How Would You Compare Velvia 50 to Ektachrome 100 ?

[DF]

For starters, I guess Ektachrome is the more "accurate" rendition while Velvia colors are spruced up....?

 

[AZD]

Since the beginning of the year I have been through 5 rolls of E100 with a 6th in process. Making progress getting what I want, which is nice slides for projecting, so there is no post processing. A warming filter is often needed to counter E100’s tendency to get very blue. Yes, it is accurate, but maybe too much sometimes. After about roll 4 I felt like I was trying to convince myself that I liked it more than I do. To be fair, I have gotten some very good images. When the light itself is beautiful, so are the images. Bad light, well, maybe don’t take the picture.

So, Velvia. Tried a roll just to see how it compared. Quick look at the processed film then immediately bought a handful more for an upcoming vacation.

My two cents: E100 for when you want accurate color and can wait for good light. Velvia for making things look a little prettier.

Some specifics: E100 and high mountain light may need significant warming up. Velvia looked great without a filter. Grey light and E100, meh. Velvia brightens up any colors. Awesome sunsets/clouds, E100 makes some very beautiful, realistic images. Velvia makes it look like Arizona Highways.

I’m happy to have the choice between them… but I’d happily trade both for Kodachrome.

 

[mshchem]

Velvia is more saturated, beautiful film for landscapes etc.
Ektachrome is more "accurate" more subtle

Both are wonderful.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Velvia 50 is my most popular. Unfortunately, they're ending it in 4x5 so I'll have to continue to shoot it in medium format 6x7. Ektachrome is OK but rather pedestrian.

Velvia 50 in different formats https://www.flickr.com/search/?sort...1&tags=velvia&user_id=55760757@N05&view_all=1

Comparison of Ektachrome 100 vs Provia 100 Ektacrhome has redder red and greener greens. Provia's reds are orangey. Unfortunately, I don't have a Velvia sample of this subject.

 

[Ben 4]

Comparison of Ektachrome 100 vs Provia 100 Ektacrhome has redder red and greener greens. Provia's reds are orangey. Unfortunately, I don't have a Velvia sample of this subject.

That's a remarkable difference!

 

[faberryman]

Super Saturated vs. Accurate

 

[Sirius Glass]

Velvia is more saturated, beautiful film for landscapes etc.
Ektachrome is more "accurate" more subtle

Both are wonderful.

Exactly. Nothing complicated going on.

 

[MattKing]

The Ektachrome example looks blue on my monitor, but that is easy to correct out, leaving the Provia looking even more saturated and orange.

 

[mshchem]

One thing, if you are taking portraits or weddings Ektachrome and/or Fujichrome Provia F is a better choice. I remember taking some shots of a young couple, blondes with slight tan. I was using Ektachrome SW ( saturated warm) they ended up looking like a American Thanksgiving Turkey

Golden brown skin, actually pretty powerful film. Too bad there's not a market for all the wonderful films of yore, and thank goodness for what we have.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Velvia is higher contrast, with a little warmer color balance. Ekta 100 is indeed better grayscale balanced. It's also a superior product in sheet film version due to being coated on dimensionally stable PET base rather than triacetate. I recall Fuji 100F being on PET base, but not the 50 version, or any of the Provia lineup. Astia 100F was also on PET base.

Depends on the look you are after, and exactly which kind of hue you wish to reproduce best. But Velvia has almost no wiggle room for exposure error. By far the best balanced color film ever was Fuji Astia; but everyone wanted loud candy colors instead, so Astia was at the head of the line to Fuji's phase-out guillotine. I shot em all. Velvia is particularly nice for low-contast scenes in fog and rain; but it amounted to only 5% of my 8x10 chrome film usage, somewhat more in 4X5. Due to it's high contrast, it was harder to print from than other chrome films, especially back in Cibachrome days. I don't even like making internegatives from Velvia for sake of RA4 printing, but have made some excellent ones with trepidation, and involving a lot of supplementary masking.

 

[DF]

Since the beginning of the year I have been through 5 rolls of E100 with a 6th in process. Making progress getting what I want, which is nice slides for projecting, so there is no post processing. A warming filter is often needed to counter E100’s tendency to get very blue. Yes, it is accurate, but maybe too much sometimes. After about roll 4 I felt like I was trying to convince myself that I liked it more than I do. To be fair, I have gotten some very good images. When the light itself is beautiful, so are the images. Bad light, well, maybe don’t take the picture.

So, Velvia. Tried a roll just to see how it compared. Quick look at the processed film then immediately bought a handful more for an upcoming vacation.

My two cents: E100 for when you want accurate color and can wait for good light. Velvia for making things look a little prettier.

Some specifics: E100 and high mountain light may need significant warming up. Velvia looked great without a filter. Grey light and E100, meh. Velvia brightens up any colors. Awesome sunsets/clouds, E100 makes some very beautiful, realistic images. Velvia makes it look like Arizona Highways.

I’m happy to have the choice between them… but I’d happily trade both for Kodachrome.

Kodachrome? - Completely different color pallette than these two. Also, razor sharp.

 

[DF]

Velvia is higher contrast, with a little warmer color balance. Ekta 100 is indeed better grayscale balanced. It's also a superior product in sheet film version due to being coated on dimensionally stable PET base rather than triacetate. I recall Fuji 100F being on PET base, but not the 50 version, or any of the Provia lineup. Astia 100F was also on PET base.

Depends on the look you are after, and exactly which kind of hue you wish to reproduce best. But Velvia has almost no wiggle room for exposure error. By far the best balanced color film ever was Fuji Astia; but everyone wanted loud candy colors instead, so Astia was at the head of the line to Fuji's phase-out guillotine. I shot em all. Velvia is particularly nice for low-contast scenes in fog and rain; but it amounted to only 5% of my 8x10 chrome film usage, somewhat more in 4X5. Due to it's high contrast, it was harder to print from than other chrome films, especially back in Cibachrome days. I don't even like making internegatives from Velvia for sake of RA4 printing, but have made some excellent ones with trepidation, and involving a lot of supplementary masking.

I would love to have Astia back - I use to call it "Fuji-Kodachrome" for it's accurate muddy-like Kodachrome green foilage yet super sharpness.

 

[DF]

Velvia 50 is my most popular. Unfortunately, they're ending it in 4x5 so I'll have to continue to shoot it in medium format 6x7. Ektachrome is OK but rather pedestrian.

Velvia 50 in different formats https://www.flickr.com/search/?sort=date-taken-desc&safe_search=1&tags=velvia&user_id=55760757@N05&view_all=1

Comparison of Ektachrome 100 vs Provia 100 Ektacrhome has redder red and greener greens. Provia's reds are orangey. Unfortunately, I don't have a Velvia sample of this subject.

I used to think Provia was watered-down Velvia.

 

[JParker]

For starters, I guess Ektachrome is the more "accurate" rendition while Velvia colors are spruced up....?

The major differences between Velvia 50 and Ektachrome are:
- Velvia 50 has higher colour saturation
- Velvia has a warmer colour rendition
- Ektachrome has a neutral to slightly cool colour balance
- sometimes shadows with Ektachrome can get a bit green colour cast
- Velvia is much sharper
- Velvia has higher resolution, especially at lower detail contrast
- Velvia works fine at box speed, Ektachrome looks best at EI 80
- in 120 Velvia has the much better film converting with Fujifilms Easy Loading System, Easy End Seal and Barcode System.

 

[JParker]

I used to think Provia was watered-down Velvia.

No, completely different films in concept, design and characteristics.

 

[koraks]

The Ektachrome example looks blue on my monitor, but that is easy to correct out, leaving the Provia looking even more saturated and orange.

I suspect that the yellow dye on the Fuji films has a higher chroma, pushing in reds further away from magenta and up in saturation. Haven't looked into it, but I bet patent applications from the 1980s-1990s from Kodak and Fuji will show up some interesting differences (or at least clues in that direction).

As to the question:

How Would You Compare Velvia 50 to Ektachrome 100 ?​

I'd say: favorably
Personal taste, though. I always loved Velvia's over-the-top rendition.

 

[JParker]

Comparison of Ektachrome 100 vs Provia 100 Ektacrhome has redder red and greener greens. Provia's reds are orangey.

I cannot share that experience at all. I never had orangey reds with Provia. Provia red has always been a very accurate, satured "real" red.

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

The Ektachrome example looks blue on my monitor, but that is easy to correct out, leaving the Provia looking even more saturated and orange.

I cannot share that experience at all. I never had orangey reds with Provia. Provia red has always been a very accurate, satured "real" red.

I have to look and compare the originals. It's possible I created a tint that isn't there when I scanned and adjusted them. I did use a calibrated monitor, scanned for sRGB and adjusted and downloaded as sRGB. As I recall, the scene was shot in overcast or shade. So that could account for blues as well. I'll check the films to see. Should I post a cellphone picture of the chromes?

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

Velvia is higher contrast, with a little warmer color balance. Ekta 100 is indeed better grayscale balanced. It's also a superior product in sheet film version due to being coated on dimensionally stable PET base rather than triacetate. I recall Fuji 100F being on PET base, but not the 50 version, or any of the Provia lineup. Astia 100F was also on PET base.

Depends on the look you are after, and exactly which kind of hue you wish to reproduce best. But Velvia has almost no wiggle room for exposure error. By far the best balanced color film ever was Fuji Astia; but everyone wanted loud candy colors instead, so Astia was at the head of the line to Fuji's phase-out guillotine. I shot em all. Velvia is particularly nice for low-contast scenes in fog and rain; but it amounted to only 5% of my 8x10 chrome film usage, somewhat more in 4X5. Due to it's high contrast, it was harder to print from than other chrome films, especially back in Cibachrome days. I don't even like making internegatives from Velvia for sake of RA4 printing, but have made some excellent ones with trepidation, and involving a lot of supplementary masking.

Drew, I've shot Velvia 50 in all kinds of light. See below link. While direct light creates stops greater than Velvia can handle often causing shadows to get too dark so I can maintain highlights, I haven't limited my Velvia's to low contrast scenes. Maybe I should. What do you think?

Flickr Search

www.flickr.com

 

[Alan Edward Klein]

The major differences between Velvia 50 and Ektachrome are:
- Velvia 50 has higher colour saturation
- Velvia has a warmer colour rendition
- Ektachrome has a neutral to slightly cool colour balance
- sometimes shadows with Ektachrome can get a bit green colour cast
- Velvia is much sharper
- Velvia has higher resolution, especially at lower detail contrast
- Velvia works fine at box speed, Ektachrome looks best at EI 80
- in 120 Velvia has the much better film converting with Fujifilms Easy Loading System, Easy End Seal and Barcode System.

What is that?

- in 120 Velvia has the much better film converting with Fujifilms Easy Loading System, Easy End Seal and Barcode System.

 

[faberryman]

Personal taste, though. I always loved Velvia's over-the-top rendition.

I am surprised Velvia 50 is really an option. I checked at B&H and it is $33.99/roll and is out of stock. Ektachrome is $21.99 and is in stock. Isn't Fujifilm's modus operandi to raise prices and limit supply, and then discontinue the film because of a lack of demand?

 

[koraks]

Isn't Fujifilm's modus operandi to raise prices and limited supply, and then discontinue the film because of a lack of demand?

I think the last part isn't really true. I personally believe they stop manufacturing a product they see insufficient demand for. Or they schedule a production stop, at least. They then proceed to sell remaining stock or final production at increased prices before issuing a notice of discontinuation. I also privately suspect that the latter is imminent for all Fuji's remaining E6 films. I have no concrete information to that effect, though.

 

[faberryman]

I think the last part isn't really true. I personally believe they stop manufacturing a product they see insufficient demand for. Or they schedule a production stop, at least. They then proceed to sell remaining stock or final production at increased prices before issuing a notice of discontinuation. I also privately suspect that the latter is imminent for all Fuji's remaining E6 films. I have no concrete information to that effect, though.

Well, however the discontinuation process plays out, it does look like the writing is on the wall for Velvia. If it were my favorite film, I might think about stocking up, if I could find a source that still has it in stock.

 

[JParker]

Drew, I've shot Velvia 50 in all kinds of light. See below link. While direct light creates stops greater than Velvia can handle often causing shadows to get too dark so I can maintain highlights, I haven't limited my Velvia's to low contrast scenes. Maybe I should. What do you think?

Flickr Search

www.flickr.com

No need at all to limit Velvia to low contrast scenes. At higher contrast just do what generations of film photographers have done to manage contrast:
- use gradual filters, or
- use a polarizer (can reduce the contrast by 1-2 stops as well), or
- use a fill in flash (with that you can manage even highest contrasts), or
- pull by one stop.

 

[JParker]

What is that?

Are you kidding? You say Velvia is your favourite film, and you don't even know Fujifilm's superior 120 film converting?
- Easy Loading System: There is a hole in the start of the paper, which fits perfectly in the special hook in the second, taking spool
- Easy End Seal: Perfect self-adhesive end to close and finish the film very tightly and absolutely reliable
- Barcode System: Certain cameras can read it and get data like sensitivity from it.