True Ektachrome ISO?

George Mann

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Some say ISO 80. I have only shot it at box speed so far and find it to be a bit underwelming at times.

I am looking to use a stiffer warming filter which could complicate things further.

What speed do you shoot it at and why?
 

DREW WILEY

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I've run multiple tests of separate batches under fully controlled conditions (correct 5500K per color temp meter, MacBeth color checker chart, fully calibrated Pentax spot meter, final densitometer readings of gray scale, etc). It's true 100 box speed.

Realistic warming filters only need about 1/3 stop of compensation.

How are you evaluating the end-result. Over a light box? - if so, what kind?
 
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George Mann

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DREW WILEY said:
How are you evaluating the end-result. Over a light box? - if so, what kind?
Click to expand...

I use mostly daylight to view them. I also use a miniture film-holding lightbox from an Asian film scanning rig that offers adjustable lumination (no complaints).
 

DREW WILEY

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What is "daylight"? That can easily vary 1000 degrees Kelvin either direction from the industry viewing standard of 5000K. And few lightboxes are anywhere near their advertised rating - only the very best ones.
Here I at least have the advantage of many days a year with soft enveloping coastal fog which can be almost true white at times. But at my mountain property in the Sierra, that was nonexistent, with strong blue light dominant most of the year unless it was raining or snowing (overcast blue light).

To evaluate your colors objectively, you need to conform your viewing light to the manufacturer's own repro standard, or else with a lot of practice just get used to what the palette of Ektachrome does, or doesn't do, best.

What is your end objective? Projector slideshows? Scanning and posting? Actual color prints? Each kind of usage requires it's own fine-tuning.
 

BrianShaw

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Ektachrome will never be Kodachrome. Time to get past it…
 

Nicholas Lindan

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In the olde days for saturated colors - think of a wall calendar of "Fall in New England" - the usual advice was to underexpose 1/3 of a stop - Kodachrome 64 was exposed at EI 80, K25 at EI 32 - and to use a polarizer.

Ektachrome outdoors shots are greatly improved with by use of a polarizing filter. A warming polarizer or a polarizer in combination with a Tiffen 812 might be optimum for Ektachrome. I confess to not having tried the 1/3 stop adjustment with Ektachrome.

In this day I can not think of a reason to use slide film if the slides are not going to be projected.
 

MattKing

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If one is merely holding slide film up to the light, it doesn't surprise me that they find it necessary to slightly over-expose their film.
 

mshchem

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George Mann said:
Viewing slide film directly gives one the purist image currently possible.
Click to expand...

I agree with both of you. Scanning slide film, that's been corrected exposed is easier for me too.I will never forget the first time I saw 6x17 slide film on a light table. B&H, over 25 years ago.

And I would love to see Kodachrome ASA 10, the 60 million dollar per roll price would be out of my price range
 

cmacd123

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If Kodak rates it at 100, that is proably very close. NOW, some folks do like Under exposing slide film by a half stop. that will sometimes give more sataurated colours.

(likewise, colour Negative users sometimes OVER EXPOSE by one ot two stops.)
 

AnselMortensen

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The film is 100 ISO.
(International Standards Organization).
If you use it at 80 or 125 or whatever, that is your EI. (Exposure Index).
 

Alan Edward Klein

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George Mann said:
Some say ISO 80. I have only shot it at box speed so far and find it to be a bit underwelming at times.

I am looking to use a stiffer warming filter which could complicate things further.

What speed do you shoot it at and why?
Click to expand...

Why ISO 80? Chrome films tend to saturate colors more when you underexpose.
 

Alan Edward Klein

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They're easier to scan.
 

DREW WILEY

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Why stop at Kodachrome 35mm film? If you can afford to bring it back and use it, do so in 8x10 sheets!
Kodachrome 25, of course, please. None of that tepid 64 speed product. Slower film is a more legitimate challenge when you're hanging onto a cliff with two fingers, trying to shoot an SLR in the other hand, and then a wasp lands on your nose! (That literally happened to me way back when).

As for slide shows, the pros typically underexposed Kodachrome a little. A close friend of my brother in the 60's made his living winning international slide shows. But for reproduction or duplicate purposes, an underexposed chrome was, and still is, a headache; likewise an overexposed chrome.

A few people started shooting Fujichrome 50 a half stop slower when it came out, combined with modest pull processing, for sake of less contrasty Cibachrome printing. But the daylight Ektachrome of that era was still Ekta 64. Regardless, unsharp masking worked a lot better for taming print contrast. Once Velvia showed up, masking had to become downright brutal.

I've never head of anyone overexposing color neg two stops, unless it was my Mom with her Brownie and Kodak Gold, who didn't even own a light meter. That's insane. And with today's CN choices, you want to stick to box speed for best results, especially with Ektar.
 
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ChrisGalway

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In this discussion, bear in mind that the shutters in most older film camera tend to run slow, e.g. 1/100 can easily be 1/80th or 1/60th. And if you are home-processing, your 1st Dev time, temperature and agitation will be particular to you. I feel you should find a combination of camera, film EI, and processing that work for you.
 

DREW WILEY

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Film speed per se is one thing, potential light meter errors or shutter inaccuracies, something else, filter factors yet another. It's best to recognize each of these variables in their own right, and appropriately iron out each of them in turn, especially if one expects consistency with chrome films. Generalities just confuse things. Many photographers use a variety of gear, not just one setup.
 
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George Mann

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Let's see, my two primary shooters are my F90x and FG. Both shutters and meters are dead accurate.

My F2 was recently serviced. The film I have shot with it shows no exposure errors so far.

My newly aquired FM is being tested as we speak.
 

Sirius Glass

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George Mann said:
Some say ISO 80. I have only shot it at box speed so far and find it to be a bit underwelming at times.

I am looking to use a stiffer warming filter which could complicate things further.

What speed do you shoot it at and why?
Click to expand...

Box speed. I have been shooting at box speed for Ektachrome since 1960. And yes I have tried other speeds.
 
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