High Speed Novice here, recommend some high speed 35mm for concert work.

TheOtherEast · Sep 28, 2008

I've shot the occasional concert with a DSLR, but I'd like to try my hand at at shooting with my SLR and some high speed film. I've never shot with anything over 400 so I'm a bit clueless in this department. I'd prefer color, but if someone thinks a particular B&W is spectacular I'm all ears.

Thanks!

Ian Grant · Sep 28, 2008

Over the years I've found that the best film film still available XP2 I uprate to 1600 EI and push process in C41 chemistry. The colour films I used to use are long gone - the special push process Fuji & Kodak slide films. Over the past 3 or 4 years I've been shooting well over 100 live performance each year and unfortunately the withdrawal of the colour films I used has meant I no longer use film.

Ian

pentaxuser · Sep 28, 2008

The fastest colour neg film I know of is Fuji 1600 whereas in B&W there's some 3200 films. Depends on what you prefer and whether 1600 is fast enough for the light and shutter speed/ aperture combination. Ilford 3200 can be shot at up to 25000 but unless you want the effect of featureless shadow and the look of film deliberately shot at way beyond the speed at which it is best, I'd try to shoot at as low as speed as you can get away with. D3200 at EI 1600 and developed at the times given for an EI of 3200 is a pretty good combination.

pentaxuser

Markok765 · Sep 28, 2008

I like the fuji color neg or the Kodak Tmax 3200 for low light work.

Heinz_Anderle · Sep 29, 2008

TheOtherEast said:
I've shot the occasional concert with a DSLR, but I'd like to try my hand at at shooting with my SLR and some high speed film. I've never shot with anything over 400 so I'm a bit clueless in this department. I'd prefer color, but if someone thinks a particular B&W is spectacular I'm all ears.

Kodak Ultra Max/Portra 800: finest grain in its class, but strong amber tint with tungsten (incandescent) lighting. As Portra it is overpaid.

Fujicolor Superia/Press 800: very fine grain, and virtually insensitive to lighting color temperature (daylight, tungsten, fluorescent, high-pressure mercury vapor, sodium vapor); delivers the most accurate impression of human visual perception. My preferred choice.

Fujicolor Superia 1600: fine grain, but limited underexposure latitude and in general slightly reduced color saturation compared to the 800 film.

Fuji Neopan 1600: contrasty, but wide dynamic range, with accentuated but moderate grain.

With Superia and Neopan 1600, the light of a candle will suffice.

Tim Gray · Sep 30, 2008

I've shot concerts in the past, but usually use B&W. The one time I shot a roll of color, I used Portra 800. Unfortunately the show was dark dark dark with really erratic off and on (but not bright) lighting, so I used a flash. I was happy with the photos.

My B&W recommendations would be Tri-X at 400 if you have enough light, Tri-X at 1250 or 1600 in Diafine, or P3200TMZ T-Max at 1600 or 3200. I normally take 4 rolls of Tri-X and 2 of TMZ as a safety net. If you want to see what these look like in various concert settings, click on my flickr link and navigate the concert collection.

keithwms · Sep 30, 2008

Try Fuji pro z rated at 1600 and developed for 3200. (there was a url link here which no longer exists) is an example. Mind you, it was 645 format. There was very little light to work with, it was shot at something like 1/40 and f/2 or so. When working with that kind of light, just let shadows be shadows, and expose to bring out just enough highlight detail... and things should work out. If that sounds confusing, just bracket and check out the results.

TheOtherEast · Sep 30, 2008

keithwms said:
Try Fuji pro z rated at 1600 and developed for 3200. (there was a url link here which no longer exists) is an example. Mind you, it was 645 format. There was very little light to work with, it was shot at something like 1/40 and f/2 or so. When working with that kind of light, just let shadows be shadows, and expose to bring out just enough highlight detail... and things should work out. If that sounds confusing, just bracket and check out the results.

I can't see that, it's subscriber only

keithwms · Sep 30, 2008

TheOtherEast said:
I can't see that, it's subscriber only

Eh? It's on this site!

Oh, you're not an apug subscriber tsk tsk....

Alright here then:

TheOtherEast · Oct 1, 2008

Heinz_Anderle said:
Fujicolor Superia/Press 800: very fine grain, and virtually insensitive to lighting color temperature (daylight, tungsten, fluorescent, high-pressure mercury vapor, sodium vapor); delivers the most accurate impression of human visual perception. My preferred choice.
.

What is the difference between Superia and Press, other then price.

Heinz_Anderle · Oct 1, 2008

TheOtherEast said:
What is the difference between Superia and Press, other then price.

None, but with Press sold in boxes of 20 films you have exactly the same batch (which helps either in printing or scanning).

TheOtherEast · Oct 1, 2008

Heinz_Anderle said:
None, but with Press sold in boxes of 20 films you have exactly the same batch (which helps either in printing or scanning).

Odd, so why is Press cheaper?

HerrBremerhaven · Oct 2, 2008

Fuji Provia 400X, which I have used out to ISO 3200 in push processing. I have also used Kodak E200 out to 4 2/3 stops push, with very good results. Here is one from Kodak E200 used at ISO 1250. The 400X shifts a bit redder over two stops, while E200 shifts more blue over 3 2/3 stops. Many more examples at the Big Time Operator website, who are a band I have photographed often.

I have used Kodak Portra 800, including the latest, with ISO 3200 and ISO 1600 settings on my cameras. When I compare those results to either pushed Fuji Provia 400X, or heavily pushed Kodak E200, the results from the transparency films are far smoother and less grainy. The only other film I used extensively for these types of low light shoots has been Kodak Ektachrome P1600, which unfortunately has been discontinued, and was quite expensive last time it was available.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography

Heinz_Anderle · Oct 2, 2008

TheOtherEast said:
Odd, so why is Press cheaper?

Perhaps it has been discontinued and is now on sale (while still within the expiration time?) Ask for the expiration date, and store the film in the refrigerator or freezer, so that it will last a few years more.

TheOtherEast · Oct 2, 2008

Now another option has been thrown in...What up with pro 800Z?

keithwms · Oct 2, 2008

Great stuff, pro z.

High Speed Novice here, recommend some high speed 35mm for concert work.

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