What distinct colour film 'looks' have we lost?

Recent Classifieds

Forum statistics

Threads
199,137
Messages
2,786,842
Members
99,820
Latest member
Sara783210
Recent bookmarks
0

skorpiius

Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2015
Messages
648
Location
Calgary, AB
Format
Medium Format
So I'm speaking about very distinct looks. Of course every colour film is unique to some extent, but I'm meaning entire categories of looks, for example:

Contrasty & Saturated: Ektar, Velvia, etc
Low contrast/Portraiture/Weddings: Portra, 400H, etc
Relatively neutral between the two above: Gold, Superia, etc
Kodachrome.

Is there any category of looks I've missed, either that still exist or more of interest to me, don't anymore?
 

E. von Hoegh

Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2011
Messages
6,197
Location
Adirondacks
Format
Multi Format
Agfachrome, the stuff only Agfa processed. It was wonderful for earth tones, ancient stonework, etc..
I liked their E6 films as well.
 

Bob Carnie

Subscriber
Joined
Apr 18, 2004
Messages
7,735
Location
toronto
Format
Med. Format RF
Agfachrome, the stuff only Agfa processed. It was wonderful for earth tones, ancient stonework, etc..
I liked their E6 films as well.
I was going to say that Agfa Colour Paper in the 70's had a very distinct look much like described by E.von Hoegh. I remember when looking at these prints compared to the Kodak of the day I thought the Agfa prints colour palette were more pleasing, so I am not surprised that the film could be described this way.
 

MattKing

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Apr 24, 2005
Messages
53,194
Location
Delta, BC Canada
Format
Medium Format
Grainy and strange colour - High Speed 3M slide film :whistling:
 

Sirius Glass

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
50,411
Location
Southern California
Format
Multi Format
Kodak HIE
Kodak UltraColor
Kodak VividColor
 

E. von Hoegh

Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2011
Messages
6,197
Location
Adirondacks
Format
Multi Format
One that's gone that I don't miss is the mid-90s Fuji 50. Grass green and similar greens looked like cooked broccoli. But then I'm not a fan of color-enhanced films.

Sirius, did you perhaps use your Kodachrome in Los Angeles? I'm looking at some right now, the skies definitely are not muddy.
 

Sirius Glass

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
50,411
Location
Southern California
Format
Multi Format
One that's gone that I don't miss is the mid-90s Fuji 50. Grass green and similar greens looked like cooked broccoli. But then I'm not a fan of color-enhanced films.

Sirius, did you perhaps use your Kodachrome in Los Angeles? I'm looking at some right now, the skies definitely are not muddy.

No, I had the problem in 1964 during the New York World Fair and the rest of that summer. I also had it in the Washington DC area. After that summer I refused to use Kodachrome even when I was given to me.
 

E. von Hoegh

Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2011
Messages
6,197
Location
Adirondacks
Format
Multi Format
No, I had the problem in 1964 during the New York World Fair and the rest of that summer. I also had it in the Washington DC area. After that summer I refused to use Kodachrome even when I was given to me.
In those areas, they skies probably were muddy, all those cars had road tubes.
 

E. von Hoegh

Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2011
Messages
6,197
Location
Adirondacks
Format
Multi Format
What do your mean "road tubes"?
A primitive crankcase ventilation system, it vented blowby from the engine crankcase directly to the atmosphere, contributing significantly to smog in urban areas. Positive crankcase ventilation (Federally mandated in 1968) which sucked the blowby into the engine's inlet tract eliminated that source of pollution, and kept engines cleaner inside.
 

Sirius Glass

Subscriber
Joined
Jan 18, 2007
Messages
50,411
Location
Southern California
Format
Multi Format
Ok I understand. So are you saying that Kodachrome specialized in capturing that back then?
 

E. von Hoegh

Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2011
Messages
6,197
Location
Adirondacks
Format
Multi Format
Ok I understand. So are you saying that Kodachrome specialized in capturing that back then?
I don't know, I was three during the '64 World's Fair and so was not taking pictures. I'll dig out some my father took in the early 60s and see what the skies look like.
 

Theo Sulphate

Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2014
Messages
6,489
Location
Gig Harbor
Format
Multi Format
...
Sirius, did you perhaps use your Kodachrome in Los Angeles? I'm looking at some right now, the skies definitely are not muddy.

Likewise. My family and I have Kodachrome II 8mm movies made between 1964 and 1978 in Los Angeles, West Hollywood, Venice, and Santa Ana - the skies in the film are a nice "powder blue" and remain so to this day:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powder_blue


PolaChrome.

Wow. Did you actually get to use it? I deeply regret not becoming interested in Polaroid until 2005 - when they were on the brink of extinction. I would have loved to use all the film types they had - even Polavision!

That said, I like the pastel-like colors that SX-70 film rendered.
 

Cholentpot

Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2015
Messages
6,748
Format
35mm
Ektar 1000.

Some very nice fog...

Just kidding. I got a few rolls of the stuff and it had a nice grain pattern. Almost like shooting film made out of pebbles.
 
Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here.

PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY:



Ilford ADOX Freestyle Photographic Stearman Press Weldon Color Lab Blue Moon Camera & Machine
Top Bottom