Does 35mm color slide film have a future?

IMG_6621.jpeg

A
IMG_6621.jpeg

  • 0
  • 0
  • 48
Carved bench

A
Carved bench

  • 0
  • 3
  • 112
Anthotype-5th:6:25.jpg

A
Anthotype-5th:6:25.jpg

  • 6
  • 4
  • 152
Spain

A
Spain

  • 2
  • 0
  • 108

Recent Classifieds

Forum statistics

Threads
198,060
Messages
2,769,044
Members
99,549
Latest member
fishboy
Recent bookmarks
0
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Messages
5,462
Location
.
Format
Digital
I’m glad slide film is still around and am thinking about giving it a try in 120 and 4x5. Mainly out of curiosity, but if I get good results I’ll offer it to clients.

There is a lot more homework involved before you even go near clients with a new idea! And procedures and processes that one is accustomed to with C41, B&W take on a whole new level of precision.

It could well be a fraught exercise unless you have a very proficient grasp of hybrid printing methodology and techniques to maximise the visial/viewing impact that is so much a hallmark of prints from transparencies. Darkroom-produced RA-4 prints just do not cut it with discerning clients, especially if you are producing for galleres and/or collectors.

We shall see then, won't we! E6 may come back or not.
PE

Touch wood.
But I am not holding out for a full tilt revival of E6.
 

trendland

Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2012
Messages
3,398
Format
Medium Format
We shall see then, won't we! E6 may come back or not.

PE

I see a serious need to a big - a
"very big" - marketing campaign from Kodak to support an E6 revival with new
Ektachrome in a massive and very aggressive way .In addition I see a need of strategic alliances with other companies.
For example with Lomo to bring out a very cheap slide projector. I will not need such projectors but the market will need it.And Kodak will need all of this - to create a "hype" with E6.
But as you said before PE. : " We shall see then, won't we!:D......

with regards
 

bvy

Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2009
Messages
3,285
Location
Pittsburgh
Format
Multi Format
E6 has a future if it's marketed to the digital/hybrid crowd. Can't afford the latest greatest 50 megapixel camera? Shoot and scan slides instead.

Seriously, enough people aren't projecting slides to sustain its existence on that platform. Ilfochrome is gone, so you can't (easily) print them in the darkroom. Most people shooting slides today are scanning them and either sharing them online or making inkjet prints from them. And why not? They scan easily, have tons of resolution, and require very little prep to make presentable/printable.

Stop trying to appease the old audience and work on finding a new one.
 
Joined
Aug 29, 2017
Messages
9,317
Location
New Jersey formerly NYC
Format
Multi Format

Wallendo

Subscriber
Joined
Mar 23, 2013
Messages
1,409
Location
North Carolina
Format
35mm
It's an 11 year old topic, and the original poster hasn't posted for 10 years, but the question was answered. He wanted to know if slide film would be available in 5-10 years and it still is.

Maybe we can revisit this topic in 2027 and see if we get the same answer.
 

Punker

Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2015
Messages
153
Location
Los Angeles,
Format
Multi Format
To save slide film they need to diversify the market. When Ektachrome was announced I was excited but now I don't even know if I care. Do we really need another 100-speed slide film (assuming that's what it will be) when what we're desperately in need of is a 400 high-speed film? Color negative has so many different speeds and types, that it's hard not to choose it over slide, especially for traveling or everyday use when walking around. I don't generally carry a flash with me and if all I have are 50 or 100 speed options, I'll just grab a 400 speed roll of color neg and be on my way.
 
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Messages
5,462
Location
.
Format
Digital
It's an 11 year old topic, and the original poster hasn't posted for 10 years, but the question was answered. He wanted to know if slide film would be available in 5-10 years and it still is.

Maybe we can revisit this topic in 2027 and see if we get the same answer.

Your point is valid. But it is worthwhile remembering that the analogue landscape is very considerably changed since this thread was created a decade ago. Yes, transparency film is still available -- greatly reduced in variety, much higher in cost and indisputably on its way out from which there is no retirn. It is widely held in professional circles that Fujifilm will exit the analogue market entirely in the future, maybe even as soon as 2020 with more emulsions to be culled the most likely scenario in the middle of 2018, among them the last bastions of E6. The scenario then is...? The collapsed market will then be insignificant for any manufacturer to want to take notice of. Never mind Kodak and its dreamers.
 

Sirius Glass

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
50,252
Location
Southern California
Format
Multi Format
I think it has a place in the market. I will follow what happens to the newly resurrected Ektachrome even though I have moved to shooting negative film only.
 

trendland

Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2012
Messages
3,398
Format
Medium Format
It's an 11 year old topic, and the original poster hasn't posted for 10 years, but the question was answered. He wanted to know if slide film would be available in 5-10 years and it still is.

Maybe we can revisit this topic in 2027 and see if we get the same answer.

Well - Wallendo - it is nice from you to ask
about the avaibility to E6 films in 10 years.But I believe - looking to the respose from the market now - we can answer this question in a very short form.
Your question inplies the answer.
But (to me) you have to spread your time horizont a bit.
I have no worry about avaibility of E6 in
10 years. The films are freezed at home.
I indeed worry much more about todays pricing - perhaps I need some more films.
And I will not buy 5 or 6 fims in addition.
2 $ more a film is 200$ more from one day to the next after new pricing.....to 100 films....:redface::cry:!
An other example : Gepe pricing to 6x6 glasless $ 7,45 (to 20 pices of mounts) in 2004, last year it was $ 13,95 (20pices)
last week I noticed $ 18,95 AND $ 24,-:surprised:
(6x4,5 mounts) some dealers priced it $32,- :cry::cry:.
So my prophecy is the following :
12 month after the last E6 film has been sold you would be happy to find any E6 service.
So todays issue to each photographer who want to hold on E6 has to be: to store the full infrastructure to E6 in advance.
Well that is a nice task with E6 developer kits:cry::cry::mad::sad:!
So you are on the way to get raw chemicals for homebrew E6 developers.
If you will not do so you have to pay $ 37,-
to each E6 development the last E6 lab on earth will offer.
Perhaps some of us remember the desaster with K14 (Film and Super8) at the end.
So the hope has to be (after Fuji has shown such unreliable behavement I personaly never had expect) that Kodak will postpone the final end to E6 for some time.
The longer the better:whistling:........

with regards

PS : We are in a simple situation in concern of E6 future. What we can notice are : "self-reinforcing developments"
IN BOTH DIRECTIONS ! ....from possibility!
 

trendland

Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2012
Messages
3,398
Format
Medium Format
It's an 11 year old topic, and the original poster hasn't posted for 10 years, but the question was answered. He wanted to know if slide film would be available in 5-10 years and it still is.

Maybe we can revisit this topic in 2027 and see if we get the same answer.

Well - Wallendo - it is nice from you to ask
about the avaibility to E6 films in 10 years.But I believe - looking to the respose from the market now - we can answer this question in a very short form.
Your question inplies the answer.
But (to me) you have to spread your time horizont a bit.
I have no worry about avaibility of E6 in
10 years. The films are freezed at home.
I indeed worry much more about todays pricing - perhaps I need some more films.
And I will not buy 5 or 6 fims in addition.
2 $ more a film is 200$ more from one day to the next after new pricing.....to 100 films....:redface::cry:!
An other example : Gepe pricing to 6x6 glasless $ 7,45 (to 20 pices of mounts) in 2004, last year it was $ 13,95 (20pices)
last week I noticed $ 18,95 AND $ 24,-:surprised:
(6x4,5 mounts) some dealers priced it $32,- :cry::cry:.
So my prophecy is the following :
12 month after the last E6 film has been sold you would be happy to find any E6 service.
So todays issue to each photographer who want to hold on E6 has to be: to store the full infrastructure to E6 in advance.
Well that is a nice task with E6 developer kits:cry::cry::mad::sad:!
So you are on the way to get raw chemicals for homebrew E6 developers.
If you will not do so you have to pay $ 37,-
to each E6 development the last E6 lab on earth will offer.
Perhaps some of us remember the desaster with K14 (Film and Super8) at the end.
So the hope has to be (after Fuji has shown such unreliable behavement I personaly never had expect) that Kodak will postpone the final end to E6 for some time.
The longer the better:whistling:........

with regards

PS : We are in a simple situation in concern of E6 future. What we can notice are : "self-reinforcing developments"
IN BOTH DIRECTIONS ! ....from possibility!
 

trendland

Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2012
Messages
3,398
Format
Medium Format
Sorry for this - my intention wasn't to post it in this multible form. ....
What the hell is firefox doing :mad:...
with regards
 

Ste_S

Member
Joined
Nov 10, 2017
Messages
396
Location
Birmingham, UK
Format
Multi Format
To save slide film they need to diversify the market. When Ektachrome was announced I was excited but now I don't even know if I care. Do we really need another 100-speed slide film (assuming that's what it will be) when what we're desperately in need of is a 400 high-speed film? Color negative has so many different speeds and types, that it's hard not to choose it over slide, especially for traveling or everyday use when walking around. I don't generally carry a flash with me and if all I have are 50 or 100 speed options, I'll just grab a 400 speed roll of color neg and be on my way.

High(er) speed colour film of both slide and negative types seems to be on the decline sadly. Obviously more choice with negative at the moment, but even with that the amount of choice seems to be dropping. It's getting that if you want to shoot colour without a tripod/flash in low light, you're shooting digital.
 
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Messages
279
Location
Balearic Islands, Spain
Format
35mm
Kodak has said they will prodeuce the new Ektachrome at a smaller scale adjusted to demand.
I hope that the new Ektachrome is reasonably priced and that it catches on well, if Kodak announced say a Ektachrome 400 maybe say a year after the launch of E100 i would really be very happy, ( Agfachrome RS 1000 and Ektachrome P1600 were the business :smile: )
The truth is that the demand for high speed films, say 800 and above is not very big, and if there isn't money to be made companies won't make it, film is niche, slide films is a niche within a niche, and a fast slide film is a niche within a niche within a niche.
At the moment we have Provia 100F which can be pushed to 400 and it gives pretty good results at those speeds.
Slide film has a future, i hope that one day Fuji comes back around like Kodak has, Fujichrome 50T, MS 100/1000, Provia 400X... awesome films that are gone, sadly mostly because of lack of demand.
 

AgX

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2007
Messages
29,973
Location
Germany
Format
Multi Format
For example with Lomo to bring out a very cheap slide projector. I will not need such projectors but the market will need it.

At least here one is thrown at with dirt cheap 35mm projectors. Letting the whole Lomography scene aside (which influence I nevertheless do not underestimate) there is no need for a new projector.
 

trendland

Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2012
Messages
3,398
Format
Medium Format
At least here one is thrown at with dirt cheap 35mm projectors. Letting the whole Lomography scene aside (which influence I nevertheless do not underestimate) there is no need for a new projector.

Sure to me, to you AgX and to all people who are a very little informed about projector equipment and pricing to used stuff - there is also no need to new slide projectors.
But an urgend need to Kodak is still there.
And to E6 films in general the need to new E6 equipment is existentielly important.
We may compare this situation with Kodak's plan to revival Super 8. There is also no need to bring out new Super8 cameras.
But it is a different point of view. You can't esteblish Super8 films again and tell the people : There are tons of used cameras on ebay to cheapest pricing.
Because of 1) some consumers are looking foreward to Super8 (hipsters) and they want new smart equipment.
2) if Kodaks plan to create a new hype with Super8 would work succsessfully -
you soon would have a market situation were used equipment is sold out and high
priced.
Therefore you need own equipment (Kodak Super8 Camera) to generate own profit.
Super8 (from plan with hipster Super8 equipment) is failed before its beginning.
But Kodak will bring out Super8 films.
The alternate to such (failed concept) would have been to count from the first days of conception on slide projection with E6 still films. AND in addition on create a plan with Super8.
The concept on digitized Super8 films and sound via sd cart is a genious plan
but the target group is much much to smal.
Young ambitioned film makers would possible have a look to proffessionals and with the exeption to Quentin Tarantino they work 100% digital in 2018/2019.
Today the work digital 92% .....:cry:.
So young film makers would have a look to cheap digital methods via Canon EoS
a.s.o.
From resume Kodaks genious plans are genious from technical concerns (look on pricing to proffessional Super8 digitizing in best quality today - and compare with Kodak's concept).
So you soon will find out - Kodak's solution via transmitting is with more quality and real cheap.
But from businessplan it is a stillbirth (failed before beginning).
I had the idea from the first moment I heard about Kodak's Super8 revival -
that the concept with a ~ $1000,- Super8 hipster camera would not work.
But I also don't work in Kodak's management department AND I don't want this job.
Hope E6 still film will be a big succsess.
It would better work with a brand new slide projector in retro design to cheap pricing in cooperation with lomo.
But I wasn't ask about - therefore this late statement to Super8 equipment and the possibilitys to push E6 (without waiting
for crowdfounding like kickstarter) a bit more.

with regards
 

AgX

Member
Joined
Apr 5, 2007
Messages
29,973
Location
Germany
Format
Multi Format
What price would a new 35mm projector have?
The last samples of three models of the stock of a german manufacturer were offered at their shop recently at 260€ to 360€ (AF, 250W) until a few weeks ago. Now they are gone.
 
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Messages
279
Location
Balearic Islands, Spain
Format
35mm
Provia 100F can be pushed two stops??? I never considered it.
Yes, if you go to the datasheet Fuji says RDPIII can be pushed up +1 / +2 with good results, from what i've been told 200 is barely noticeable, and 400 has a bit more contrast but is still fine.
It's a damn shame we no longer have 400X or 400F, those were the finest grained 400 speed films in the world at the time i believe.
 

NJH

Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2013
Messages
702
Location
Dorset
Format
Multi Format
On the subject of speed honestly I prefer how the grain/dye clouds appear on slide film to colour negative film when scanned. Velvia in particular has a sort of painterly look to it which I find quite satisfying. Thus if I was going hybrid I would personally prefer to see a 400 speed or more slide film with a palette like Astia, that would be just about perfect. Its not just speed that is the problem we are stuck with a choice between films that are all high to very contrast and saturation, which is odd because for many people that look was easily satisfied by digital imaging (I don't agree with them but undoubtably this was true for most photographers).
 
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Messages
5,462
Location
.
Format
Digital
What price would a new 35mm projector have?
The last samples of three models of the stock of a german manufacturer were offered at their shop recently at 260€ to 360€ (AF, 250W) until a few weeks ago. Now they are gone.

Spied a Leitz Pradovit projector (NOS) in dealer window today. $1,999 (Australian dollars).
What are you waiting for??
 

tomfrh

Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2015
Messages
653
Location
Sydney, Aust
Format
Medium Format
Yes, if you go to the datasheet Fuji says RDPIII can be pushed up +1 / +2 with good results, from what i've been told 200 is barely noticeable, and 400 has a bit more contrast but is still fine

I've tried pushing all these Fuji slide films. In my opinion they work best at box speed, with perhaps minor variation (e.g. a lot of people like to rate velvia at 40). Slide film simply has too little range to go throwing away your shoulders.

Provia 100F can be pushed two stops??? I never considered it

If you're happy with rough results.
 
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Messages
5,462
Location
.
Format
Digital
I've tried pushing all these Fuji slide films. In my opinion they work best at box speed, with perhaps minor variation (e.g. a lot of people like to rate velvia at 40). Slide film simply has too little range to go throwing away your shoulders.

I don't push or pull any of them, there is no need to. If you load one of these films and suddenly find you need a higher speed, you have the wrong film, simple as that. Switch to negative film. Provia 400X is still available here in Australia as legacy stock, albeit none too cheaply.

They do indeed work as intended at box speed, but there are some format tricks: in 35mm, it is common to rate RVP50 at EI40 or, for high key with poor highlight control, EI32 (both speeds are good for printing), and exposed at 0.3 steps. The smaller format packs in all the contrast RVP is known for with precious little breathing space, so exposure can be hit and miss in marginal conditions. In MF and LF, box speed and 0.5 steps — some 6x17 photographers work at 1.0 step. Anything more than 0.3 will have a very noticeable effect on all of these emulsions e.g. 0.6 compared to 0.5. Maybe insignificant to some if all you are doing is projecting, but printing is a loss process and exposure has to be considered with that loss in mind.

As with all things in photographic practice, experience provides a great reference point.
 
Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here.

PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY:



Ilford ADOX Freestyle Photographic Stearman Press Weldon Color Lab Blue Moon Camera & Machine
Top Bottom