What are some tips for shooting with low ISO film?

There are many ways you can get a balanced exposure and amazing results with low ISO films. Here are some tips:

1. Shoot in bright conditions

Shooting in bright conditions, i.e. in daylight, and taking advantage of the large amount of natural light is the easiest way to make the most out of low ISO films.

For example, some very low ISO films such as Lomography’s Fantôme Kino B&W ISO 8 Film and Babylon Kino B&W 35 mm ISO 13, two of the slowest films in the market right now, create high-quality cinematic images with fine grain, especially when shot on sunny days paired with fast lens and a camera with manual controls to adjust your settings.

2. Choice of camera and lens

In connection, using an SLR camera can help you manually control your exposure when shooting low ISO films. Choosing a faster and/or wider lens such as f/1.4 – f/2.8 lens is likewise recommended when using slow films such as those with ISO 200 or below.

3. Using a light meter

Metering is an effective way to balance your exposure when using low ISO films, especially if you’re using a low ISO film stock in a situation where you don’t have much light.

4. Using a tripod

Using a tripod will help you stay steady and avoid motion blur when taking photos with low ISO films, especially during low-light situations such as during night time, an overcast day or indoors.

5. Using flash or other light sources

You can also use a flash to get more light into your images. Depending on the kind of image you’re going for and if you’re not using your low ISO film outdoors on a sunny day, you can likewise make use of other light sources such as lamp posts, neon lights and car lights.