Retrochrome 320 color balance?

[MultiFormat Shooter]

This film is advertised as being "warm" in color balance. If one wanted to bring it back to "neutral" color, would an 80A filter work or would it be too strong?

 

[darkroommike]

If it's not tungsten balanced an 80 series is way too strong, try an 82A or 82B for starters. The A is the mildest and the C is the strongest in this series. 80's and 85's correct light sources. 81's and 82's are adjusting filters (much milder).

 

[MultiFormat Shooter]

Thanks, darkroommike! I'll look at an 82A. This film is inexpensive enough, that if it is "otherwise good," it might be worth getting a filter and using it for retro-themed images.

 

[Wallendo]

According to the FPP website, this film is old expired EktaChrome 400. Most of the "retro" look is from the color shifts related to film aging. I doubt that the color can be restored to neutral by a simple filter. I have considered buying this film from time to time just because of its color shifts, but I always go back to buying fresh film.

 

[dale116dot7]

I've shot it and it is interesting and fairly inexpensive though a bit grainy and it does have a bit of a cast from what I remember, though I usually prefer Velvia or Provia. FPP sells both 160 and 320. One of the films had a slight yellowish cast (probably the 320), the other had a bit of a cyan cast from what I recall (and it would make sense that would be the 160) but I honestly don't recall. I know one of the two films had BH perforations which would imply it was a motion picture Ektachrome. I liked Retrochrome because they are a fairly inexpensive slide films to work with and great to work on composition, but for my time and what I like to look at, I generally prefer the look of new E6 film.

 

[MultiFormat Shooter]

...though I usually prefer Velvia or Provia....[F]or my time and what I like to look at, I generally prefer the look of new E6 film.

Thanks for the information about the two Retrochromes!

I agree, I like the look of Provia for photographing people and general purpose use; Velvia is great for landscapes and I prefer it to "saturated" color negative films. I was just trying gauge if the Retrochrome 320 would be worth using for specific shoots with a retro theme (minus the warm tone) or not.

 

[geirtbr]

I have researched this a little, since its a common 16-mm film. Retrochrome aka ektachrome 2253 is not an E6 film, but VNF-1. Its a quite different process, in particular its first developer. If you process it as E6 it will have a color shift due to this and it will also be a fair bit more washed out and grainy (you can look on youtube for 16mm examples). To process more correctly you should mix your own first developer and make addition to the color developer (it needs benzylalcohol, if i remember correctly).
If you cant do that a solution may be to pull the first developer 1-2 stops, run it at 4 minutes, for example.
Also since its not a "real" e6 film result will never really be comparable, VNF films were cheaper and with thinner emulsion, as far as i know.

 

[MultiFormat Shooter]

Thanks, geirtbr, I didn't realize it was actually a VNF-1, rather than an E-6 film.

 

[Punker]

I've tried this film once or twice. Got it in an 8-pack. Not really my thing. I'll sell ya what I have left for dirt cheap if you want it.