Negative color film

[JPHILIPPE]

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Hi

Can you help me?

I have been using since every year color slide film Kodak Elite 100 with my M6.

Now I would like using negative color film for a better latitude exposure.

What’s brand? and what’s better choice film 100-200 iso?

Thanks in advance;

Jean-philippe

[erl]

Jean-philippe,

 

There are many options available. Some depend on what you like to photograph. Indoors, outdoors, daylight, artificial light, etc.

 

However, a good start would be with either Kodak or Fuji films. The Kodak Portra range is excellent for portraiture and similar types of work. It does demand correct lighting to warrant the expense. It comes in a range of speeds. Another good quality film is Fuji Pro 400 H. I believe it to be more tolerant of lighting. Fuji Superior is a great general purpose film and very economical. I don't particularly like its rendering of skin tones, all else is very acceptable, paticularly under mixed lighting, where Fuji does seem to rule.

 

Try a few and see how they suit your style. In the end, that is the final test and only you can do it.

[masjah]

Jean-Philippe

 

For ISO 100 colour negative film, I do like Fuji Reala very much. Very fine detail (not quite meaningful of course to talk of grain once the film has been processed!) and for my tastes, a very natural colour balance, with excellent flesh tones. Some of the Velvia colour balance persuasion find it a bit insipid though!

[gberger]

Another vote for Fuji Reala

[stunsworth]

Yet another vote for Reala.

[lambroving]

Try Portra 160 NC for bright days and Portra 160 VC for dull days. The former will not clash with the latest high-contrast Leica lenses, BTW. For lower light Portra 400 VC works well with still fairly fine grain. Color is very accurate.

[ai1]

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I use Fuji Pro 160S both in 35mm and 4x5, regardless of lighting conditions. Portra 160NC is similar. If find it easiest to work with one film. Contrast can be pretty easily controlled by using curves in Photoshop. I find these so-called protrait films to giver more neutral, realistic color and, unlike many films, are not over-saturated.

[stunsworth]

Hi Anthony, do you have your films processed at a high street lab? Here in the UK they have a tendancy to crank up the saturation and contrast on prints to an appalling degree to give the average customer something that looks punchy. I can well image that the portrait orientated films provide better results in such an environment.

[erl]

Hi Anthony, do you have your films processed at a high street lab? Here in the UK they have a tendancy to crank up the saturation and contrast on prints to an appalling degree to give the average customer something that looks punchy. I can well image that the portrait orientated films provide better results in such an environment.

 

Steve,

 

The Portra fils give a better (more faithful?) rendition, even when self processed in 'one shot' chemistry. This is my memory speaking as currently I am an M8 'freak', but I have processed thousands of C/N in my recent past, and that was my observation. The 'punchy' films are better for stage lit shows though.

[leicapages]

My choice for color negative goes towards Fuji Superia 200 as a multi-purpose film, and Fuji Reala 100 when most natural tones are needed. Both have the 4th color layer, which is a big boon when picturing under certain lighting conditions (such as artificial light, avoiding greenish color shifts).

[ddp]

Another vote for Portra here - I used Vericolor back in the day, bounced around the Fuji spectrum and am back to Kodak again. Portra really is a nice emulsion...

[ai1]

Here in the US, I have my have my 35mm processed at one or the other "one-hour" labs that are known locally for pretty high quality. (Would this be considered high street?) For 4x5, I use a specialist. In either case, I then have contacts done. The 35mm Fuji contacts from one lab (these are digital, not classic contacts), for some reason tend to have an overall pink coloration, but the film is fine; the scans, using a Nikon ED5000, tend to be quite neutral with pretty accurate colors, although invariably I fiddle a little more in Photoshop to make sure neutrals are truly neutral or just to get the balance the way I want. The 4x5 contacts from the specialist lab are tradtional contacts and quite accurate in color. Although I have not used Portra recently, I have in the past and I have had similar results.

[ejcaliguri@comcast.net]

Go for Reala (another vote) - Scan well - either by a company you trust using a high end scanner, or if you have the $$ an Imacon or Aztec - I use the Nikon 5000 with the new Silverfast software that allows multiple scans, and love it for negatives or chromes.

 

I too am at an M8 'high' - but since pulling out some chromes yesterday, there still is nothing like Astia for neutral color, or Velvia for punch, shot behind Leica glass. That goes for negative film stock for all of the previously mentioned reasons.

 

Aren't we all just so happy we have allthese choices;) !

 

Best to all,

[JPHILIPPE]

Thank you for you advice.

I 'll go to Vietnam in May ,therefore i'll test several negative color film, Reala,Portra and

perhaps Fuji Superia, before the departure.

I use the Nikon Coolscan V for scan .

 

Jean-Philippe

[rob_x2004]

Shoulder into the wet? It might be heretical to say but you might not see great difference in any of them especially when in the bush or the villages. I couldnt say the Reala handled out in the green any better than the consumer grade Superia, nor some of the local hooch from either konica or fuji. Couldnt comment on the Kodak, didnt use any.

[rob_x2004]

One thing you should take is a little Spudz. Filters often fog up over there and you might be better off ditching them completely. There is only so much wet lens cleaning you can do with your shirt once it gets wet...and the lens gets wet...and... Spudz isnt much bigger than a film can and you can clip it to your neck strap, the neoprene cover keeps the cloth clean and dry. They are only about ten bucks. Best bit of kit around. Hope that helps.

 

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Oh...Spudz dries quick when it goes swimming. 18% too for the anal. Grey, I mean:).