[Don Schaeffer]

[Toad]

Very nice. Like whatever you did to #3 and 4...

[matthew]

I'm with Toad on #3&4 - I like the punch on the colours. What film(s) do you use?

[Don Schaeffer]

Fuji 400. I think there is something wrong with the meter. I do like to underexpose the pictures by about 1 stop. But I'm getting too much underexposure. Maybe I should spring for a new battery.

[Zig]

Aha Don..yes: I noticed a while back that your exposure compensation in camera was set to a default minus 2/3 stop. Also, film is generally more unforgiving than digital if one underexposes...the darks block up more quickly. I also remember from head-slapping experience that Fuji emulsion in particular is generally very, er, "ambitious" in its ASA/ISO ratings..this worsened for Fuji slide films as I remember. Consequently, exposing a 400 Fuji film may well result in underexposure even when one's metering is spot-on.
Here's some things that may help...the good news is that it's very unlikely to mean the battery is at fault:
1. Re-set camera exposure compensation to 0;
2. If using Fuji print film dial in PLUS 1/3 or even 2/3 exposure compensation(or shoot 400 film at 320 but ensure your camera is not set to underexpose);
3. remember that film(especially slide film) is more unforgiving in terms of exposure than digital: even underexposure by 1 stop will have more of a "blocking out" effect with film than digital..and will be less rescuable at the pp stage.
Try any number of these, Don..I'm sure this is sortable...and actually, the exposures above don't seem that bad: it looks as if these are largely normal given that(I'm guessing) centre-weighted metering may have been used. In such lighting conditions it would be "normal" to add a bit exposure compensation anyway: about 1 to 1.5 stops for contre-jour lighting.

[Don Schaeffer]

That's very helpful, Zig. The Miranda has a circle at the end of the exposure meter needle. The bottom of the circle is 1/2 stop under. I always use that. I should be using overexposure instead.