work.
