What fast colour films are still available?

steven_e007 · Feb 22, 2010

Hi,

I hope to take some pics at a rock concert in a few months time.

I haven't done this for a looooooonng time.

I'll be using a 35mm camera with a short telephoto - we're talking rock band on low stage with full lighting rig in dark club. Black and white shouldn't be too much trouble. In the past I have used Kodak Recording film (my favourite) and T-Max 3200. The choice now will be Delta 3200 or Tmax 3200. I can live with that.

The problem is... colour. Excuse my ignorance, but I haven't shot colour film for a while and I'm a somewhat out of touch.
Years ago I would have reached for Ektar 1000 or even better a fast tungten balanced film. After a quick look at a couple of mail-order suppliers I could find no tungsten films and nothing faster than 800. Trouble is, if it is daylight film then by the time you've bunged a filter or two on the front you've lost even more...

Has all the fast stuff gone, now?

Will it have to be a case of film for black and white and take the **** digital for colour?

perkeleellinen · Feb 22, 2010

Superia 1600 or maybe Provia 400X pushed two stops.

Ektagraphic · Feb 22, 2010

Portra 800 is a great film. Instead of filtering when shooting, it is not the best idea but you could always try to correct when printing. It has worked for me.

Erik Petersson · Feb 22, 2010

I exposed Sensia at 400, but my lab said it was too problematic to push. So I kind of lost faith in pushing E6. But you propose that Provia 400X can be pushed to 1600, so now I am a little confused. But I am sure that the truth is out there.

perkeleellinen · Feb 22, 2010

I've pushed Provia 400X to 1600 and the results were not bad at all.

Erik Petersson · Feb 22, 2010

Did you lab change the development for this? My lab technichian said it was too problematic to calculate.

nickandre · Feb 22, 2010

Erik Petersson said:
Did you lab change the development for this? My lab technichian said it was too problematic to calculate.

Find a good lab technician, or inform them that the push process time is +2 minutes for a one stop push and +5 minutes for a two stop push. This can be found on kodak tech pub J-83 page 13.

Tim Gray · Feb 22, 2010

I'd go Portra 800 or Fuji 800z. I hear the Portra is a bit faster, and the Fuji handles mixed lighting better - both of these are anecdotal though (coming from me). But stage lighting is usually wild anyway, so I wouldn't worry about that part of it. I say Portra 800. They upgraded it a couple years ago and it's a really nice film. You can even push it. Someone on this forum said rate it at 2000 and give it a +2 push is a decent way to shoot it. (And I'd just scan the images).

I've had no real problems balancing colors with Portra 400 and 800 shot indoors if you are using photoshop.

Ektagraphic · Feb 22, 2010

There is also E200 which can be pushed to 1600.

B&Wpositive · Feb 23, 2010

steven_e007 said:
Years ago I would have reached for Ektar 1000 or even better a fast tungten balanced film. After a quick look at a couple of mail-order suppliers I could find no tungsten films and nothing faster than 800. Trouble is, if it is daylight film then by the time you've bunged a filter or two on the front you've lost even more...

Has all the fast stuff gone, now?

No, thank God all the fast color film has not gone away. Granted the ISO 3200 film is no longer around, but there are plenty of current ISO 800 and ISO 1600 options in color neg. Also, there are color slide films at ISO 200 and 400. Both the slide films and the neg films can be push processed to increase the speed if you can find a lab who will do it for you. The negative films should be overexposed in low light by a stop (or more when pushed). Even the slide films do well with slight overexposure (+1/3 to 2/3 stop only when pushed).

As for Kodak Portra 800: It's the current "version" of Ektar 1000. In fact, both have/had about the same ISO. Ektar wasn't really a 1000 speed film, and/or Portra is faster than a real ISO 800 film.

There is also Fuji 1600...a great film for rock concerts if I may say so myself. I consider it the color version of the Kodak P3200. If you like P3200, and liked Ektar 1000, you will probably like the Fuji 1600. Ditto for the Kodak Portra 800.

For rock concerts, I recommend the following:

-Portra 800 @ EI 640 (but you need a very wide aperture)
-Portra 800 rated at EI 1600 and push-processed 1.5 stops
-Portra 800 rated at EI 3200 and push-processed 3.5 stops

-Fuji 1600 rated at EI 1000 and processed normally
-Fuji 1600 rated at EI 2000 and push-processed 1 stop
-Fuji 1600 rated at EI 3200 and push-processed 2 stops

-Kodak E200 or Elite Chrome 200 rated at EI 1000 and push-processed 3 stops
-Fuji Provia 400X rated at EI 800 and push-processed 1.3 stops
-Fuji Provia 400X rated at EI 1600 and push-processed 2.75 stops

For mixed lighting, Fuji 800Z may do better, but I have not tried pushing it yet. It will probably behave similarly to the Kodak Portra 800 when pushed.

2F/2F · Feb 23, 2010

Fujicolor Superia 400, 800, 1600
Fujicolor 400H and 800Z
Fujichrome Provia 400/400X
Fujichrome Sensia 400

Kodacolor Portra 400 NC and VC
Kodacolor Portra 800
Kodacolor consumer 400 and 800 (not sure what the names are now)

Ferrania 400 and 800 (usually re-badged as one of a million other brands)

Supposedly Rollei has an 800 color neg film as well, but I have not seen it yet.

Elite Chrome or Ektachrome 200 pushed do not count in my book.

perkeleellinen · Feb 23, 2010

Erik Petersson said:
Did you lab change the development for this? My lab technichian said it was too problematic to calculate.

Erik, yes, I used Peak Imaging in the UK, they offer a push/pull service (they'll push three stops).

I'm sure I did this once when I lived in Göteborg. I think I used RP Foto Lab, but I can't find their webpage anymore (are they still around?).

steven_e007 · Mar 1, 2010

Thanks for the info - I'm sure my local minilab will probably push a couple of stops for me so I'll give that a go.

I'm not too worried about colour temperature as stage lighting is all reds and purples anyway...

Slide film I'm not too good with - I get confused with the back to frontness of it all...

The Fuji 1600 pushed a couple of stops sounds very promissing, but I haven't seen any for sale (is it available in the UK? I'll google for it...) if not, I know I can get the Kodak Portra 800.

Anything has got to be better than digital ;-)

perkeleellinen · Mar 1, 2010

http://discountfilmsdirect.co.uk/shop/acatalog/Fuji_Superia_1600_36_exposure_Colour_Print_Film.html

pentaxuser · Mar 1, 2010

Steve, if it is one film then it might not matter but if you were to become a regular user of Fuji 1600, then it will pay to do a search for the cheapest source. A quick search revealed that Mathers of Lancashire sell it for £4.89 as opposed to discountfilm £5.10. However it would appear not to be stocked by all as a couple I have looked at don't keep it.

pentaxuser

pentaxuser · Mar 1, 2010

Steve A follow-up. I did a search on Google and found something called Shopwiki who find the film for you and give you "stores" to go to. It directed me to Amazon( soon Amazon will do marriages and NHS work as well the way it is going!) Anyway it is available via Amazon but sourced via Calumnet at £4.08 per film. I would doubt anyone can beat that. Well certainly Calumnet can't or won't. It wants a few pennies short of £100 for a 20 pack which with my maths is £5 a pack. Eh? you ask, has pentaxuser gone mad?. He is saying that Calumnet sells its film via a middleman called Amazon who must make something out of it and with no delivery charge cheaper than it will sell direct to the customer. Well it would appear that way.

Calumnet has shops doesn't it in several major cities? Some people would like to keep such shops going and pride themselves on giving direct support saying that otherwise it will be all internet orders and once all competition disapears it will be Amazon or nothing.

Not getting much support from Calumnet are they for their principled stand?

Anyone care to give me an explanation of the econs of this?

So use Amazon and fill your boots Steve without having any qualms about putting the good Burghers at Calumnet out of business.

As Joe Brown( he of Joe Brown and the Bruvvers fame, if you are old enough) would say: "Its a crazy world we're living in"

pentaxuser

perkeleellinen · Mar 1, 2010

pentaxuser said:
He is saying that Calumnet sells its film via a middleman called Amazon who must make something out of it and with no delivery charge cheaper than it will sell direct to the customer. Well it would appear that way.

This is also the case with several films sold by 7DayShop. Amazon's stock is around 20p cheaper, the supplier 7DS, the same.

steven_e007 · Mar 2, 2010

Thanks for that. Amazon it is then.... and I could stretch to a couple of films, maybe ;-)

B&Wpositive · Mar 2, 2010

Portra 800 Price

Portra 800 in 35mm just hit the $9.50 mark per roll at B&H.

ajuk · Mar 2, 2010

Tim Gray · Mar 2, 2010

Damn, that's expensive. Cheaper at Freestyle still.

What fast colour films are still available?

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency