Photography 101 - Understanding Film - Series 2
Author: Marjorie Whitcher

For series 2 we are going to discuss the fast film speeds – 400, 800, 1600 and 3200. The difference between film with the speed of 800 compared to 200 is that that 200 film speeds requires 4 more times the light that the 800 film needs to achieve the correct exposure. This simply means is that film with the ISO of 800 is more light sensitive because it requires less light to achieve the correct exposure.

The benefit of fast film such as 400 is the flexibility of using the film indoors and outdoors with an option of no flash – (depending on the lighting situation). 400 is a good choice for everyday situations. 800 would be film used for action shots or photography that requires motion to be stopped. The faster in speed the grainier the photograph is. This means that the sharpness in quality is lost. 1600 and 3200 is highly sensitive to light. For me personally I use those films for artistic or creative uses. Even experimenting in very low light situations that require long shutter speed, which can be quite an interesting experiment.

Remember prior to choosing the film and its speed; consider the subject and its environment. Even with fast film speeds adjustments to the camera’s aperture and shutter speeds will need to be made.

Points to remember about fast film:

• Freeze motion
• Fast action
• Can be used in some low light conditions
• Can be used indoor without flash (depending on the lighting)
• Outdoor film

Now on to the Assignment.

This application will allow you to not only upload more than 1 image at a time but you can also edit digital photos before ordering prints online by clicking the advanced button on the application.