What to do with Ektar 160T and other slow tungsten films?

[Erik Petersson]

I bought a Kiev 60, a very large camera with much personality. It came with some films, not all of them films that I know how to use.

What would you do with five rolls of outdated Ektar 160T? When I photograph indoors, I always make photos of people. 160 will be much to slow. Could it be exposed at 300-400 with good results?

There are also a few rolls of (outdated) Portra NC 100T.

Could these films be used for outdoors night photos?

The T-max 400 and Velvia is much easier to find useful!

thanks for your help!

 

[Mike Wilde]

It can work well outdoors during the 'magic hours' without filtration correction. When the sun is very low on the horizon it is much redder than its mid day blue. So try some portraits outside as dusk approaches - try it - you may like it. And nice long sunset summer nights will soon be upon us in the northern hemisphere. As a plus, the contrast ratio is not as extreme then, so there can be good foreground and background exposures. If you are shooting a portrait, take a reflector to fill the shadows, as opposed to fill flash, which will be balanced for daylight colouring.

 

[Tim Gray]

Honestly, if you don't want them, I'd take them gladly.

I hear night photos are interesting with tungsten film. They also usually have very good reciprocity characteristics, so the long exposures work out well.

 

[2F/2F]

To the best of my knowledge, the films are actually Ektachrome 160T and Portra 100T, not Ektar 160T and Portra NC 100T.

What you should do if you will not really appreciate them is to sell them to someone who covets them. These are two of my favorite films, and my stashes have been depleted (especially the 160T, of which I only have 10 rolls remaining). If I would not have to ship them from Sweden, I would ask you to sell them to me.

They are good for all kinds of stuff; mainly long exposures and shooting with hot lamps or household halogen bulbs. If you are in a well-lit music venue where you can get an exposure at up to EI 800 or 1000, the 160T works great pushed 2-3 stops in medium format. (Maybe I shouldn't have told you that...now you will want to keep it! ) The loss of shadows does not really bother me in low light shots; especially in color. The reason the film is so great is that it is corrected for 99% of stage spotlights, so you get dead accurate color on your transparency. The problem is that you basically need a spot meter, and lots of experience, to expose and develop the film correctly for this kind of thing. Otherwise, your highlights get blown out from unnecessary pushing. Therefore, I wouldn't bother with it for this use unless you have a large quantity for experimentation. I'd use it for night pictures instead, or studio portraits using hot lights; possibly the low light pictures that you take. I would not use an in-camera reflected light meter if you plan on precisely pushing the 160T. 100T; sure, as it is a negative film, and won't be ruined by sloppy metering or too much pushing; but not the 160T. I'd use an incident meter, grey card, or spot meter instead.

It's a bloody shame that these films are gone.

 

[Erik Petersson]

Thanks for your advice, everyone. F2/F2, I am sure that you are right about the names of the films, I don't have them nearby so I read their names off the internet ad from the purchase.

I am really tempted to use these films as you suggest, maybe pushing them for available light pictures indoors, or night land- cityskapes. However, with no former experience and only five films each to learn I might not be successful. At the same time I see that some of you miss them.

If anyone of you feel that you would put them to better use than me, by all means do post me a private message. I won't be unreasonable. They are all 120 and slightly outdated. I will anyway start with the velvia and try to capture the colours of our dusk in summer here in Stockholm.

Erik

 

[jd callow]

160T is an excellent night photography film and 100T (as well as 160T) is great interior film under tungstun light. 100T was designed or is well suited for Architecture and shares its colour palette with Portra NC, It is also great for night photography as it shares NC's reciprocity characteristics. 160T is also good for crossprocessing when the scene is more contrasty than most crossed e6's could manage. 160T is an old emulsion and is less punchy (not as much contrast or saturation) and has larger grain than more modern films.

This was shot useing 160T (EPT) and crossprocessed:

This was shot with 100T processed normal:

These are great films and are sorely missed.

 

[Erik Petersson]

thanks for your examples jd callow. The pictures did not post, though. Maybe you could direct me to them on your website?

 

[jd callow]

thanks for your examples jd callow. The pictures did not post, though. Maybe you could direct me to them on your website?

Here are some links to my APUG images
160T
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

100T
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[marcant21]

I received about a dozen out-dated roles of Tungsten film from a friend of mine. I develop them in Diafine for 4.5 minutes and they come out great in black and white.

 

[2F/2F]

I received about a dozen out-dated roles of Tungsten film from a friend of mine. I develop them in Diafine for 4.5 minutes and they come out great in black and white.

I hope this was not a really great and discontinued variety. If so, poor film...

 

[nickandre]

I will gladly take portra 100t. It's very hard to find.

 

[Erik Petersson]

Tim and Tiberius, I have already offered the films to an APUG-member. If he does not buy them I will ask you. Thanks for your messages!

 

[nickandre]

I'd really just like a roll of 100T portra. I wasn't shooting film when it was discontinued. My photo teacher has a small stash of chilled 160T that I might try.