StS Posted July 28, 2011 Share #1 Posted July 28, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Good evening, I'm going to try out a roll of Portra 800 - can I ask, if someone already made some experiences with this film? I would be especially interested, if the film is actually exposed best at 800 ASA or if the actual speed is slightly below. Stefan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 28, 2011 Posted July 28, 2011 Hi StS, Take a look here Portra 800 - any experiences?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
kokoshawnuff Posted July 28, 2011 Share #2 Posted July 28, 2011 I've had good results at 800 ASA, but poor results trying to push to 1600 or 3200. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 800 ASA 800 ASA 3200 ASA Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! 800 ASA 800 ASA 3200 ASA ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/158078-portra-800-any-experiences/?do=findComment&comment=1750036'>More sharing options...
tgray Posted July 29, 2011 Share #3 Posted July 29, 2011 It definitely benefits from a bit of over exposure. 640 is good if you can. But if you need 800, shoot away. It does fine there. Flickr: ezwal's stuff tagged with portra800 I just got some scans back from two rolls of Portra 800, but I haven't uploaded the better ones yet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnloumiles Posted July 29, 2011 Share #4 Posted July 29, 2011 It was my film of choice for everyday/night shooting. Great color, very forgiving exposure wise and nice grain. In the night it sucks up color like a sponge but during the day it gives a very washed out effect thats quite nice.I actually just a got a couple rolls today for the first time in 3 or 4 years. I recently bought a M6 which is my reason for shooting film again. I ran a roll of Fuji 800 professional and I much prefer the porta. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erl Posted July 29, 2011 Share #5 Posted July 29, 2011 For natural skin tones, go the Portra. For stage, or any artificially lit event, Fuji 800 gets much closer to a pleasing result. It is all very dependent on the processing (and scanning if applicable). Doing it all yourself is a real, and I regret to say, better option these days. Good commercial labs are hard and inconvenient to source. I have just taken my film cameras and darkroom out of 'mothballs' and started using all my out of date film stock. Following are self processed images (dev & scan) as a comparative result. This pic was made on Kodak GPZ1000, a forerunner to Portra 800. I exposed it at ISO800. It was about 12 or more years OOD! It was my first attempt at using the two pack C41 dev available from B&H. Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! This pic was made on Fuji PRO400H. It was about seven or more years OOD. It looks like being my fast C/N film of choice. I cannot over emphasize the value and benefit of self processing colour neg (or B&W) films. Push processing (or pull) is s fine tuning facility that is simply invoked by varying the time of dev. Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! This pic was made on Fuji PRO400H. It was about seven or more years OOD. It looks like being my fast C/N film of choice. I cannot over emphasize the value and benefit of self processing colour neg (or B&W) films. Push processing (or pull) is s fine tuning facility that is simply invoked by varying the time of dev. ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/158078-portra-800-any-experiences/?do=findComment&comment=1750112'>More sharing options...
StS Posted July 29, 2011 Author Share #6 Posted July 29, 2011 Thank you very much, everyone, for taking the time, this is always a good place for excellent advice. The background is I'll be at a friend's wedding in two weeks, there will be a professional and I assume lots of digital images, so I figured someone should add some memories on film . I'll do a test run tonight at the pre-wedding celebration of a colleague. I'm in the fortunate position to have a very good lab close by, so I keep using them, I would be in trouble, should they shut down... Cheers Stefan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nhabedi Posted July 29, 2011 Share #7 Posted July 29, 2011 Advertisement (gone after registration) Some more Portra 800 examples here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbl Posted July 29, 2011 Share #8 Posted July 29, 2011 I cannot over emphasize the value and benefit of self processing colour neg (or B&W) films. Push processing (or pull) is s fine tuning facility that is simply invoked by varying the time of dev. I've been doing B&W for a few years now and have been thinking about trying to do my own color work, both C-41 and E-6, though I'd probably start with C-41 as that seems to be easier. Is the best bet just to pick up a used Jobo or can it reasonable be done with a water bath and an aquarium heater? Thanks, Jonathan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alun Posted July 29, 2011 Share #9 Posted July 29, 2011 Stefan, I would echo what Erl said. I haven't used 800 Portra but have used lots of 400. Its skin tones and general colour rendition are exceptionally beautiful; it also has nice grain and scans marvellously. Fuji Superia 800 is actually terrific film, especially anywhere there is mixed light sources. However, I find the Fuji (at all speeds) scans less well. Reds become very pronounced and often need easing back in processing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezc203 Posted July 29, 2011 Share #10 Posted July 29, 2011 +1 for Portra 400, the results are great at 400, 800, and 1600. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erl Posted July 30, 2011 Share #11 Posted July 30, 2011 I've been doing B&W for a few years now and have been thinking about trying to do my own color work, both C-41 and E-6, though I'd probably start with C-41 as that seems to be easier. Is the best bet just to pick up a used Jobo or can it reasonable be done with a water bath and an aquarium heater? Thanks, Jonathan Jonathan, It is indeed very easy. A used JOBO would be beneficial, but not necessary. Your B&W process would benefit from the consistency of the JOBO also. For many years I processed in conventional tanks immersed in buckets of water to maintain temperature. I didn't even use a fish tank heater! The secret is consistency rather than accuracy. If your temperature falls by a certain amount over a given time, you can determine the development time extension to compensate. You really need to find your own development time anyway, even with a JOBO. In my case, dev time is extended by 30sec, even though (I have a JOBO. Determined simply by observing neg density and colour fidelity of end product. One test film reduced to a series of clip tests will easily put you spot on. E6 is really no more difficult but is more critical about dev time. Still easily determined the same way. The hardest part is acquiring the chemistry these days. I have to buy 5ltr kits from B&H in New York. US$20, but the shipping cost is about $60! If you can source chemistry locally, you are laughing. Try one of the fast photo shops. If they are (super) friendly, they may share some chemistry with you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbl Posted August 2, 2011 Share #12 Posted August 2, 2011 For many years I processed in conventional tanks immersed in buckets of water to maintain temperature. I didn't even use a fish tank heater! The secret is consistency rather than accuracy. If your temperature falls by a certain amount over a given time, you can determine the development time extension to compensate. You really need to find your own development time anyway, even with a JOBO. In my case, dev time is extended by 30sec, even though (I have a JOBO. Determined simply by observing neg density and colour fidelity of end product. One test film reduced to a series of clip tests will easily put you spot on. E6 is really no more difficult but is more critical about dev time. Still easily determined the same way. Thanks again, Erl. So do you not get color shifts when extending development time? I had read that dev time and temperature were super critical in order to get the color to not shift too much. But if I'm reading you correctly, it sounds like this is closer to B&W development than I thought. Is your own dev time consistent across films? Thanks! Jonathan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
erl Posted August 2, 2011 Share #13 Posted August 2, 2011 Jonathan, Some colour shifs will occur, but the worry is 'cross shifts'. ie. magenta and green at the same time. Correcting magenta will make green worse and vice versa. Shifts in one direction are naturally corrected in the printing. Using the Jobo maintains stability of time and temperature, unless you choose to reprogram it. Once set, you have established your personal parameters and everything is stable from thereon in. By experimenting initially, you are investigating 'where' you want your development to stabilize. 'Super critical' is definitely an over statement. It is every bit as easy as B&W. Remember, time/temp. is also influential in B&W, so it is always important to have control over both. I can only recommend you try it. At worstit will only cost you a few (not many) dollars. at best you will be very happy and pleased with your achievement. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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