Exposure Values (EV) article

[joelbolden]

I just order a Minolta Hi-Matic 7s yesterday and it's interesting that the camera displays EV values in the viewfinder instead of aperture/shutter speed. While my Gossen Pilot light meter also displays EV, I never gave much thought to it since it also gives the "normal" values I'm used to. In researching the 7s I came across an interesting article by Fred Parker about EV and exposure in general. Being somewhat of a neophyte at film photography I found it interesting and informative, so I'd thought I'd share it over here; just in case there's another odd neophyte or two.....http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm

 

[Kodachromeguy]

That is an excellent summary. I have seen it before, but thanks for reminding us about it.

Some of the late-1950s Voigtlander cameras, such as the Vito BL and the Vitomatics, have the EV scale on their lenses. The aperture and shutter speed are locked, and you need to depress a tab to unlink them. This the same as the C Hasselblad lenses. On my Gossen Luna Pro Digital and Sekonic 318B light meters, you can set the display to show EV - very handy.

 

[AgX]

Instead of reading a lengthy explanation, just memorize

@ ISO 100 , 1sec , F 1 = EV 0

 

[Ben Hutcherson]

Not 35mm I realize, but all of my Hasselblad lenses are set up to use EVs. Where it's an option, I have my external meters set to read out in EVs for that very reason(although I need "standard" readings again to preserve my sanity when I use my RB67, large format, or one of my meterless 35mm cameras).

 

[abruzzi]

The Kodak Retina IIIC lens and meter uses EV as well.

 

[Marco Gilardetti]

I remember a paragraph in a book teaching photpgraphy by Alexander Spoerl, which was very common in the last '60s - early '70s, in which the author introduced the matter of these cameras with EV scales and concluded that yet another confusing scale has been added, which will further confuse customers already quite puzzled by the shutter and aperture scales.

 

[Chan Tran]

None of my camera has EV scale but the EV allows me to figure out equivalent exposure in my head.

 

[Paul Verizzo]

I remember a paragraph in a book teaching photpgraphy by Alexander Spoerl, which was very common in the last '60s - early '70s, in which the author introduced the matter of these cameras with EV scales and concluded that yet another confusing scale has been added, which will further confuse customers already quite puzzled by the shutter and aperture scales.

Which, of course, EV was trying to eliminate the complexity of aperature/speed. That even some pretty expensive cameras utilized it shows that even traditionalist companies thought it worth the effort.

 

[Marco Gilardetti]

I think however that the picture above clearly illustrates that the end result was just a further scale added to all others, which is exactly what mr. Spoerl complained about.

 

[Ben Hutcherson]

I think however that the picture above clearly illustrates that the end result was just a further scale added to all others, which is exactly what mr. Spoerl complained about.

I have a real love-hate relationship with it on 'blad lenses. On one hand, it's nice that once you've set the exposure, you can pick the aperture or shutter speed that makes the most sense for the situation(it's sort of an early variation of the "select shift" program on a lot of AF-era SLRs, which admittedly I never use). On the other hand, actually changing exposure is almost always a two hand operation and even though you CAN set it by looking at the shutter speed and aperture scales, it's honestly easiest to go straight to the EV scale on the side of the lens. It works great when you're using strobes or some other situation where you're not really changing exposure from shot to shot, but it's a bit different in the "real world" where you may be changing from shot to shot.

Rolleiflexes with the EV scale allow you to decouple the shutter speed and aperture wheels-I wish Hasselblad had considered a way to do that too.

 

[AgX]

None of my camera has EV scale but the EV allows me to figure out equivalent exposure in my head.

Exactly. When speaking/thinking of subject luminance, or meter sensitivity only one single figure will do.
People accepted flash Guide Numbers too. Something that follows the same idea.

 

[Ben Hutcherson]

People accepted flash Guide Numbers too. Something that follows the same idea.

Guide numbers do kind of sort of make sense, aside from the fact that the math gets a bit weird when you're adjusting for different sensitivities. Also, they go to heck with anything other than direct, unmodified flash which no sane person should be using .

Still, though, for the occasion I use bulbs on a Nikon F or F2(usually the F because its flash sync settings are a lot more flexible with respect to using both M and FP type bulbs) the 45mm f/2.8 GN is a life saver. Of course, that's still not straight forward as with an FP bulb like a GE #6 the GN changes according to the shutter speed...

 

[Chan Tran]

Guide numbers do kind of sort of make sense, aside from the fact that the math gets a bit weird when you're adjusting for different sensitivities. Also, they go to heck with anything other than direct, unmodified flash which no sane person should be using .

Still, though, for the occasion I use bulbs on a Nikon F or F2(usually the F because its flash sync settings are a lot more flexible with respect to using both M and FP type bulbs) the 45mm f/2.8 GN is a life saver. Of course, that's still not straight forward as with an FP bulb like a GE #6 the GN changes according to the shutter speed...

I use the EV a lot to figure out the equivalent exposure but not the guide number. I would convert an exposure in aperture, shutter speed and ISO to LV and then convert back to another setting that gives the same exposure. I can do this in my head and in 1/3 stop intevals. However when I used manual flash I just guess at the setting rather than use guide number. After using some flashes for a while I got the feel of what aperture and manual power setting on the flash to use even in case of bounce flash.
I guess the EV thing only involve addition and subtraction while the GN thing requires division which I don't do well in my head.

 

[Sirius Glass]

I use EV with my Hasselblads and find it easy to use with CF and later lenses. The system works in a clunky way with the C lenses and their ergonomics. Since my other cameras use shutter speed and f/stops, I do not use EV readings.

The article is interesting, but came to me after I learned how to use reflectance, incident and spot meters correctly. I will continue to use my meters and the Ziffy Night Exposure Calculator.

http://f-sunny.com/night-exposures-in-a-jiffy/
http://www.cppdh.org/download/jiffy-calculator-for-night-light-exposures.pdf
https://www.flickr.com/photos/46322625@N05/30151457250​

 

[Ben Hutcherson]

The system works in a clunky way with the C lenses and their ergonomics.

I think that's my main issue-all my 'blad lenses are chrome C lenses, and yes the EV system is clunky.

In time, I hope(as budget allows) to upgrade to newer CF lenses, but for now I live with C lenses and all their quirks.

If it's any consequence, though, you can't beat the look of a chrome lens on a 500C body

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I have a couple of old cameras that uses the EV scale. I even set my digital Sekonic meter to display EV for those old cameras. My question is why did camera manufacturers got rid of EV?

 

[BrianShaw]

I have a couple of old cameras that uses the EV scale. I even set my digital Sekonic meter to display EV for those old cameras. My question is why did camera manufacturers got rid of EV?

The beginning of the end for EV was when Hasselblad unlinked the EV on their CF lenses. What a dumb idea. EV and the EV-lock shutters are a major convenience!

 

[Pioneer]

I have two or three cameras that use EV scales. On the whole my Super Isolette is probably the easiest since it is so simple to move between EV numbers when I need to while continuing to take advantage of it when I want.

The camera where I dislike the EV system the most has to be my Ikoflex Favorit. Unlike the Rolleiflex I can't just disable it nor can I temporarily unlatch it like the Super Isolette. Instead I am continually having to fight it whenever I try to change aperture or shutter speed without changing the other value.

 

[Sirius Glass]

The beginning of the end for EV was when Hasselblad unlinked the EV on their CF lenses. What a dumb idea. EV and the EV-lock shutters are a major convenience!

Both C and CF have EV locks. I found that the CF system is more ergonomic. C lens make me push a ring away from its position which I find counter intuitive and awkward.

 

[John51]

I have a couple of old cameras that uses the EV scale. I even set my digital Sekonic meter to display EV for those old cameras. My question is why did camera manufacturers got rid of EV?

My guess is that there was no point to EV once automatic exposure metering came in. You set the aperture and the camera sets the shutter speed. EV is of no use to that camera.

 

[Chan Tran]

My guess is that there was no point to EV once automatic exposure metering came in. You set the aperture and the camera sets the shutter speed. EV is of no use to that camera.

Depend on how you work. If you first determine the light level of your subject whether by using the built in meter, hand held meter or using a chart. The EV helps in choosing the combination of aperture, shutter speed and ISO to use.

 

[MattKing]

EVs are great if you have a camera and a meter and they both work/have scales in EVs.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

EVs are great if you have a camera and a meter and they both work/have scales in EVs.

Yes. I started using manual SLR cameras since the 80's. I first started getting experience with EV cameras 30 years later. I was even a photo assistant and later a professional and never came across EV until my wife gave me his dad's old Zeiss Super Ikonta IV. Once the EV was set, I could set the F stop and the shutter speeds followed. The meter displayed only in EV. I thought it was brilliant. I got a used Hassy and it worked with the same system. I like it so much that I reset my modern digital Sekonic display EV. Too bad they got rid of the system. I think if I were a photo student back in the 80's that had a camera with the EV system, I would have learned shutter speeds and Fstops faster being learning disabled. The system is brilliant.

 

[Sirius Glass]

My guess is that there was no point to EV once automatic exposure metering came in. You set the aperture and the camera sets the shutter speed. EV is of no use to that camera.

Depend on how you work. If you first determine the light level of your subject whether by using the built in meter, hand held meter or using a chart. The EV helps in choosing the combination of aperture, shutter speed and ISO to use.

EVs are great if you have a camera and a meter and they both work/have scales in EVs.

Yes. I started using manual SLR cameras since the 80's. I first started getting experience with EV cameras 30 years later. I was even a photo assistant and later a professional and never came across EV until my wife gave me his dad's old Zeiss Super Ikonta IV. Once the EV was set, I could set the F stop and the shutter speeds followed. The meter displayed only in EV. I thought it was brilliant. I got a used Hassy and it worked with the same system. I like it so much that I reset my modern digital Sekonic display EV. Too bad they got rid of the system. I think if I were a photo student back in the 80's that had a camera with the EV system, I would have learned shutter speeds and Fstops faster being learning disabled. The system is brilliant.

I use EV with my Hasselblad in three ways:

1. From the PME read out to set the lens
2. From the Sekonic meter read out, compensate for any filters to set the lens
3. From the Pentax Digital Spotmeter using the Zone system, compensate for any filters to the lens

 

[AgX]

I find the EV system practical

-) for designating luminance values
-) at shutters to set a range of speed/aperture combos


But for instance the Lomo Smena 8 got at the shutter speed scale under the common range of figures a second range going from 4 - 8.
These figures are EVs. I find this feature puzzling already at reading the manual....