RE: [APML]: SLIDE FILM FOR SOLAR ECLIPSE?

[Ben Gomes-Casseres <ben@alliancerevolution.com>]

That's right, but it may be that the standard advice of using wide-latitude 
negative film for solar eclipse may no longer hold if you intend to 
digitally add images taken at different shutter speeds. Using slide film, 
you could get a series of high-contrast, narrow-latitude images and still 
create a wide-latitude composite. Digital processing technology has made 
this very feasible. Pellett explained the technique in S&T and both Fred 
Espenak and I got good results on our first tries. (See the solar eclipse 
page under www.alliancerevolution.com/astro and the link to Fred's site).

I tested PJ100 (formerly PJA) and Fuji Velvia (ASA 50) in preparation for 
the eclipse and decided to use both. PJA has tremendous latitude and 
decently fine grain, but it produces somewhat washed out images compared to 
the crisp, fine grain, high-contrast Velvia. Since I will be compositing 
several shots digitally to gain latitude, I intend to use Velvia for the 
series of images with progressively longer exposures. For single, wide 
angle shots that will not be composited, I intend to use PJA.

For the fellow shooting from the ship, I'd say PJA is a safer bet, though 
the speed is still slow, particularly for "handheld"!

Ben


-----Original Message-----
From:   Robin Casady [SMTP:rcasady@CarmelCoast.com]
Sent:   Thursday, February 12, 1998 5:55 PM
To:     [APML]
Subject:        Re: [APML]: SLIDE FILM FOR SOLAR ECLIPSE?


mark.kaye@sympatico.ca wrote:

>   For astrophotos, I am generally a Kodak guy, but when it comes to
>daylight
>and sports photography with slide, I prefer Fuji.  I did the 1994 eclipse
>with Fuji and really got good results.
>   Clear skies!

I don't know anything about solar eclipse photography, but I heard that a
wide exposure latitude was desirable. If that is true, slide films might
be too contrasty. The new PJ400 has a wide latitude for daylight work,
and has finer grain the PJM. I haven't tried the PJ100, but I would guess
that it has a good latitude and even finer grain.

Just a thought.



Robin Casady
http://www.CarmelCoast.com/

Casady & Greene, Inc.
http://www.casadyg.com