Good Slide Film to Start

[brofkand]

I've been really enjoying the latitude I have with black and white negative film, but I think to really 100% understand exposure and things like that, I really need to get some experience shooting slide film.

So, my question is this: what is a good slide film to get started with (35mm), and where should I go (or mail off) to get developed? Thanks!

 

[DBP]

Kodachrome, while you can.

 

[Alexander Ghaffari]

If you want to learn how to expose properly, I would go with Kodachrome 64. It has taught me how to shoot meterless quite well.

 

[tinyfailures]

It depends on what you are shooting and the effect you are going for. I would choose Astia 100F indoors and Velvia 100 outdoors. But Velvia is a pretty saturated film and you either love or hate it.

 

[Polybun]

For playing around with I like the Fujichrome Provia 100. There are films with more acurate color and better resolution, but provia is cheaper than those films, and it cross processes well.

 

[Kevin Kehler]

I would agree with tinyfailures, it depends on what you want. Velvia is pretty standard for landscapes because it produces vibrant (read saturated) colours. I use Fuji's Provia 100 for my slides because it gives nice natural colours in natural light but everything is yellowish in artificial light. When I did a series of stained glass windows in churches, the colour was excellent with the light streaming through the windows (very accurate) but poor for detailed interior work. I have used Kodak's Portra - nice for weddings or portraits but not my style; something I needed explaining to me the first time I bought Kodak slide film, "NC" stands for "Neutral Colour" and "VC" for "Vivid Colour". Vivid has more punch/saturation but is supposed to look better under artificial lights; I think (no scientific evidence for this comment) they add more red dye to counter the green effects of fluorescent bulbs so you need to watch your filters a little more carefully.

 

[ron110n]

Portrait, people and indoors = Fuji Astia (Colors what your eyes see)
General photgraphy, Parks = Fuji Provia,
Landscape = Fuji Velvia 100F, Ektachrome 100G
Tons of contrasty colors but NEVER shoot on people = Fuji Velvia 100

 

[kraker]

Kodachrome, while you can.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[driver8]

I like Fujichrome Sensia 100. Many say it's undersaturated but it is what I like. Otherwise, I think, very good film to start, and one of the most inexpensive too.

 

[ron110n]

Of course, never under estimate a Fuji sensia.

http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e50/ronnie_angel/Canada/?action=view&current=Image1.jpg

http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e50/ronnie_angel/Canada/?action=view&current=Image33copy.jpg

 

[Ian Grant]

Again another thumbs up for Fuji Velvia 100, or maybe Sensia.

You should try Kodachrome as well before it disappears.

Ian

 

[2F/2F]

I am surprised that no one has suggested a fast film. I would start with Provia or Sensia 400, because the faster film will let you shoot hand held in more situations, and they are E-6.

IMO, Kodachrome for this purpose is not the best choice. It is almost as slow as you can get nowadays (less versatile), has less-than-accurate color (which can lead you slightly astray re: exposure techniques), it is expensive, and there is only one lab in the world that processes it. It is a fine film, and you should shoot some to try it, but an E-6 film would be a better choice for what you are talking about.

IMO, the faster the better. The 400 over 100 gives you two stops more to play with, so you will be able to shoot in more various lighting conditions. It is true that it has more latitude than the slower films, so will be a little more forgiving. I think the benefits outweigh this, and if you analyze carefully enough, you will be able to see 1/3-stop variations, which as as much as you need to see for any purpose. Also, its contrast *more* closely (not closely *period*) resembles most neg films' and the human brain's interpretation of a scene, so it will be better training for shooting neg film.

 

[brofkand]

OK, I see there are two kinds of Kodachrome: normal and "Professional." Besides nomenclature, what is the difference?

I'm definitely going to buy a few rolls of Kodachrome. I may also pick up some Velvia or some other slide film as well. Thanks for the suggestions so far!

 

[wogster]

Kodachrome, while you can.

I would suggest someone new to slide work, do a test roll of Kodachrome to experience it, but don't spend a lot of time with it, because that time will all be wasted in a year or two, when they discontinue it.

 

[Stephen Schoof]

Velvia 50 is my favorite, beating out both 100 versions.

 

[A_T]

I like Kodak Elite Chrome 100.

 

[Ian Grant]

Velvia 50 is my favorite, beating out both 100 versions.

50D then Velvia 50 have been my favourite slide films since their release for 35mm work, but I would suggest it for someone staring with slide film, nor would I recommend a 400 ISO film unless the photographer was specifically shoot sports or something else where high shutter speeds are preferable.

The bad slide films have long disappeared and all slide films from Fuji or Kodak are excellent, not like the poorer quality Sakura(Konica) and Ferrania(3M) that were once around.

Ian

 

[Pupfish]

Astia 100F continues to impress me as being closest in dynamic range and color accuracy to K64 of old (albeit with much finer grain than K64). It also can be processed anywhere E6 developing yet exists-- in little more than a dark closet at home should you need results within a half an hour (for testing studio flash or hot light set ups for color balance, etc). What's more, should you decide to move up in formats, 120 and 4x5 are no problem.

p.s. it can be pushed a couple of stops.
p.s.s. it has very nice reciprocity characteristics

 

[domaz]

Astia 400 in 120 is great stuff. One of the only slide films you can really walk around with comfortably without using a tripod on Medium Format. Probably wouldn't be so good on 35mm though as I could find grain pretty easily even on 120.

 

[GeoffHill]

I like Provia400X, its not much more grainy that the 100 version, no wierd greens like from velvia, and fast enough to hand hold nearly all the time

 

[Alexander Ghaffari]

I am surprised that it has not yet been mentioned, but although I love Astia 100F, it is not the best choice of slide film when it comes to learning dead-on exposures. It certainly has a wider exposure latitude than Kodachrome 64, as well as other slide films, and it is way too forgiving in unfiltered mixed lighting situations compared to other slide films. It is almost as if it has more modern technology in it than some film that was last updated several decades ago! ; )

So while I think Astia 100F is amazing, I would not use it with the primary goal of learning correct exposures. Also, from the few bracketed rolls of 120 Provia 400X that I have shot, it, too, seems that it has a slightly wider exposure latitude than some other slide films. If someone knows of a film with less exposure latitude than Kodachrome 64, please let me know because I would not mind fine-tuning my meterless metering using my brain. : ) Perhaps an older emulsion like Ektachrome 64 (Japan Only, but a few rolls left in America), Ektachrome 100 (recently discontinued), or Ektachrome 100 Plus (a little pricey)? I do not know, since I have not yet shot any of those emulsions.

Once you have exposure down, I would suggest trying out Astia 100F indoors and Velvia 50 and 100 outdoors without people (the 100 when you need a little more speed, and not the 100F). Ektachrome 100G is nice for product photography (so controlled lighting there). I also use Astia 100F in 120/220 for outdoor portraiture (wonderful film).

Remember that you should not be afraid to go against your meter's reading because you are the photographer, and you know what the correct exposure should be once you are comfortable shooting low latitude slide film in all kinds of situations. Best of luck! : )

 

[Silverhead]

For starting out, I would recommend Sensia 100 or 200. They're of good quality and very affordable, so you can burn through a bunch of film in that mistake-making initial period and not cry too much, financially.

Once you've got the handle of how slide films handle different situations, I would graduate up to something of higher quality. Starting with fast films, Fuji's Provia 400X is fantastic stuff. It's got the tightest grain I've ever seen in a high-speed slide film, and the color saturation is gorgeous. For 200 ISO, I would go with Kodak's Ektachrome E200...for much the same reasons. 100 ISO...for great skin tones, I would go with Fuji Astia. If you want more color, then either Provia 100 or Kodak Ektachrome E100G, or E100VS if you really want to bump up the color.

 

[StorminMatt]

I would suggest someone new to slide work, do a test roll of Kodachrome to experience it, but don't spend a lot of time with it, because that time will all be wasted in a year or two, when they discontinue it.

I would not say that time spent shooting Kodachrome is time wasted. After all, it has been said that if you can nail the exposure with Kodachrome, you can nail it with ANYTHING.

 

[nickrapak]

If the primary objective of your shooting slide film is to gain experience with metering, I would absolutely recommend Kodachrome.

If, however, metering is not the main issue, I would recommend starting with Sensia 100 or Elite Chrome 100. These films are cheaper than the "pro" fims, and are in a middling range in terms of saturation. This is helpful when starting out. After a few rolls, you can move to different films, or, if it works for you, stay with the consumer films.

 

[wogster]

I would not say that time spent shooting Kodachrome is time wasted. After all, it has been said that if you can nail the exposure with Kodachrome, you can nail it with ANYTHING.

If you really want to learn exposure, shoot d*****l, the exposure latitude is practically nil. Although I think one learns a lot about exposure, from simply using a camera, if you have a film you like, and use regularly, then you really don't need to be more accurate then it's forgiveness. Having said that though, even in B&W which has the widest latitude, the further you get from an ideal exposure, the harder it is to get a good print. A good "tell" on exposure with negative films is a contact sheet, if it takes a 10 second exposure with a "perfect" negative, then frames that are lighter or darker are where you have gotten off the beaten track. I think the same would apply to colour negatives as well, if you dial in the recommended filtration and expose a contact sheet for the proper time, the ones that look good are where the exposure is good, the ones that are off, are off in the exposure department. For slides one needs a light table, put all the slides out, and turn on the light, and see where they look good and look off.

I've been making photographs for over 30 years, seen hundreds of rolls of film and you want to know how much of that is on Kodachrome, not one roll. I for one will not miss Kodachrome, I live in Canada's largest city, and local dealers haven't had any in years anyway.