Finest 'grained' colour film

kram · Sep 10, 2007

Hi, What is currently finest 'grained' (yes I know it's dye, but you know what I mean) colour film out there. Good old Kodak Ektar 25ASA, long gone, Konica did a 50ASA film, also long gone. So what currently is the finest film, Fuji Reala? The new(ish) 160ASA's from Kodak and Fuji? Surely there's is something more fine 'grained' than Reala (its been around abit), is there:confused:

Paul Howell · Sep 10, 2007

I assume you what a negaitive film not slide?

Craig · Sep 10, 2007

I'd be guessing Velvia. Velvia 100 was finer than the old 50, I don't know about the new 50.

Michel Hardy-Vallée · Sep 10, 2007

The latest Portra films from Kodak (those who got optmimized for scanning) are really looking good in the grain dept. Ditto for the latest version of E100.

Paul Howell · Sep 10, 2007

Is E100 finer than Kodachrome 64?

David A. Goldfarb · Sep 10, 2007

For color neg, I'd guess Portra 160NC.

jd callow · Sep 10, 2007

Reala was finer than the old Portras, and 100uc seemed to be in the same ball park. I've yet to use the new Portras and I nolonger have a darkroom to check.

David A. Goldfarb · Sep 10, 2007

Here's a grain comparison I posted a while back--old Portra 160NC, new Portra 160NC, new Portra 160VC:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Michel Hardy-Vallée · Sep 10, 2007

Paul Howell said:
Is E100 finer than Kodachrome 64?

Probably. K64 is a trad grain emulsion; E100 is T-grained.

In projection, it's hard to see because both films are fine and sharp; in scans E100G is finer grained but it's also because it was optimized for better scanning.

copake_ham · Sep 10, 2007

David A. Goldfarb said:
Here's a grain comparison I posted a while back--old Portra 160NC, new Portra 160NC, new Portra 160VC:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

David,

It was interesting to see this old thread (guess I did my job and killed it! ).

We're headed up for a quickie trip to Maine this coming weekend and I'm just assembling the kit. I'd already decided to "blow" some of the last of my Portra samples - packing a roll each of 400/NC in 35 and 120.

Sadly, out of the 160 or I'd use it instead (I think - keeping an eye on the weather) - but I do want to get more familiar with this film.

Dorian Gray · Sep 10, 2007

I would think Astia 100F would be finer grained than any colour neg material, but I've never actually tested this. It certainly has extremely fine grain: noticeably finer than Velvia.

naturephoto1 · Sep 10, 2007

As far as Fujichrome transparency films, Astia I believe has an RMS granularity of 7 and Veliva 100 has an RMS granularity of 8. I am not sure of the granularity of the new Velvia 50 (old used to be 9) or the new Provia 100 films. Also, I do not know the granularity of the available Ektachrome films.

Rich

AgX · Sep 11, 2007

Most probably Ilford Micrographic. But deadslow and with a sensitivity cut-out...

kram · Sep 13, 2007

Thanks of the response folks, the question relates to colour neg film. So there's no slow fine grin film out there? The new 160 films from Fuji and Kodak have got it sown up or have they?

Michel Hardy-Vallée · Sep 13, 2007

Kram, the new 160 negative films from both Kodak and Fuji have incredibly fine grain. Go for them.

kram · Sep 14, 2007

Michel - I am using them at the moment. I am pleased with them but I was wondering is there anything finer than them?

Michel Hardy-Vallée · Sep 14, 2007

In terms of available colour negative, my answer would be no.

Some people have born-again experiences with secret stashes of Ektar 25, but I mean, for the price of uncovering such a trove in a worthwhile manner, moving up to 120 or LF is a better investment.

I haven't yet been able to print 35mm 160 film on an 11x14, but I'm hoping to do so when I can find a suitable print drum. So far I do only 8x10 and I'm giddy with excitement.

Slide films might also be extremely fine grained and sharp, but unless you plan on doing Ilfochromes, you're pretty much have to go digital.

nworth · Sep 19, 2007

A while back, it was Fuji Astia, which was a hair finer grained than the old Velvia. I'm not sure how the new Velvia 50 fits in. In general, reversal films have finer grain than negative films of the same speed. But people make too much of an issue of grain. The grain in many of the current films is too small to be insignificant for enlargements less than 14X17. Even when the grain becomes visible, it usually does not detract from the picture. The way the film renders the colorrs and the scenic values is far more important.

aldevo · Sep 23, 2007

mhv said:
Probably. K64 is a trad grain emulsion; E100 is T-grained.

In projection, it's hard to see because both films are fine and sharp; in scans E100G is finer grained but it's also because it was optimized for better scanning.

The latest-generation Fuji Astia, I believe, has the lowest published RMS Granularity number. E100G is pretty much even with Fuji Provia where grain is concerned and Fuji states that Astia is finer-grained than Provia.

Astia does not quite have the edge sharpness of Provia, E100G, or Velvia, however. It's contrast, color saturation are also lower.

braxus · Sep 24, 2007

Aside from slide film being finer grained then neg film, and neg film generally being sharper, I'd say Kodak 100UC and either Reala 100 or better yet Fuji 160S being the finest.

keithwms · Sep 24, 2007

kram said:
Michel - I am using them at the moment. I am pleased with them but I was wondering is there anything finer than them?

They are already very fine, you'll just have to shoot a larger format to see less grain in your enlargements Fuji 160S is available through 8x10.

I recently printed some 6x9cm 160s rated at 120 and the overall effect was quite a bit like slide in terms of saturation and smoothness. Not quite the same astonishing level of detail, though.

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