Fuji Astia v Kodak E100G

[coigach]

I don't use much colour film but am looking to use some low-saturated slide film for a project.

I've used Portra NC neg film and liked the muted colours and soft palate. Is Astia 100F or Kodak E100G the nearest to this 'look' in tranny film, or is there anything else I should be considering?

Thanks for your help,
Gavin

 

[nickrapak]

The best would be if you could find some Ektachrome 64 (daylight) or Ektachrome 100. These had the most neutral colors of all E-6 films, and were mostly used for product photography. Other than that, I would recommend Astia, as it is the most neutral that is still in production.

 

[kompressor]

I don't use much colour film but am looking to use some low-saturated slide film for a project.

I've used Portra NC neg film and liked the muted colours and soft palate. Is Astia 100F or Kodak E100G the nearest to this 'look' in tranny film, or is there anything else I should be considering?

Thanks for your help,
Gavin

Lokk here:Dead Link Removed

 

[John Shriver]

Astia is probably the mellowest E-6 film. All are more contrasty than Portra NC films, aside from Astia they are all more saturated as well. E100G is probably more like the Portra VC films, but it is very pretty and clean.

 

[hrst]

I shoot Fuji Sensia 100, a consumer-version of Astia 100F, a lot. I really like the low contrast and natural colour rendition that is not warm nor cool. Especially the highlight area (is it called "toe" in slide film?) is long, so highlights don't blow up so easily as they do with Provia; you don't have to err on the underexpose side so much, and it will give you more "negative film" look.

If you want even lower contrast, you might want to try rating film one stop slower and pull processing. But, you have to try it with the particular film you are going to use. I have tested pulling and can recommend it with Velvia 50; it will give overall lower contrast both in the shadows and hilights as well as midtones.

 

[DanielStone]

what format? 35mm, 120/220/4x5/8x10?

If 35 or 120, you have your options quite open.

i personally like e100g. You can also over-expose the film, say at 80, and pull 1/3 stop.

Try it and see how you like it.

Astia is very nice too though. Great on skin tones. A little flatter in the mid-tones IMO. E100g has more mid-range contrast from what I've found in my work.

-Dan

 

[StorminMatt]

When it comes to slide film, NOTHING gets you closer to the 'C41 look' than Astia. The look of E100G is MUCH more 'chrome-like' than Astia. So, if muted colors, low contrast, and high exposure latitude are what you are looking for, Astia is what you want.

As far as finding Ektachrome EPN 100, I actually think that even this film is more 'chrome-like' than Astia

 

[coigach]

Thanks for answers, very helpful.

Will give Astia 100F in 120 a go and see how I get on...

Cheers,
Gavin

 

[ajuk]

I'm not entirely convinced that Sensia is consumer Astia, I find had much more of a magenta shift when cross processed.

 

[kompressor]

the reason i use astia: http://www.tmax100.com/fashionimages/42.jpg

 

[Prest_400]

I'm not entirely convinced that Sensia is consumer Astia, I find had much more of a magenta shift when cross processed.

As far I have heard there were/are 3 different versions of Sensia.
Sensia- Provia 100 consumer version
Sensia II- Astia 100 consumer version
Sensia (new)- Provia 100F consumer version.

Whether the newer is Provia or Astia, no Idea. I haven't tried both films.

 

[Ektagraphic]

Ektachrome 64T filtered for daylight may be the best option...I am quite partial to E100G.

 

[Svitantti]

I'm not entirely convinced that Sensia is consumer Astia, I find had much more of a magenta shift when cross processed.

This is exactlye what "consumer version" used to mean - it was not as carefully stored as the pro version and had no "warranty" for minor color shifts.
The same has happened at least with the two Kodachrome versions (KR, KRP) - the pro version was kept better, while the normal or amateur version was greenish to not turn magenta so badly (or fast). [Not exactly sure about which way the colors were, as this is hearsay anyway...]

As far I have heard there were/are 3 different versions of Sensia.
Sensia- Provia 100 consumer version
Sensia II- Astia 100 consumer version
Sensia (new)- Provia 100F consumer version.

Whether the newer is Provia or Astia, no Idea. I haven't tried both films.

I have heard the two first lines and AFAIK that is correct. Dont know about the "new" one.

Nowadays Fuji itself states different RMS granularity values for Astia 100F (7), Provia 100F (8) and Sensia 100 (10). So I guess it is a different film. Of course it could still be same as old Astia or Provia (without the F) or something like that. The RMS was same for those old versions. I believe this change happened in 2003, at the same time the Astia 100F was introduced.

Here you can see info on the emulsion codes and RMS values summarized (at least for both 100F films and current Sensia 100 they are the same as Fuji states on the data sheets): http://www.cacreeks.com/films.htm

I still used to think Sensia would be Astia, but I guess its not, at least not exactly same as the 100F version of Astia.

 

[hrst]

Well, at least Sensia 100 is completely different from Provia 100F. Just shoot them and you'll notice that Sensia 100 has greater latitude, particularly in highlights, and neutral, not so vivid colors but not dull either. This is just like Astia. Provia looks different.

Emulsion codes also suggest Sensia being a sibling to Astia; Astia is RAP and Sensia RA. On the other hand, Provia is RPP and Velvia RVP. The third P is probably for "professional" .

 

[Svitantti]

True... It made me think it could be the same emulsion as the old Astia 100 (without F), as it was coded RAP and the 100F version is RAPF. Sensia 100 used to be coded RD (Provia is/was RDP) back in mid 90's and I also have a finnish photo magazine from -96 with a slide film test, saying Provia 100 has exactly same granularity and colors as Sensia 100. So it would make perfect sense that the current Sensia is same base as the old Astia, given that the RMS for Astia 100 is also 10.

 

[2F/2F]

the reason i use astia: http://www.tmax100.com/fashionimages/42.jpg

...and what reason might that be?

 

[hrst]

...and what reason might that be?

Good question, because that image is a results of much creative lighting and post-processing and can be achieved with almost any film .

Dead Link Removed
Here's the biggest reason why I like Sensia100 or Astia100: its latitude. When scanned, you can adjust curves to find details from highlights that seem quite blown out, and shadows are good as well. And, projecting the slides in a dark room will reveal this shadow detail even without any painful digital processing .

 

[kompressor]

Good question, because that image is a results of much creative lighting and post-processing and can be achieved with almost any film .

.

LOL the creativity around lighting was a asmal umbrella. Retouch/post-prod is dustspotting and colorbalancing, small dodge and burnt. Thats it. But the film gives me low contrast, larger dynamic range than other slide films. Finer structure.

Here is another example. Lighted with more than one lamp
Dead Link Removed

Also this tread is an Photo.net Astia tread:

http://photo.net/film-and-processing-forum/00RXE6

 

[Keith Tapscott.]

I don't use much colour film but am looking to use some low-saturated slide film for a project.

I've used Portra NC neg film and liked the muted colours and soft palate. Is Astia 100F or Kodak E100G the nearest to this 'look' in tranny film, or is there anything else I should be considering?

Thanks for your help,
Gavin

Just try a roll of each and see which one you prefer.

 

[Tom Kershaw]

Is there a particular reason you want to use transparency film, projection or ILFOCHROME for instance?

Tom

 

[2F/2F]

Good question, because that image is a results of much creative lighting and post-processing and can be achieved with almost any film .

Dead Link Removed
Here's the biggest reason why I like Sensia100 or Astia100: its latitude. When scanned, you can adjust curves to find details from highlights that seem quite blown out, and shadows are good as well. And, projecting the slides in a dark room will reveal this shadow detail even without any painful digital processing .

I would not call that creative, myself. Pretty straight forward. Definitely manipulated all to hell, though, at least by my definition. Looks tremendously bad to me. Might as well have shot digital if that's what you get in the end.

 

[Svitantti]

Anyway those studio-lit portraits dont give much idea about the film itself, unless you have experience from that kind of shooting. Even if they are not much manipulated afterwards.

 

[ajuk]

That looks like it's been Photoshoped.

 

[coigach]

Is there a particular reason you want to use transparency film, projection or ILFOCHROME for instance?

Tom

Hello Tom,

I've solved my problem. As I said earlier, I've used Porta NC and loved its pastel colours. The problem was I always found it a nightmare to scan as I could never quite get the hang of correcting the orange film base consistently so I got 'faithful' colours.

I know APUG isn't the place to discuss this in detail, but I can wholeheartedly recommend ColorNeg, a Photoshop plug-in that allows scanning faithful to the original negative film colour:
http://www.c-f-systems.com/Plug-ins.html

Now that I've got this fixed, I'll keep using Portra 160 NC rather than looking for a tranny film with a similar look...!

Cheers,
Gavin

 

[Tom Kershaw]

Thanks for the link