Ah fantastic thank you all very much for the input, I can't wait!
Question: does anyone still offer Cibachrome/Ilfochrome printing in the world?
For a high contrast scene, I'd switch to spot and meter highlights for either emulsion. Otherwise, I tend to use center-weighted for slide film.In 35mm, I will be using a Nikon F90X and its AF-D prime lenses, most likely. Should I
- just set the camera to Matrix metering and shoot away
- switch to spot and 'expose for the highlights' and let the shadows fall where they want
- something else
I have dug into my box of memories and found a 'Hoya Skylight 1B HMC' and a Nikon A2. The A2 is visibly darker. I would welcome input on how to use (or if to use) them both with Provia and Velvia 100. Any other filters worth having? @DREW WILEY - let it rip!
Can you point me to some resources about this?
Isn't this a bit of a case of putting the horse behind the cart, though? I'd expect that a photographer would choose subject matter and concept first, and then the material to suit. This seems like an example of the other way around, which strikes me as a little odd.If you do go the 35mm way, restrict your photography when starting out to diffuse light where there are no deep shadows or bright areas; diffuse light penetrates shadows and subdues highlights and spectrals.
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Isn't this a bit of a case of putting the horse behind the cart, though? I'd expect that a photographer would choose subject matter and concept first, and then the material to suit. This seems like an example of the other way around, which strikes me as a little odd.
No, not at all.
At least not in my and among the small (by global standards) number of E6 users here in Australia.
I know my subject matter very well enough — to conceptualise and visualise the end result — to confidently commit the majority of scenes to Velvia and/or in some rare cases, Provia 100F (when I absolutely must shoot in bright sun and deep shadow) or RVP100 (for pinholing, which characteristically dulls the palette of films like RVP50). From experience, there are very few alternative films available (Sensia, and this would be a good ring-in ) that provide the effect I and clients find visually appealing. That's half the story...
...the much bigger, continually niggly problem for so much of us (and I'm sure we're not alone down here tugging at the forelocks of a long-gone era...) is not so much film (the which material, when and why), but the meaty business of printing: The loss of Ilfochrome Classic back in 2010 sounded the death knell of at least 54 photographers here in Australia whose 'big ticket' printing did more, much more, than put bread and butter on the table (two I know personally now work in retailing). Even reflecting on the massive, turbulent, expensive and frustrating times prior to 2010 of faulty, inconsistent or just plain crap-finish products coming from overseas. I just feel, very strongly that alternative print methods just are not up there with the punch and pizazz of IC.
At present and going forward, I am drum scanning and gicléee printing to art media (Hahnemühle Photo Rag 308gsm) and museum-grade conservation framing; the results are attractive, and very different, but still cause me pause to grumble; I am surrounded at home and in the studio by the continuing sparkle and flash of framed IC on the many walls. RA4...? There are a vanishingly few Lambda/Pegausus RA4 printers now; they are considered by labs as quaint relicts of antiquity.
But I smell a rat.
Now, I must get din-dins under way!
I know my subject matter very well enough — to conceptualise and visualise the end result — to confidently commit the majority of scenes to Velvia and/or in some rare cases, Provia 100F
But I smell a rat.
That's just a fact of life and specifics of shooting slides. To each his own.It just seems backwards to me to start with the assumption "I want to shoot slide film" and then try and create or wait for the shooting conditions to justify that choice.
Yup - can be very dramatic with dramatic sunsets - the richness of tones is something else whereas digital and phones tend to approximate nearest pure tone, loosing all the nuance.There's an interesting look if you underexpose 1/3 and meter on the bright part of a scene. That can be very striking.
In terms of obtaining the very best results possible, 35mm Velvia 100 would not be the best choice, especially given its high cost, cramped contrast, and the consummate ease of errors many new/returning users make in exposing it. RVP 100 is hyper-saturated and requires a lot of experience to expose well — even done to its well-known edict, it can look quite gaudy compared to RVP50 — the proverbial (and very real!) Disneychrome look! It was commonly exposed to perfection in the era (now long gone) of Ilfochrome Classic printing. Much of my work before switching up to medium and large format was produced from Velvia 50 and 100 to Ilfochrome Classic, and the results of intensive experience (and huge cost) in the prints speak for themselves.
If you do go the 35mm way, restrict your photography when starting out to diffuse light where there are no deep shadows or bright areas; diffuse light penetrates shadows and subdues highlights and spectrals.
Excellent, thank you Samu.
In terms of quality that can be expected from DIY E6 development vs a professional lab operating to specs - can 'pro' level quality be achieved at home if everything is done correctly?
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That's not a very constructive remark and I don't appreciate it.
Thank you for this Taylor. By diffuse light, do you mean for instance the light available outdoors during a very overcast day? Or are you talking about, for instance, artificial light obtained through a flash aimed at the ceiling or diffused via an adapter. Perhaps both?
The comment is not about you!
I was making a veiled reference to the curious behaviour of labs that has not gone unnoticed.
I am using Provia with Matrix meetering in a Nikon F55. For normal, front lit scenes I like it very much. I sometimes push +1 when shooting skateboarding. I never use a filter for Provia but do use an A2 with Ektachome. I think Velvia needs more care. There's an interesting look if you underexpose 1/3 and meter on the bright part of a scene. That can be very striking.
Considering, after reading this thread, shooting E6 again after my stock depleted last year (those prices scared the hell out of me). I have 4 ex. Nikon F90x on the shelf, one Nikon F90 too, so I'm covered with my matrix metering. I've got my Nikon F100 too, considering it's topnotch matrixmeter, could it be added to your capable E6 camera list @taylor-nankervis?
Nice insights, thanks everyone for the tips so far.
Something I had in mind the other day. What's the durability of exposed, but not developed, slide film? Will the image noticeably decay if one waits a little before development?
I'm asking this because I'm seriously considering doing my own processing with those new Adox E6 kits, and one option would of course be to expose the recommended 10-12 rolls first and then crack open the chemistry, develop in batches of 2-3 over a few days, and then dump the spent chemicals.
I would imagine that 10-12 rolls of slide film could take me a while to shoot, as my main medium is black and white film. Let's say..5 months? Would this lag result in decay of the exposed images?
Nice insights, thanks everyone for the tips so far.
Something I had in mind the other day. What's the durability of exposed, but not developed, slide film? Will the image noticeably decay if one waits a little before development?
I'm asking this because I'm seriously considering doing my own processing with those new Adox E6 kits, and one option would of course be to expose the recommended 10-12 rolls first and then crack open the chemistry, develop in batches of 2-3 over a few days, and then dump the spent chemicals.
I would imagine that 10-12 rolls of slide film could take me a while to shoot, as my main medium is black and white film. Let's say..5 months? Would this lag result in decay of the exposed images?
I would imagine that 10-12 rolls of slide film could take me a while to shoot, as my main medium is black and white film. Let's say..5 months? Would this lag result in decay of the exposed images?
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