Mark,
I'm sure someone else has already spotted this and set you right but I'll
weigh in anyway.
Portra 160 in full sunlight on snow, I'm thinking correct exposure is 1/320
@ f/16 for a front-lit subject. If you set the OM-1 for 1/1000 at f/16 and
got overexposure, either the camera's shutter is too slow, or the diagphram
didn't stop down, or both. A *correctly functioning* OM-1 will not have a
problem with Rochester cold. (Been there. Wayne County, east of Webster
and Ontario Center.)
Were you shooting directly into the setting sun? If yes, then yeah, you'd
get tremendous flare and if you don't intend to take that kind of picture,
this is what happens. You can't shoot backlighted evergreens with light
pouring into the lens, and expect to have shadow detail, IMO.
I noted that you were handholding for 1 second. I guess you already know
that you're not going to get a sharp picture that way. Sometimes you might
get an interesting blur but know this: I have been blessed with exactly
*one* interesting blur.
You said that the twilight shot was also overexposed. As I remember, my ol'
OM-1 didn't have great low-light metering ability. As I recall, you reach a
point at twilight where the OM-1 meter stops responding and gives up because
those CdS cells weren't up to reading twilight.
Did you meter it at 1 second or take a guess? Guessing is good. I'm not
knocking that. When the light is unmeasurable like that, a proven technique
is to make several exposures with a variety of shutter speeds. Like, if
you're using color negative film, consider making the 2 stop less exposure
and 2 stops more exposure. If you get into slide film or you finely tune
your exposure judgement, you may experiment with "bracketing" in smaller
increments.
Finally, since you keep ending up with overexposures, try this: open the
camera back and look at the foam that seals the back door. Is the foam
gooey? Now take the lens off and look inside the top of the mount, where
there's a foam pad to cushion the rising mirror. Is that gooey? If so,
your camera has earned a tuneup. In camera circles, it's a "CLA", or
'cleaning, lubrication, and adjustment'. The foam seals need to be replaced
and a trustworthy repairman with tune your shutter and meter to tighter
specifications than it had when new.
That's enough to get you back out there though. Go get 'em, Pilgrim.
Lama
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