XVarior Posted November 19, 2014 Share #1 Posted November 19, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Having an M9 for several months now I discovered that Rangefinder and me are just born for each other. I decided to get another M body, but instead of picking an M or an MM my choice headed in opposite directions, there where I will be able to feel, touch and even smell my pictures. I decided to go FILM with a beautiful MP in silver finish. Can't wait to roll in my first roll :-) Advise on films best for Portrait, street, color and B&W are welcome. 16 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted November 19, 2014 Posted November 19, 2014 Hi XVarior, Take a look here Upgrading to FILM :-). I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
Doc Henry Posted November 19, 2014 Share #2 Posted November 19, 2014 Having an M9 for several months now I discovered that Rangefinder and me are just born for each other. I decided to get another M body, but instead of picking an M or an MM my choice headed in opposite directions, there where I will be able to feel, touch and even smell my pictures. I decided to go FILM with a beautiful MP in silver finish. Can't wait to roll in my first roll :-)Advise on films best for Portrait, street, color and B&W are welcome. Same situation as me , I upgrade to film for the beauty of color ,nice grain and nice gray and black scale. For the choice of film, Kodak Portra 160 +400 , Ektar 100, KodakTX400 or Ilford HP5 Best Henry http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/other/286747-i-like-film-open-thread.html http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/other/345543-my-new-companion.html 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbealnz Posted November 19, 2014 Share #3 Posted November 19, 2014 LOL, me too. A scruffy (by the look of the pictures I was sent) M6 to go with a 50 and a 28mm lens. It will be here tomorrow at this stage. Accompanied by my old Leicaflex SL, and Model 1a. Film? Wonderful fun. It might be worth a poll on ages, I started in film as a youngster, and in fact my first job was in a lab. Darkroom never got sold, well, it was "worthless" anyway, nobody wants darkroom gear, so it stayed stashed, until recently. I used the term "therapeutic" recently in relation to processing B&W. It is for me. Gary 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
xalo Posted November 19, 2014 Share #4 Posted November 19, 2014 (edited) Great move ! Doc Henry mentioned good choices for negative colour film; I would add the Fuji Pro 400H and especially the Provia 100F slide film, if you have a lab with E6 chemistry reasonably close by (or accept to mail it). In b&w I would add three low speed choices when there is a lot of light (for which I remember Lebanon): Ilford Pan F 50 and Fuji Acros 100 (very smooth) and Adox CHS 100 II (special rendering, but likely only mail order). There are plenty more which will undoubtly be mentioned, 'coz film is alive and clicking. Cheers, Alexander Edited November 19, 2014 by xalo 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem331 Posted November 19, 2014 Share #5 Posted November 19, 2014 I thought I would latch on to this thread so as not to start a new one. Of late I have begun to feel the desire to get my M film cameras out again. They have been sitting in the safe for 10 years. This is not because I intend to shoot less digital, or because I am not happy with digital, but to experiment a bit. I allways used to shoot Provia 100 but will not return to slides, I also do not intend to do my own scanning. although I have a scanner, since I do not have the time. I want to shoot only colour negative and am trying to choose a film. I was surprised to see that Kodak is still going strong since I thought that they had gone out of business. What colour negative film would you recommend to have processed and scanned by a professional lab. I am thinking of: -Kodak Ektar 100 -Kodak Portra 400 Interested to know your thoughts on which film scans best and is going to stay in production. Who is producing Kodak film now? Thanks. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erl Posted November 19, 2014 Share #6 Posted November 19, 2014 Both Kodak Portra films are excellent and scan well. Likewise the Fuji 400H. My personal preference is for Portra, but the Fuji 400H is a very good performer. depends on your taste in colour only. The weakest link will be whatever you 'shop out' in the form of processing and scanning, not the film. 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith (M) Posted November 19, 2014 Share #7 Posted November 19, 2014 Advertisement (gone after registration) Received a roll of Portra 160 back from Peak Imaging yesterday (Tues morning - I only put it in the post Thurs evening!) and three results can be seen here in the excellent 'I like film...' thread. A fourth image is a little further down the thread. Most of my film photography is with b&w, which I develop at home but once in a while it is a real pleasure to use colour neg film. As an aside, I had a few days earlier received my first roll of Velvia 100 slide film back from Peak Imaging. This was from my Rolleicord Vb and it confirms my dim and distant memory that 6x6cm slides can be just stunning! 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250swb Posted November 19, 2014 Share #8 Posted November 19, 2014 All the film suggestions are good, I would steer you towards Portra or Ektar because they have a lot of latitude and are sort of a datum point from which you can then judge other films. For B&W it would be Ilford FP4 or HP5. Here is an example of Ektar home processed in a Tetenal C41 kit http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/landscape-travel/354151-spiders-web-tree.html#post2824766 The main thing is to have an image in your minds eye and find a film that comes close to that, so grain or no grain, colour or B&W, contrasty or open tones, these are the questions you should ask for answers to. Steve 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth3kpl Posted November 19, 2014 Share #9 Posted November 19, 2014 A big factor in satisfaction with film is down to the lab you choose. UK Film Lab look to be amazing. They're expensive because they don't auto scan, instead treating each frame seperately. I've been using Snaps in Bournemouth of late, and in the past, AG Photographic with good results. I've been disappointed with Peak Imaging, but I know they're popular with others. Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erl Posted November 19, 2014 Share #10 Posted November 19, 2014 Steve your example (lovely) of Ektar on Stanton Moor is a great example of what I was thinking. I don't like Ektar as a rule because I consider it too contrasty. Note; I live in an environment almost the 'flip side' of yours I suspect. ie. bright contrasy light. Your use of Ektar in your example is a perfect example of the right film for the right scene. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth3kpl Posted November 19, 2014 Share #11 Posted November 19, 2014 Here is an example of Ektar home processed in a Tetenal C41 kit http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/landscape-travel/354151-spiders-web-tree.html#post2824766 Steve It's annotated as Portra rated at 50. Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth3kpl Posted November 19, 2014 Share #12 Posted November 19, 2014 I've seen some very nice images by others using Ektar but I've tended to avoid Ektar as I have the impression that it has less latitude than Portra or fuji 400h. My experience with it is very limited, and they were scanned by either Palm lab or Peak Imaging. Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wattsy Posted November 19, 2014 Share #13 Posted November 19, 2014 A big factor in satisfaction with film is down to the lab you choose. UK Film Lab look to be amazing. They're expensive because they don't auto scan, instead treating each frame seperately. Have you tried UK Film Lab, Pete? I don't mind the prices, especially if the quality is superior to minilab processing (I recently had a couple of films developed and scanned for a fiver at my local ASDA:D) but I'm a little wary about the idea of not getting your negs back for a year. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem331 Posted November 19, 2014 Share #14 Posted November 19, 2014 Any one care to comment as to whether there a lot of difference in grain between Portra 160 and 400? Thanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith (M) Posted November 19, 2014 Share #15 Posted November 19, 2014 There is an interesting discussion on Portra and Fuji plus a link to an informative article in this thread in the Film Forum. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth3kpl Posted November 19, 2014 Share #16 Posted November 19, 2014 Have you tried UK Film Lab, Pete? I don't mind the prices, especially if the quality is superior to minilab processing (I recently had a couple of films developed and scanned for a fiver at my local ASDA:D) but I'm a little wary about the idea of not getting your negs back for a year. No I haven't. I'm saving the experience for when I think I've got something worth the money , perhaps a memorable trip or the neighbour's cat Where did you read you might not get your negs back for a year? Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth3kpl Posted November 19, 2014 Share #17 Posted November 19, 2014 Any one care to comment as to whether there a lot of difference in grain between Portra 160 and 400? Thanks. There's something on the Kodak site. The 400 might have LESS grain than 160, or maybe it says the 400 is sharpER than 160 - something odd like that. Pete 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith (M) Posted November 19, 2014 Share #18 Posted November 19, 2014 Where did you read you might not get your negs back for a year?Pete In their FAQ:- Q: What happens to my negatives? A: We will automatically store and archive them for you for a period of time. How long? When your file of negatives reaches one inch thick, or when 12 months elapse…whichever comes first, we’ll send them back to you. At that point we’ll email you with an invoice to cover the return. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doc Henry Posted November 19, 2014 Share #19 Posted November 19, 2014 Any one care to comment as to whether there a lot of difference in grain between Portra 160 and 400? Thanks. Dem , I have a lot of pictures of KP160 and 400 in this thread , specially from my last trip of London: beginning post 1263 http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-forum/other/286747-i-like-film-open-thread-64.html I used both. In my opinion, for portrait and some landscape KP 160 (grain is very fine) is very good .For other purpose KP400 ... (and also for Portrait ) more sensitive,more versatile,more vivid (like color of M9) responding to any situation and also with finest grain Best Henry 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth3kpl Posted November 19, 2014 Share #20 Posted November 19, 2014 I'm sure they"ll return them if you ask for them and pay the postage:confused: Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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