Modifying your LC-A+ to Achieve ISO12

50

If you prefer to overexpose your ISO400 redscale film by five full stops in your LC-A+, you would want to override your camera’s ISO setting to 12. But how? I have got the tipster for you!

Contemporary knowledge regarding redscale technique tells us to overexpose our shots by two full stops. However, I personally do not enjoy the outcome. Based on personal experience, often, the results are less than decent, as most of them still seemed to be underexposed. The tremendous hues of orange and red are simply irritating for me.

A couple of months back, I read an online discussion suggesting that in the case of redscale film, an overexposure of four or five full stops would yield more flattering results. The images are well exposed, and although there is still a hint of orange, the colors are more dynamic; blues and greens appeared! The sample photos that came with the discussion left a rather favorable impression in me.

However, if I will be using my LC-A+ with a DIY Redscale ISO400 film, that will only leave me with the option to overexpose the film by 2 stops. The LC-A+ can only be set to its lowest ISO setting which is 100. So, I tried to figure out a way to override such mechanism to achieve an estimate setting of about ISO12.
How? Let me tell you.

The ISO setting of the LC-A+ is based on the opening of the light meter. If I set the camera at ISO100, I can still trick the camera to think (if it does) that the available light is less than what is actually available. With this, the camera will expose the film a couple of stops more. And how did I trick the camera?

By simply covering the light meter with a translucent material to cut down the light registered by the meter. For this particular attempt, I used old negatives, particularly those portions which are blank. To achieve ISO25, just cover it with one layer, and if you double the layers, your camera now is operating as though it is set at ISO12.

How do I know it is ISO12? I don’t! But I think it is close enough. You can see below the test I have done using my Olympus XA (ISO200 to ISO25), and then the LC-A+ at approximately ISO12 (set at ISO100 and light meter covered with two layers of blank negatives).

Just let me know if you have any questions.

Enjoy!

The Lomo LC-A+ is known worldwide for its amazing features: automatic exposure, extended ISO range, and multiple and long exposure capabilities. Get your own Lomo LC-A+ now!

2011-09-06 #gear #チュートリアル #analogue #redscale #camera #tipster #modification #lomography #lca #lc-a #camera-modification #iso12 #lc-a-top-tipster renenob の記事

50 Comment

  1. mr-korn
    mr-korn ·

    I was also thinking about writing this tipster using film negative to cover the light meter. I should find something else to write about now :^)

  2. stouf
    stouf ·

    Yes ! I was also thinking of this, using neutral density filters... Sweeeet !

  3. stitch
    stitch ·

    great tip rene ;)

  4. kingt4
    kingt4 ·

    Never thought about using film negative to cover the light meter, pretty smart, but like you said you weren't 100% sure. If you wanted to be sure you were precise on the ISO, I would try pieces of ND .3 Gel.

  5. gelibee
    gelibee ·

    Nice tip @renenob! :)

  6. guitarleo
    guitarleo ·

    nice tip! i always wonder how to expose at ISO25 for redscale XR on LC-A+, now I know.

  7. dearjme
    dearjme ·

    Awesome! I might try out more redscale now.

  8. cinzinc
    cinzinc ·

    great tip! will definitely give this a shot!

  9. sprofishgel
    sprofishgel ·

    Just great! I´ve developed a homemade redscale film this week used in my LC-A+ and it was just too red. Thanks for the tip.

  10. gyiu
    gyiu ·

    thanks for the tip !! but wouldn't the shutter open for too long ? coz I dont have steady hand :-(

  11. bernardocople
    bernardocople ·

    Nice tip, sure I'll try!

  12. renenob
    renenob ·

    @gyui - yeah, that would be expected indoors or in minimal light. But it you are outside, and it's sunny, you shouldn't have a problem

  13. 12_12
    12_12 ·

    This is great!!!! I'll definitely try this!!!!! The comparison at the end is wonderful!!! One question: has anybody ever tried the DIY redscale-technique with a slide film?

  14. icuresick
    icuresick ·

    Ayus sa Tipster! :D At astig ng puruntong! hehehe

  15. 12_12
    12_12 ·

    @c41: It would be great to see the results of that!!!! I can imagine that the results can be very good using a similar technique (then maybe ISO200 slide film(?)) !!!

  16. analogmonolog
    analogmonolog ·

    helpful

  17. slumbrnghok
    slumbrnghok ·

    If only every tipster was this good! Very well written. Good work.

  18. mandecster
    mandecster ·

    wow!!great tipster and the results are nice...going to try this..=)

  19. superkulisap
    superkulisap ·

    mahusay! @renenob

  20. renenob
    renenob ·

    Thank everyone! Salamat!

  21. analogmonolog
    analogmonolog ·

    may I ask something? lc-a+ minimum iso is 100 right? to reach iso 50 we need to cover the lightmeter with 1 layer of developed film and so on right? thus to achieve iso 12 we need to cover three layer of developed film

  22. renenob
    renenob ·

    @analogmonolog - I came to the conclusion that the 2 layers are enough to achieve ISO12, because when I compare the results with a photo taken by the XA set at ISO25, it was more exposed. One layer of developed film is closer to ISO25 than ISO50, as per my estimate.

  23. renenob
    renenob ·

    "To achieve ISO25, just cover it with one layer, and if you double the layers, your camera now is operating as though it is set at ISO12."

  24. analogmonolog
    analogmonolog ·

    Thanks a lot.. A very helpful tips

  25. zonderbar
    zonderbar ·

    Great tipster! Thanks

  26. davzoku
    davzoku ·

    Wow. Something to learn today!

  27. lyndxe
    lyndxe ·

    this is awesome! thanks for a super helpful tipster!!

  28. ceduxi0n
    ceduxi0n ·

    Ang galiiing!! Try ko rin bukas, baka may natitira pa akong XR :D

  29. renenob
    renenob ·

    Post here the links of the album containing your results.

  30. roxanneross
    roxanneross ·

    i had the same problem with shooting redscale in august: i wasn't so fond of the deep reds. i'll will try this for sure!

  31. djdhmikey25
    djdhmikey25 ·

    Thank you so much for the tip. this is very helpful.

  32. deepfried_goodness
    deepfried_goodness ·

    Good to know. Thanks.

  33. izzzart
    izzzart ·

    I will try your tipster .. thank you :)

  34. bernardocople
    bernardocople ·

    @renenob Just tried with one layer of developed film, check it out:

    www.lomography.jp/homes/bernardocople/albums/1769309-lc-a-p…

  35. sainahbenz
    sainahbenz ·

    having the same problem with the usual redscale lomo film. will surely try this the next time i go out shooting! thanks for the tip :)

  36. dragontw
    dragontw ·

    Great tipster! Thanks will give it a try.

  37. renenob
    renenob ·

    @bernardocople: Great album you there!

  38. renenob
    renenob ·

    any other results guys?

  39. sidsel
    sidsel ·

    I'm so gonna try this! Thanks for sharing!

  40. amogh
    amogh ·

    how creative!

  41. icuresick
    icuresick ·

    Genius!

  42. pinkfallingstars
    pinkfallingstars ·

    Im so trying this!

  43. clickiemcpete
    clickiemcpete ·

    Now we're talkiing! :D

  44. shiseiten
    shiseiten ·

    Beautiful! Can't want to try it out. :D

  45. jetnz81
    jetnz81 ·

    Awesome ^^ thanks for sharing

  46. litumai
    litumai ·

    exactly the tipster i was looking for! thanks! and great results all the way! :)

  47. adi_totp
    adi_totp ·

    I just read this,Rene! Will try it soon! :D thank you very much for sharing!

  48. clickiemcpete
    clickiemcpete ·

    This really works well and I have used this trick several times to get better exposures.

  49. badjuju
    badjuju ·

    Perfect! Thank you, now I may enjoy redscale!

  50. andrus_n
    andrus_n ·

    It still is one tipster that is very needed! Thanks

他の記事を読む