Color [negative] film reccomendations?

htmlguru4242 · May 13, 2006

I've recently decided to pick up color work again (I've been mostly doing B&W lansdscape and architectural stuff), and I'm looking for suggestions of films to use. I like the all - around look of Kodachrome, but it is a slide film that I do not have the equipment to print form (also way too pricey).

Soo - does anybody have reccomendations for a color film for lanscape / architectural photo work? I'm looking for something with fairly accurate color, medium saturation and nice fine grain ... and also something good for portrait work, which I've recently begun to play around with.

Any suggestions?

Ed_Davor · May 13, 2006

God, I wish I could just say: "Ektar 25"
but it's long gone

"Blessed are those who still have it in fridge" (Davor 25:25)

Pinholemaster · May 13, 2006

I've been having great success with the new Fuji Pro 160S in 8x10 sheet film.

Go to my web site Dead Link Removed and click on the "Projects" navigation button. All the landscapes are on Fuji. The three portraits on that page are on Kodak Portra 400 NC.

Good luck finding the film you like.

Kino · May 13, 2006

htmlguru4242 said:
I've recently decided to pick up color work again (I've been mostly doing B&W lansdscape and architectural stuff), and I'm looking for suggestions of films to use. (snip)
Any suggestions?

Yes, I'd like to hear opinions on this as well. I started crawling through online catalogs and realized I had NO experience with any of the currenly available color negative film stocks.

I am looking for neural to slightly cool film. I really don't care for warm bias except for very rare occasions and I can put on a warming filter.

Lee L · May 13, 2006

I'm about half way through a brick of the Fuji Pro 160S. I like it a lot, and it fits the characteristics you mention. There's another recent thread on negative film recommendations that you might want to search for. Ctein did a review of the two new Fuji 160S and 160C films in a relatively recent Photo Techniques, and he was impressed by them. He said their grain was the closest yet to Ektar 25.

I'm also apparently blessed, as I have a couple of rolls of 135-36 Ektar 25 in the deep freeze. PE, however, says it doesn't store well.

Lee

agGNOME · May 13, 2006

Well, if you look at what is currently produced for a daylight-balanced CN film that fits your description I'd suggest Fuji 160s (just bought 20 rolls). Both Fuji's and Kodak's color portrait offerings are good; and both have regular and higher contrast/saturation versions.
In my experience Fuji 160s has a bit more contrast than Kodak 160NC. I can't comment on the Fuji 160c or Kodak 160vc.
The 400 portrait versions are comparable too, but I it's been a while since I've used either.
One CN film that I'd like to try is Fuji Reala (100) ; anyone have experience with Reala (in 120)?

drpsilver · May 13, 2006

13 May 2006

I have had good success with Kodak Portra 400UC. They call it "ultra color", but I have not found that to be true. Also it is not really EI 400, more like 320 or 250.

My experience is mainly landscape and nature photography and have found that there may be a little too much green in the film. Otherwise I like it. Hope this helps.

Regards,
Darwin

Imke · May 14, 2006

I like Kodak's 400NC, especially for portraits, the grain is fine (at least in medium format), and I love the colors, very balanced, yet a nice contrast between warm and cool tones.

I have used the 400UC a bunch, I find it too contrasty for bright sunny days, but sweet in "open shadow" situations, or overcast days.

I shot a few rolls of 400VC, but find it strange, the colors, though more vibrant than the NC, never settle in a balance that I appreciate.

HTH,
Imke

Ronald Moravec · May 14, 2006

Kodak Portra VC series. Also Fuji PRO films like 160.

Realize printing paper is most important. I use Profesional Portrait paper and so does my pro lab, but it is very difficult to find a place that does as the cost of the paper is 30% more. The commercial stuff is higher contrast and color saturation. If you use Portra and Pro Portrait paper, you will get results like those in good privately run portrait studios, not Sears and Target etc.

I have had some luck scanning negs, lowering contrast and color with photoshop and having them printed on a Fuji Frontier with their regular paper. Not the same, but better. Use internet file transfer or rewritable CD or memory stick to move the file.

If you send Portra to AIPROLAB.com in Downers Grove, Ill, you will see what good work is supposed to look like. In the industrial purchasing world, there is a saying good, fast, or cheap. Pick any two. With AI, you give up fast and cheap.

Neil can set you up so you can file transfer over the internet which gets you the ability to photoshop the home scanned images and have them print and returned shipped or pick up. Other places have similar services.

nworth · May 14, 2006

I shoot the same sort of stuff you do. I like Kodak 400UC and especially 100UC for this. Kodak recently changed these films a little bit, and 400UC now seems just a little too intense, but not so much so that I can't handle it. There isn't anything that really compares to these two films. You need a certain amount of snap for this outdoor work. You might want to look at Kodak Portra 400VC or 160VC, however, as an alternative. I like the color rendition of 160NC, but it is not quite intense enough for a lot of outdoor work.

Stack8 · May 15, 2006

color film

I think Fuji nps is the way to go. Process it your self or better yet find a good pro lab.

Laurence · May 31, 2006

agGNOME said:
Well, if you look at what is currently produced for a daylight-balanced CN film that fits your description I'd suggest Fuji 160s (just bought 20 rolls). Both Fuji's and Kodak's color portrait offerings are good; and both have regular and higher contrast/saturation versions.
In my experience Fuji 160s has a bit more contrast than Kodak 160NC. I can't comment on the Fuji 160c or Kodak 160vc.
The 400 portrait versions are comparable too, but I it's been a while since I've used either.
One CN film that I'd like to try is Fuji Reala (100) ; anyone have experience with Reala (in 120)?

I have had a grinning face after processing 120 Reala out of the Pentax 645. Quite contrasty, but not so much that you'll jump out of your socks. The greens and reds are spot-on beautiful to me. Blues seemed a tiny bit toward the magenta, but not enough to negate the beauty of the green/red spectrums. The landscapes in the rain forest were very, very nice in their true rendition of tones.

Haven't tried Reala on skin tones, but I've heard good about it for that as well.

Grain is extremely tight, and the stuff enlarges quite nicely. I realize that is pretty subjective, seeing as I only have made one enlargement (16x20) !!! However, the tones held beautifully, and the the "grain" was STILL practically a non-entity.

I now keep a couple of bricks handy in the fridge, and that's saying something for me (I usually sort of just buy a roll or two at a time of film, but the Reala has certainly worked its way into my list of faves). Sadly though, I am seeing the last of the local stockpiles dwindling.

Laurence

benjiboy · May 31, 2006

Add my vote to Fuji Pro 160S , or if you want a bit more contrast Fuji Pro 160C superb films.

Helen B · May 31, 2006

I'm happy with both 100UC and Pro 160S. They are both very low graininess films that can cope with a wide scene brightness range. I tend to use more Pro 160S because it is available in 220 and 4x5, which 100UC isn't.

Best,
Helen

jd callow · May 31, 2006

htmlguru4242 said:
I've recently decided to pick up color work again (I've been mostly doing B&W lansdscape and architectural stuff), and I'm looking for suggestions of films to use. I like the all - around look of Kodachrome, but it is a slide film that I do not have the equipment to print form (also way too pricey).

Soo - does anybody have reccomendations for a color film for lanscape / architectural photo work? I'm looking for something with fairly accurate color, medium saturation and nice fine grain ... and also something good for portrait work, which I've recently begun to play around with.

Any suggestions?

I can't help you much with landscape (100UC would be my guess). For architectural I'd use 100t for tung, NPL for mixed and 160 nc for daylight. I suspect 160s does a good job but can't recommend it for lack of experience.

For portraiture I'd use 160nc

mark · May 31, 2006

I really like 160NC.

You are really going to have to go buy a role of each and shoot them side by side to decide what will work for you. Film choice is as personal as toilet paper preference. WHat is comfortable to another may be a bit too scratchy for your tastes.

Claire Senft · May 31, 2006

What pinholemaster said,

langedp · Jun 4, 2006

Another vote for 160VC for landscape. Printed on Ultra Endura works best for me.

Color [negative] film reccomendations?

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