Getting the correct exposure

The proper combination of aperture and shutter speed is what you need to get the correct exposure. V3800N measures the light through the lens and indicates the correct exposure with a green dot in the viewfinder. If you see a red plus or minus sign, it means you have to adjust the aperture or shutter speed.

Here are three tips to measure the exposure correctly:

1. Look for something middle toned in the subject area to meter and use that suggested setting, making sure once again that it is also in the same light as your subject.

2. Meter off the palm of your hand, making sure that it too is in the same light as your subject. Then, open up one stop (your palm is one stop lighter than a gray card so you have to add light to make your exposure correct).

3. Or meter off a gray card in the same light as your subject. Gray card is simply a piece of paper with 18% grey tint.

What do you do if your gray card or hand cannot be held in the same light as your subject (maybe you are under a shade tree)? Well, you could take a spot meter reading metering off your subject without the meter being influenced by other areas of light. Then recompose and shoot.

Understanding ISO and film sensitivity

The first step in getting good results is to set your camera for the correct speed of the film you are using. The film ISO speed is a number that indicates the relative sensitivity of the film to light. The higher the number, the more sensitive or "faster" the film; the lower the number, the less sensitive or "slower" the film. For example, a film with a speed of ISO 200 is twice as light-sensitive or fast as a film with a speed of ISO 100. Similarly, and ISO 200 film is only half as fast as a film with a speed of ISO 400. Your film carton (and the film cartridge) will tell you the speed of your film.

Remember to set your ISO correctly!
In order to set your camera to measure the light correctly, you need to set the ISO dial to match the sensitivity of the film you're using. In order to do that you need to pull the dial next to the shutter release button and adjust it so it displays the correct value.

Tips on taking sharp photographs

Vivitar V3800N features a focusing device called a "rangefinder". The circular area at the center of the viewfinder gives an indication that the scene is either out of focus or in focus. If the subject is out of focus, you will see that the image is "broken" as if you were looking through a cracked glass, along the thin diagonal line which you can find in the very centre of the viewfinder. If your subject is in focus the two "halves" of the image will be aligned seamlessly.

Use a tripod
If you are taking a photograph at night or in dim light, the most reliable way to make sure your photographs are sharp is to use a tripod. Place your tripod on hard surface and if it's a light tripod you can use a weight to make it more sturdy. Some tripods have a hook at the bottom of the central column where you can hang a bag to add weight to the tripod. You can use a standard remote release cord with Vivitar V3800N, you need to attach it to the shutter button, there is a thread inside the button.

Shutter speed
There is a general rule of thumb - if you are using a 50mm lens then your shutter speed should be 1/50s or less to avoid blurred images. If you're using 100mm lens, it is 1/100s. So, 1 second divided by your focal length gives you a rough idea of the shutter speed required. If your subject is in fast motion (like a car or an animal) you need to make sure your shutter speed is as low as possible, around 1/1000s or less. You can use this shutter speed only on a sunny day or use a high speed film.

Loading and handling the film

Loading the film
If you already have film in the camera, use the dial on the left to roll it back into the cartridge. Pull out the metal lever and turn it in the direction indicated by the arrow until you can feel the film turning loose inside the cartridge. Pull the dial towards you to open the back cover. Once the back cover is open, in order to load a new film, you need to insert the film cartridge at a slant with the flat end facing up and the bottom end entering the camera first. Make sure the film is correctly aligned and stretched slightly and the film perforations are engaged with the sprockets, close the back cover until it clicks shut.

Handling film:
1. If the film rewind lever is stuck and you can't rewind the film, it means it's stretched across the shutter and prepared for another exposure. You need to press a small black button on the bottom of the camera to release the film.
2. Store your film in your fridge and never leave your film in direct sunlight.
3. When you are loading the film make sure you don't touch the shutter curtain inside the camera.
4. Ask if your film is safe while crossing any security checkpoints equipped with X-ray machines.
5. Always store your film in the lightproof container provided.
6. And always remember to rewind the film before you open the back cover!

Available lens and extras

You can use any Manual Focus lens with Vivitar or Pentax mount with your Vivitar V3800N. The shutter release cord, tripod mount and the flash shoe are completely standard so you can use any accessories you like. You can find a lot of tripods, flashes, cleaning kits and other accesories on Vivitar.com

Showcase

We have invited several talented amateur photographers to take our Vivitar V3800N for a test drive. The results of this test will be published here, so come back soon!

Click the images below to see our first test shots:

Advanced tips

You don't have to rely on the light meter only. Here are some tips.
For example, the suggested exposure for KODACHROME ISO 64 Film is 1/60 at f/16 or an equivalent shutter-aperture combination. This simple daylight exposure guideline works because it is based on the relatively constant light from the sun plus the sky on sunny days. Sometimes called the "f/16" rule, the exposure for a frontlighted, average subject in bright sun (distinct shadows) is f/16 at a shutter speed that matches the film speed. You should decrease exposure by one stop for bright sun on light snow or sand, and increase exposure by one stop for an average subject in weak or hazy sun (soft shadows). There is an additional stop increase for cloudy bright conditions (no shadows), and another for heavy overcast or open shade. Increase exposure by one stop (either a slower shutter step or larger lens opening) from the normal for sidelighting, and two stops for backlighting.

Depth of field
The larger the aperture the smaller the depth of field. If you're shooting a portrait and you want the background to be blurred, you can use large aperture, for example f2.8. If you're shooting a landscape and you want sharp objects in the foreground as well as in the background, set your aperture to f22. The aperture stays fully open until you press the shutter button so you can only see the effect of the large aperture, but you can also preview the depth of field with your Vivitar V3800N by pressing a button just under the lens on the right hand side.

Product reviews

Our Vivitar V3800N has already attracted interest and we have some impartial reviews to share with you:

Read a review of V3800N on Wired.com

Read a review of V3800N on Crunchgear.com