Film Speed

The first time I went to the store to buy film for my new 35mm camera, I was taken aback by the large number of film choices that were available. I thought it would be easy—just pick up a package and check out. It wasn’t quite the scenario I had anticipated. Not only were there a number of different brands, there were also different numbers on each package that I simply didn’t understand—the film speed. After some consultation with the back of each package, I made my choice and prepared myself for whatever the consequences would be. Over time, as I used my camera and experimented with a couple of different film speeds, I began to learn why they were different and when each speed was best used (and when NOT to use certain speeds).

Simply put, the film speed number indicates how sensitive the film is to light. High-numbered film speed is more sensitive to light and therefore the film is faster so that the resulting image does not become overexposed or too bright. On the contrary, low-numbered film speed is less sensitive to light and needs more time to absorb enough light to make an image that isn’t underexposed or too dark.

You may be thinking the answer is to buy something in the middle and just point and shoot. Well, sometimes that is the right choice. However, to really get the best performance out of your camera and the film you use, it’s a good idea to know which film speed will work in different circumstances so that you can make fantastic prints.

Slow Speeds (100-200 ISO)
Slow-speed film, such as 100- or 200-speed needs a large amount of available light to take a crisp, clear photo. These speeds are best used outdoors on bright sunny days. If there isn’t enough available light, your prints may turn out dark and blurry. Since low-speed film needs more time to absorb the light, you’ll want to hold your camera very still when shooting to prevent blurs. A tripod is a fantastic tool for low-speed shooting.

Benefits of using low-speed film also include being able to make enlarged prints without producing a grainy texture. Since the film has had a longer time to absorb the light and produce an image, details are captured much more effectively with a low-speed film.

Use a slow-speed film to photograph:

• outdoor landscapes (even better on a tripod)
• inanimate objects
• outdoor events on a bright sunny day

Do NOT use a slow-speed film to photograph:

• dimly lit areas
• fast-moving subjects (squirmy children, animals or sporting events)

Medium Speeds (400 ISO)
A good all-around film to use for most situations is 400-speed film. It allows you to snap photos without much worry about whether there is enough light to produce an acceptable image. Especially if you will be taking the same roll into a variety of circumstances (indoor, outdoor, shady areas, children, landscape, etc.), you’ll be most pleased with the entire roll if you use a versatile film speed such as 400. Another good time to use 400-speed film is if you are taking indoor portraits with available light (such as through a window or doorway).

Use a medium-speed film to photograph:

• overcast or shady outdoor images
• natural window-light portraits
• a combination of indoor and outdoor images on the same roll of film
• with a long zoom lens (the farther an image is from you, the more difficult it is to absorb enough light from a distance)

Do NOT use a medium-speed film to photograph:

• quick motions (such as sports photography)
• in extremely bright sunny light

Fast Speeds (800 ISO)
Fast-speed film, most commonly 800-speed, is great to use when shooting fast-moving subjects. Late-afternoon baseball or soccer games when the light isn’t quite bright enough for a low-speed film is a perfect time to use a fast speed. The film is fast enough to capture and freeze the action. A slower speed would blur the image. Fast-speed film also works well in dimly lit situations such as a fireworks show, photos taken outdoors at the end of a sunset, or a candle-lit dinner.

Film speeds higher than 800 are usually considered a professional grade of film. A time when you might want to use 1600-speed or faster would be at an indoor sporting event where the flash will not reach the subject (such as photographing a volleyball game with a zoom lens from up in the bleachers).

Use a fast-speed film to photograph:

• fast-moving subjects in low light
• using a zoom lens in low light
• dimly lit situations without the aid of a tripod

Do NOT use a fast-speed film to photograph:

• bright, sunny situations
• images that you may want to enlarge to 8 x 10 or more (the result will be grainy)

The next time you get ready to load your camera with film, take a moment to consider the subject you are about to begin photographing. Is it a squirmy child, an afternoon sporting event, or a day at the park? Take the available lighting conditions into consideration and choose a film speed that will best fit your needs and you’ll be happy with the results.

As with any rule, there are always exceptions. Don’t let the film speed that happens to be loaded in your camera prevent you from attempting a shot that doesn’t fit these guidelines. Sometimes, having some record of the memory (no matter how blurry or grainy it is) is better than no image at all.