Best colour film for catching autumn......

Harry Stevens · Oct 1, 2016

Hello, I am mainly a B&W film user but I really want to catch the Autumn leaves and light this year (Autumn UK 2014 was superb but missed through illness). So this year I am going for it and I don't know whether to go for Ektra or Portra film. I also have some Agfa as well deep in the freezer.

Been in the freezer for a look and amongst the frozen fish,chicken and veg I found Portra 400. Ektra 100. Agfa Portrait XPS 160 and Fujicolor pro 400H.

They are all 120 films and will go in my Rolleiflex Automat or Rolleicord VA 2 probably on my cheap (but so light)hardly used Chinese tripod

As for Autumn 2015 the local authority decide to dig up the main park tree path for repairs and all the barriers and machinery would have ruined the shots...So this year fingers crossed.

So which film would you guys recommend for the blue sky and golden leaves.

Regards Harry.

bvy · Oct 1, 2016

Ektar is supposed to have better saturation and more closely resemble slide film. Will you be wet printing or... ?

Les Sarile · Oct 1, 2016

Fuji Velvia. You might be able to work a color negative to resemble it.

Paul Howell · Oct 1, 2016

As mentioned Extar is more vivid, Porta more natural, I would shoot a roll of each.

RattyMouse · Oct 1, 2016

I shot the autumn colors in Japan once with 400H. I simply LOVED the results.

Sirius Glass · Oct 1, 2016

If you can find it Kodak UltraColor 400 or 160, or Kodak Vivid Color 400 or 160. UC and VC were made in 135 and 120. VC 160 was also made in 4"x5".

Otherwise Kodak Ektar or Kodak Portra.

Poisson Du Jour · Oct 1, 2016

Velvia. But you must be careful in the conditions you put it to use, and moderate it to suit conditions e.g. make it look like Reala (commonly in diffuse to bright hazy light). It is undeniably superb at accentuating and differentiating autumn foliage colour.

If you plan on shooting in full sunlight with shadows, don't bother with Velvia; save yourself grief and use something like Portra 160.

mgb74 · Oct 1, 2016

I vaguely remember reading that Ektar does not take well to being frozen (as opposed to other films). Might be worth investigating before you rely on it.

RPC · Oct 1, 2016

mgb74 said:
I vaguely remember reading that Ektar does not take well to being frozen (as opposed to other films). Might be worth investigating before you rely on it.

I believe that refers to the old Ektar films of the 80s & 90s, not the newer Ektar 100.

Athiril · Oct 2, 2016

Ektar or any currently available slide film. If you're in high dynamic range/high contrast situations use Ektar.

Plus a polarising filte, turned till the colours look their darkest in the view finder will greatly add some punch and additional colour.

I hope to catch this years autumn colours in Tokyo and Kyoto regions doing the same.

mnemosyne · Oct 2, 2016

Athiril said:
I hope to catch this years autumn colours in Tokyo and Kyoto regions doing the same.

For catching autumn foliage in Kyoto you are well advised to bring very long lenses or a stepladder or a couple of 300 pound gorillas. Or better yet, bring all of that!

Harry Stevens · Oct 2, 2016

WOW!! Thanks lads some good advice in there. I was always told Portra was good for skin tones and I know Ektra is dynamic so it seems a roll of each is the way to go and I do like the advice in post 10. I wonder if anybody as experience with Fuji 400H pro 120 being used in a Rolleiflex it's just that I read somewhere a long time ago that the Fuji 400H could be too thin to be detected by the Rolleiflex sensing rollers for the automatic film framing.
Anybody know.......
Regards Harry.

Athiril · Oct 2, 2016

mnemosyne said:
For catching autumn foliage in Kyoto you are well advised to bring very long lenses or a stepladder or a couple of 300 pound gorillas. Or better yet, bring all of that!

Well I have a 200mm super takumar and 135mm for my 35mm digital system do have a 180mm for the rb67 though, cant remember if I brought the 250mm or not. But I was hoping to go back to Kibuneguchi, I went last year in summer and it was already kinda crowded though. I missed out last year in sounkyo in Hokkaido on the mountains because right when I went there was a storm that ripped the leaves off just below the snow level where the autumn leaves were and it was too early for ground level autumn leaves.

Les Sarile · Oct 2, 2016

Slide film and E6 processing not available where you're at?

Maris · Oct 2, 2016

And use a "Red Enhancing Filter" if you want the yellows, oranges, and reds to scream; not subtle but spectacular or maybe over-the-top according to taste.

kruiwagen · Oct 3, 2016

Hi Harry,

Have you tried shooting expired film? If so, you should try Fuji Astia 100F. It's my preffered autumn film. It isn't a very contrasty film but has a very light golden/yellow-ish cast to it which I particularly like in this time of the year. It also has a very fine grain (RMS 7).

bvy · Oct 3, 2016

As long as we're getting crazy, perhaps try cross-processing expired Ektachrome in a plastic camera and printing it in the darkroom.

DREW WILEY · Oct 4, 2016

Here's the gist of the problem: Some films are obviously more saturated than others, but nearly all will give you fairly intense Crayola colors. The most common mistake color photographers make is to assume the more loud color you crowd into the shot, the better. But actual perceived intensity of color is actually enhanced by having some softer tones or neutrals in the scene. It's like tasting food; if you just eat pure sugar, you gag; your taste buds need a "reset" with something else. So you might be surprised just how much the rich hues pop when used as an accent rather than being dominant. The second problem is how you use your shot. Will it be printed? If so, how? Or is this just for web sharing? Again, don't go overboard. Less can be more.

mshchem · Oct 7, 2016

DREW WILEY said:
Here's the gist of the problem: Some films are obviously more saturated than others, but nearly all will give you fairly intense Crayola colors. The most common mistake color photographers make is to assume the more loud color you crowd into the shot, the better. But actual perceived intensity of color is actually enhanced by having some softer tones or neutrals in the scene. It's like tasting food; if you just eat pure sugar, you gag; your taste buds need a "reset" with something else. So you might be surprised just how much the rich hues pop when used as an accent rather than being dominant. The second problem is how you use your shot. Will it be printed? If so, how? Or is this just for web sharing? Again, don't go overboard. Less can be more.

I love Portra, I still print everything optically. If you plan to print, negative film is so forgiving . Making a print on nice glossy paper . I'm looking up at a Cibachrome print I made about 14 years ago, just leaves on the ground I'm a big fan of Provia F for transparencies. Try shooting on a cloudy misty day too. I don't like over saturated color. But believe me even Portra will make reds and oranges that will floor you especially if you use a high gloss paper.
If you scan and use photoshop you can do almost anything. I prefer just straight optical prints with a nice glossy paper.
Best Regards Mike

GarageBoy · Oct 8, 2016

If you see any good e100vs - that

anthonylg · Oct 8, 2016

Portra is a great film but I keep it to photograph people. I love Provia, it's a great film for automn, the colors are beautiful. Velvia is often over the top during the day and too constrasty, but if it's very cloudy or if the light is very soft then its perfect

But if you prefer negative films my favorite is Fuji 400h.

mklw1954 · Oct 9, 2016

mgb74 said:
I vaguely remember reading that Ektar does not take well to being frozen (as opposed to other films). Might be worth investigating before you rely on it.

I've used Ektar 100 120 film that had been frozen for a few years to shoot foliage and developed it normally (Unicolor kit) with great results. It was left out to thaw for 5-6 hours.

DREW WILEY · Oct 11, 2016

The biggest problem with RA4 full gloss paper at the moment is that it is no longer available in cut sheets, so you have to cut it down yourself from big rolls. But yes, if you want to resurrect the Cibachrome look, Fuji Supergloss prints made from Portra or Ektar film will give you that kind of snap.

Alan Klein · Oct 11, 2016

I shoot Velvia 50 in medium format regardless of the lighting. I think you'll find most conditions in my shots to gage if it might work for you.
Velvia 50 https://www.flickr.com/photos/alanklein2000/tags/velvia/

Although I don't use it anymore, here are some Velvia 100's. https://www.flickr.com/photos/alanklein2000/tags/velvia100/

DREW WILEY · Oct 12, 2016

I use Velvia for grilled cheese sandwiches, but only when we're out of real cheddar cheese. You seem to be more versatile with this particular ingredient, Alan. I shot it mainly for subdued lighting scenes, esp fog, but also at times for certain early season greens that other chrome films didn't
differentiate as well.

Best colour film for catching autumn......

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