Analog Therapy/Film Test: FPP Low ISO 1.6 part 2. Getting Out of My Film Comfort Zone…

I have learned to trust the camera… especially this camera.

Tried my first roll of this film in a prior post. It was outside of my comfort zone and I waffled on how best to expose. Go for the manual settings recommended on FPP’s website or set the camera up appropriately (ISO 6 and +2 exposure). And the results were as mixed as my approach to exposure. But the camera’s exposure-ing worked out far better than the manual settings. Predictable. What was less predictable and a bit baffling was the flares and other light-related aberrations.

But after this post I am thinking that this is an issue with the film and the camera used last time.

That camera had no issues with other films used. This film had no such light issues with the camera used for this post. Odd… Anyhoo.

This film is similar to another low ISO film I tried recently. That was ISO 1. That is not a typo. This time? Went up to a whopping ISO 1.6.

As stated previously I was not sold on ISO 1, so why in heck did I try ISO 1.6? Well… previously I thought it was because ISO 1 did not play well with the in camera exposure controls any of the cameras I already had. But then I immediately contradicted myself by second guessing the camera with ISO 1.6 film. This time I used the same settings, ISO 6 and +2 exposure compensation, with a different camera.

Sidebar: I find it interesting that these inexpensive SLRs are able to accommodate such a low ISO while two fancy pants cameras, namely the Konica RF and Conax G1, could not. That low of an ISO would not allow me to dial in any exposure compensation. A win for the inexpensive odd ducks.

So… ISO 6 with +2 exposure comp, carry the two, and hello ISO 1.5 or thereabouts. This time I ignored something that threw me last time. The broad daylight manual setting suggestions for FPP ISO 1. They said a shutter speed of 1/250 at f/1.4 would do it and I chose ti ignore them… Similar to my ignoring the recommended development method for another film recently. I am sensing a trend. Last time I second guessed the camera on and off all day… and found out afterward that I should have trusted the camera.

Unlike last time I did not attempt any low light interior shots and stayed with broad daylight.

The resulting pics this time? All are properly exposed. Here are all 24 (All FPP saw fit to give.).

Well, that wraps up my foray into ultra low ISO films. Will I buy more? I am glad I imagined you asked. Likely not. Simply put there were insufficient tangible IQ advantages to outweigh the limitations of using such a low ISO. But it does have a unique look and trying something different was fun though so who knows.

Happy capturing.

-ELW