Fuji Press 800

[OldBodyOldSoul]

I have never shot this film before. Tomorrow morning I am heading out of town and thinking if I should take the five rolls of Press 800 I recently got as a gift with me.

It's winter here, tomorrow will be overcast but probably bright (no snow though) and I will be shooting outside. The main subject will be the life in a small town. I am hoping to grab some shots of local people, but portraiture will not be my main goal (not in the standard sense anyway). I've heard that this film is terrible with skin tones and that it's not easy to scan. My initial idea was to shoot b&w only but, after some thinking, I realized that it would be nice to get certain shots in color. This is the only color film in 35mm I have at the moment, so it's either that or no color.

Any advice? Should I skip Press 800 and keep it for regular day snapshooting or should I give it a try? Rate it at 600 and hope for the best? Take into account the fact that this is for fun so it's not like I will pay dearly if I make a wrong decision. I do expect to make some shots that will mean to me more than everyday shots, so it's not like I don't care either.

Thanks.

 

[markbarendt]

Shoot at box speed and have fun.

If you get pushed into a corner where you need to over expose don't sweat it, just do what it takes, it will probably give nice results at 200 or even 100 in a pinch.

If you have any doubt on exposure add a bit.

I've shot some and wasn't disappointed, wasn't expecting 160S results either, but still it was a nice film.

 

[CGW]

It's a great available light film with fast glass. Press is just Superia 800 on a 36 shot roll. Rated at 500-640, it outperforms Superia 400 in terms of reasonable grain, contrast and saturation. Superia 200 might be the film for your shooting plans. Outdoors with 800, you'll be shooting with very small apertures and/or very fast shutter speeds.

 

[perkeleellinen]

I like it, it's a nice film - one of the best Superias. I also shoot it at 640, often in daylight. It's a little more punchy than 800Z not much, just a little. I also think it has less grain than 800Z. As CGW says, outdoors will imply small apertures, a good thing if you want to be lazy with focusing.

 

[BrianShaw]

I've used it in gymnasiums and always get surprised by how well it holds up against Mercury vapor lights. When mixed with a modest amount of sunlight it almost looks natural.

 

[OldBodyOldSoul]

Mark, CGW, Steve and Brian, thanks a lot.

I will bring it with me and see what it looks like. High speed will help in most shots but some I have in mind might prove a bit tricky (f/1.4-f/2.8, mostly; 1/2000 top speed of F3). I hate ND filters but tomorrow they'll be my friends.

 

[albada]

Any advice? Should I skip Press 800 and keep it for regular day snapshooting or should I give it a try?

I've shot and scanned a lot of Press 800.
Colors are okay. I color-correct when scanning, so I wouldn't notice a bit of color-shift.
Scanning is okay.
It likes to be overexposed. I habitually rate it at 400, unless dim indoor light forces me higher.
Outdoors, expose for shade, and let its latitude cover sun-lit areas.
If underexposed, grain quickly gets bad.

Mark Overton

 

[OldBodyOldSoul]

Thanks Mark. I have packed the film and I will shoot it somewhere between 400 and 600, depending on how bright the day is.

Off to bed now, getting up in five hours.

 

[M. Lointain]

I shoot it a lot for family pictures. I think it is a fantastic film. It deals with mixed light tremendously well and it is easy to scan (Nikon 4000). The grain is really nice too.