If you could shoot only one color film, what would it be?

[Jonno85uk]

Astia 100F for slide.

Portra 400NC for negative

 

[Wallendo]

C41: Fuji Superia X-Tra 400
E6: Kodak Ektachrome 100

I would choose the same two films.

If discontinued films were included, I would pick EliteChrome 400.

 

[Roger Cole]

If I understand you correctly, you aren't going to shoot film anymore because you can't budget/justify its expense. You can't compare increased prices as "overpaying," just because once upon a time something was less expensive. I used to buy gasoline for 30 cents a gallon. Now, I'm "overpaying" at close to $5 a gallon. But I still buy it.

I admit that I was unaware of just how much color negative film has increased in price until I looked just now. I looked on Amazon ($15-25/roll!) and on Freestyle. All the good value films are out of stock. But there were a lot of options, in stock, under $10. Fuji 200, $21 for a 3 pack, plus IIRC, $8 shipping.

And then, of course, there's the matter of processing. I'd have to drive to Austin, TX nearby or mail to any number of labs, but certainly no convenient option.

I process my own C-41, then scan and inkjet print.

Maybe time to love some B&W?

Mailing is the MOST convenient. I can drop it in the mailbox and have it delivered right to my house, far easier than doing it myself and vastly easier than taking it somewhere then going back to pick it up. Same reason I buy almost everything online now, even things I COULD buy in brick and mortar stores. I buy when I want, middle of the night if that's when I want to shop (and with my schedule, it often is) and Santa's magic sleigh brings it right to more door anywhere from a day to maybe a week later, often before I'd have had a chance to go out and get it anyway.

Certainly there are no one hour C41 labs anywhere I'm aware of anymore. Granted that was the most convenient option ever in some ways.

 

[Agulliver]

Fuji Superia 800

Literally the jack of all trades.

 

[Paul Ozzello]

No other film is as satisfying as properly exposed Velvia 50

 

[eli griggs]

If the fading colours issue of old Ektachromes has been delt with, new Ektachromes, otherwide, Portra 160nc.

Cheers.

 

[destroya]

since there are people listing films that are no longer, I'll add a made up film. 4x5 velvia 50 on astia's base.

otherwise, velvia 50

john

 

[wjlapier]

Agfa Optima or Fujifilm NPH400. To me, these two films have that "film look" I don't see from any digital camera. My freezer is stocked with plenty of both in 220. Just a few years back someone sold me three boxes ( 15 rolls ) of Agfa Optima in 220 for $40 per box. Now sellers are asking $20 or more per roll. Once I shot the NPH I was hooked and bought a bunch before the prices went up and the film became scarce.

 

[Eric Rose]

VPS

 

[Samu]

This is an old string, but let's answer the question.
Portra 400. Reason is that it is a goof all-around film. It is not the best for any specific situation, but if there was only one color film available, this would be my choice. I like Ektar, but we have long dark winters, when ISO 100 is just not enough. If I could think about a film that doesn't exist in the real world, it would probably be "Ektar 400".

 

[Sirius Glass]

This is an old string, but let's answer the question.
Portra 400. Reason is that it is a goof all-around film. It is not the best for any specific situation, but if there was only one color film available, this would be my choice. I like Ektar, but we have long dark winters, when ISO 100 is just not enough. If I could think about a film that doesn't exist in the real world, it would probably be "Ektar 400".

Welcome to APUG Photio!!​

 

[Samu]

Welcome to APUG Photio!!​

Thanks.

 

[Pioneer]

Portra 800

 

[Samu]

Sure, it's both just dyes on a polymer base. But for several reasons it just turns out to be a lot easier to scan E6 and get colors that at least subjectively conform with the original. Part of it has to do of course that with C41 there's no objective benchmark anymore once you have the film in hand, unless you recorded something like a color checker for calibration. Lots of people get lost in the woods trying to get the raw C41 scan to resemble what they recall the scene look like. With E6, it's less challenging because the objective benchmark is right there on the film.
There's obviously more to it, but the short story is that if you ask 10 amateur photographers who have experience scanning both kinds of film, at least 8 will probably say that E6 scans easier than C41.

I kind of remember this when I started printing color. Of course, this was in the late 1980´s and there was no such thing as scanning. But I started with slide film and printing Cibachrome. When I changed to negatives (Cibachrome was expensive, so was slide film and I was a schoolkid), I realized I had no more any reference. With Cibachrome, you could see the slide on your enlarger easel. But from a negative, this was not possible. I did it the hard way then, with no color head, but with gelatin filters. Papers were processed in EP-2 process those days. The papers I could get then were Kodak or Agfa, with Kodak costing much more, but it was of better quality. Color chemistry available in photo stores in Helsinki. Finland, where I spent my childhood, were almost exclusively made by Tetenal. Anything color (papers, chemistry) had to be ordered. and it took weeks to arrive.

Now, using a color head, motor drive for paper drums, and means to control the temperature other than thermometer and the sink hot water faucet is almost too easy. Still, nothing is stopping me printing RA-4. I don´t even own a film scanner or a digital camera other than my cellphone. What I miss is Cibachrome, as I do shoot also slides. Of course, you can always use an internegative, but the results are not the same.

For E6 films, my favorite is Provia, with Ektachrome as a strong second. I hope Fuji will sometime soon get their production back in line.