Ektar + Crystal Archive - starting filtration

hoffy · Feb 22, 2012

Howdy All,

I havent given Ektar a try yet printing it on Fuji Crystal Archive optically and plan to do so this weekend.

Is anyone able to give me a pointer to the filter pack I should be starting with? I have gotten Fuji Reala & 400H reasonably close. How would the Ektar filter pack compare to these films?

Cheers

DREW WILEY · Feb 22, 2012

It's hard to compare different colorheads. I'd just begin with whatever
worked for your previous negs. That's what I did when I began printing
Ektar and it didn't take much time to do the fine tuning. Besides this I had
a very minor adjustment between CA Super C and the newer Type II. A bigger problem will be the idiosyncrasies with Ektar regarding color temp, but gross corrections in this dept can only be done when the shot is originally taken. It's a little less forgiving than traditional color neg films
but also quite rewarding once you've figured it out.

hoffy · Feb 22, 2012

Sure, I actually wasn't after values, moreso a comparison between filtration on this film compared to the Fuji films I listed above - I.E., 'Ektar requires much more (insert colour) then film Y'.

From what I have seen from scans, the reds are going to be the key - but this is from auto lab scans, which may be a bit fuddy anyway.

I'll just have to suck it and see!

Mike Wilde · Feb 23, 2012

The best 'waste' of a shot, when you are learning to print colour, is to make at least one sho on the roll with a grey card substantially filling the frame, and not shadowed by you or the camera. It need not be in focus.

Then when you are trialling to get the right pack, you can lay the grey card beside the print you have made and dried.

I know it sounds dumb, but try it for a roll or two.

tim elder · Feb 23, 2012

I have found that it needs a different amount of magenta filtration compared to other Kodak films. The base is more magenta than orange and this needs to be filtered by around 10 - 20 points on the enlarger head.

-Tim

DREW WILEY · Feb 23, 2012

????? How are you processing that film, Tim? Are you sure you are talking about the base, or something completely different? The orange mask is very similar in value to that on Portra films.
What format? I've shot and printed Ektar on everything from roll film to 8X10 (haven't printed any
35mm yet).

hoffy · Feb 23, 2012

Mike Wilde said:
The best 'waste' of a shot, when you are learning to print colour, is to make at least one sho on the roll with a grey card substantially filling the frame, and not shadowed by you or the camera. It need not be in focus.

Then when you are trialling to get the right pack, you can lay the grey card beside the print you have made and dried.

I know it sounds dumb, but try it for a roll or two.

That doesn't sound dumb at all - actually quite a simple and easy comparison and one that I should try. Thanks for the suggestion

hoffy · Feb 25, 2012

OK, so I finally printed some up. Not sure if the colours were perfect, but I think they are close. Looks like the filtration was a lot more on both Magenta and Yellow. It took a few strips to get it right. Hopefully I am on the right track!

Cheers

Tom Taylor · Feb 25, 2012

0C, 45Y, 45M is a good starting pack. What you need is a print viewing filter kit and viewing station.

Thomas

hoffy · Feb 25, 2012

The viewing pack I have, the viewing station I don't.

Ektar + Crystal Archive - starting filtration

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