Stupid which film is better question

mark · Jul 15, 2005

I do not like neg color film. Not because it is worse than Slide or anything like that but because I can't read neg film. The orangeness of it keeps me from interpreting the colors. I like transparencies because what I see on the slide is what I see on the slide. I can take it to the printer and say match the slide. If I said that about a neg I would get an orange POS. I feel I am in less control with Negative color film.

So what Slide film deals with people the best? My new one will be here very soon and I want to be better prepared than the last time. BW no problem. Color on the other hand is stumping me.

From what I have seen Astia does real well, but those were only in magazines. I have not seen anything done with other films beside Velvia. I accidentally shot some pictures of my son with velvia and was not impressed.

All images will be shot with available light at wide aperatures.

I know this is personal but I want opinions and reasons. Thanks.

Calamity Jane · Jul 15, 2005

I have been shooting Kodak E100G and processing in Agfa "Process 44" and love it.

The colours are vibrant - reminds me of the colour spreads in National Geographic - though their photographers aren't half as good as I am ;-)

Jeremy · Jul 15, 2005

I would suggest Fuji Astia or Kodak Elitechrome. The elitechrome is a "consumer" level slide film that is both cheap (in comparison to Kodak's other offerings) and works very well with skin tones. These are both daylight/flash balanced films, though--will these shots be available light from the sun or artificial, because that would make a big difference.

I also liked Provia in the Fuji slide category; it gives a little more snap in the colors than Astia, but renders skin tones quite well.

I have personally shot all of the above films.

kwmullet · Jul 15, 2005

Jeremy Moore said:
I would suggest Fuji Astia or Kodak Elitechrome. The elitechrome is a "consumer" level slide film that is both cheap (in comparison to Kodak's other offerings) and works very well with skin tones. These are both daylight/flash balanced films, though--will these shots be available light from the sun or artificial, because that would make a big difference.

I also liked Provia in the Fuji slide category; it gives a little more snap in the colors than Astia, but renders skin tones quite well.

I have personally shot all of the above films.

I've never really been into slides before, but would be tempted if I wanted to do any color shooting. I've got some Kodachrome slides of me in 1962 that still look like they were shot & processed yesterday (well.. I don't look like I do in '62, although some folks might be inclined to say I occasionally act like it ).

I notice at B&H, Kodachrome is still available, though from other apug threads I know that only one lab still processes Kodachrome, and Kodak outsources to them. B&H's price on Kodachrome-64 is US$6, US$12 for Kodachrome-64 pro (both 135-36) and US$9 for a mailer to process via Kodak (who actually, if memory serves, ships it to a non-Kodak lab in Montana, US).

How do people project slides nowadays? I take it the old Kodak Carasells (sp..) are defunct and pretty much eBay only.

Just ignore if there's a risk of hijaacking Mark's thread. This just reminded me that I had some slide questions.

roteague · Jul 15, 2005

mark said:
So what Slide film deals with people the best? My new one will be here very soon and I want to be better prepared than the last time. BW no problem. Color on the other hand is stumping me.

From what I have seen Astia does real well, but those were only in magazines. I have not seen anything done with other films beside Velvia. I accidentally shot some pictures of my son with velvia and was not impressed.

Velvia is definetely the wrong choice for taking pictures of people, the skin tones are horrible - the film is designed for landscapes. Astia 100F is supposed to be the best for doing portraits; you may also want to try Provia 100F to see if you like it.

Helen B · Jul 15, 2005

I like Ektachrome E200 as an all-round film for people. It pushes and pulls well, has a fairly neutral colour balance, a comparatively low contrast and the right sharpness/graininess for my preferences. If that isn't fast enough, then EPH is the stuff (Ektachrome P1600 - it needs a two-stop push to reach EI 1600) in 35 mm.

Indoors, in incandescent light, I use Ektachrome 320T (EPJ, only available in 35 mm - 160T EPT is the fastest in 120) pushed as many stops as necessary. Household incandescent lights being generally below the 3200 K that EPJ is intended for, I use a KB6 (Wratten 80D) filter for improving the colour balance.

Best,
Helen

David A. Goldfarb · Jul 15, 2005

For people, Astia 100F is a great choice, and for tungsten, I'll agree with Helen on Ektachrome 320T in 35mm. Provia is a little punchier than Astia without being excessive.

Claire Senft · Jul 15, 2005

Astia F is a very nice transparency film. IMO if you want analog color prints than you are going to be better off with a negative film. I certainly hope that you are not going to scan slides so that you can use an inkjet printer to make prints,,,that is just to sad to contemplate.

mark · Jul 15, 2005

Claire Senft said:
I certainly hope that you are not going to scan slides so that you can use an inkhet printer to make prints,,,that is just to sad to contemplate.

Ick. No. I am avoiding the Negs just because I can't read them.

I will look for the films listed and probably get a selection of the two. I will be shooting 35mm-4x5 so my options are open. Thought I would try some handheld 4x5 color shots of the new little human.

Charles Webb · Jul 15, 2005

Consistent handling, printing and working with color negatives, it will soon become nearly as easy to read them as a B&W neg. Just takes a little practice to see the actual density rather than it's color. Don't give up, keep
working at it, it will come!

djklmnop · Jul 15, 2005

For studio work where lighting can be controlled to an exact, Astia may be the best choice.. But when shooting outdoors, there are a lot of color temperature shifts especially in the shaded region of the subject. So I find that films like sensia, E100S (or E100SW), Elite Chrome handles better because of their warmer color temperature target. Shifting is unavoidable, but can be tamed to a degree. It's just the reality of film's response to color temperatures.

Samples:

Fuji Sensia 100:
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Kodak Elite Chrome 100:
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Fuji Astia 100F:
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E100GX:
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Fuji Provia 100F:
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Fuji Reala C41:
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Tom Duffy · Jul 15, 2005

I shoot little slide film, but I've been very impressed with Kodak E200 for people. I've never liked Astia when shot in real world daylight, weird color casts between highlights and shadows. The 100 speed slide stuff doesn't seem fast enough for people. I really do recommend color neg, either Kodak Portra 400 UC or Fuji NPH.
Take care,
Tom

Woolliscroft · Jul 15, 2005

I know what you mean about reading col negs, but you really do get it quickly with practice. I use neg when I am having to work fast, because it is so much more tolerant of small expose errors. I also use it in harsh lighting as it, at least seems, to have more exposure latitude (I don't know if that is real or imagination). I use slide when I have time and can bracket at leisure.

David.

Helen B · Jul 15, 2005

Yes, if you want prints colour neg is so much more useful than slide film when the lighting is out of your control. 'Overexposed' neg film (ie with the meter set about one stop less than the box speed, so use Ultra 400 at EI 200 or Portra 800 at EI 400 or 500) has enormous latitude so it can cope with great lighting contrast and wide variations in colour temperature, and this is usually associated with very good skin tones and comparatively low graininess.

Best,
Helen

L Gebhardt · Jul 15, 2005

I had the same reaction for a long time to color negative film. However after trying to print it, I think it is great. I just make a contact sheet to see what is on the film. It is disconcerting to not have a reference point to aim for, but you can always shoot a gray card if you want (I hear it works, though I don't do this). I then just adjust the colors until I am hppy with the print. The Kodak Portra line prints very nicely on Kodak Endura paper. So don't be scared of it, even if the negs are ugly.

If you want to scan and print digitally then Astia is a great film. I haven't been able to get decent prints of people on Ilfochrome with it however. To my eye the only film that doesn't seem to have color crossover with Ilfochrome is Kodachrome. If it came in 120 again I would shoot it most of the time when I want prints. Of course I am far from an expert in color printing, especially Ilfochrome.

jd callow · Jul 15, 2005

mark said:
So what Slide film deals with people the best?

Its a taste thing but...

EPT or EPL under hotlights are very nice. natural colours great shadow detail (especialy ept) and not too contrasty. EPN or EPR is good under strobes or daylight for similar reasons, but i like the T films better. I also love the grain! E200 is also good -- come to think of it I think I prefer e200 over epn or epr.

EPP and Astia have more saturation and contrast, but will do justice to the skin tones.

Beyond that the films I am familiar with get a bit too much punch for traditional people shots, but not enough to get my heart beating fast. If I want juicy shots of humans I crossprocess e6 films, but then those aren't slides.

David A. Goldfarb · Jul 15, 2005

Astia does tend toward the cool side, but it responds nicely to warming filters without going overboard. I have one batch that I always rate at 80 and use an 81A or KR1.5 filter with for a neutral result. I have another that I rate at 100 and don't use a filter with unless it's needed. With natural light indoors it looks good with a KR6, which is about an 81C.

Claire Senft · Jul 16, 2005

I be positive that negative film is by far the best for your application. How many people are printing b&W transparencies because they are easier to read?

mark · Jul 16, 2005

Since this will be a once in a lifetime thing and I don't want to screw it up, I have decided to go the neg route. I was totally unprepared for our first and only have digital files of him. They are ugly but I think I made up for it later. I can always play with the chromes later. New borns do not move nearly as fast as 3 year olds so I have gone for 400 and slower films. Light is not a problem. Thanks for the advice everyone. Now it is a waiting game.

Stupid which film is better question

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mark

Stupid which film is better question

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