Filter with Color Slide Film

Hi,

I've looked for some information in the search engine but didn't

quite get what I wanted. So here I go...

 

I've got a couple of E100VS and some Fuji Velvia 100 and 50 ASA.

I've never tried slide film before, so can I please receive some

suggestions on what warming filters I should use in a bright day?

 

Also for night shots, I really don't like the orangish tone of the

street light (sodium). Can it be solved using some filters with the

slide films?

 

I also would like to know if Hoya R72 filter will work properly with

either of these films?

 

Thank you,

Nazzina

To get rid of the tungsten cast, you can use a cooling filter (which is bluish and counterbalances the warm cast of the lights).

The most common warming filters to use with slide films are 81A's and 81B's. They are essentially mild warming filters used to cut small blue casts that affect most slide film in overcast or shady conditions. The knowledge that comes with experience is just understanding when you need to warm and when you don't, and it's hard to know that without just going to shoot to gain experience with the films. Good luck.

Kodak's data sheets for their color films tell you how to filter them for various types of vapor lights. Of course, you have to ask the people who change the light bulbs what brand they use.

 

That said, some of those vapor lights have very narrow spiky spectrums, there is just NO light at most wavelengths. Especially the straight sodium vapor ones, which are pretty much monochromatic (one wavelength). No color filter can replace light that isn't there...

 

My understanding is that Kodachrome 200 is more forgiving of strange vapor lights than any other slide film. That was why Kodak backed off their plans to discontinue Kodachrome Professional 200 several years ago, and just raised the price sky high. Sports photographers were using it (generally pushed) at indoor sports arenas, which often have vapor lights.

However mercury vapor lamps and sodium vapor lamps and other types of vapor lamps are not equal or even similar to each other in their emission characteristics.

 

Sodium lamps used mainly in parking lots or as street lights emit a rather monochromatic light that is yellowish, whereas mercury vapor lamps used most often in sports arenas, and at airports are blue green. Sodium lamps are also more monochromatic than mercury lamps, IIRC.

 

IMHO, I don't really think you can correct well for sodium lamps due to the narrow emission spectrum, but you can for mercury which is somewhat broader.

 

Ron Mowrey

Thank you everyone for your comments. It's a shame that I can't get rid of the street lights' problem! I just wanted to ask because there are some photos I've seen (mostly digital by the way) that have clear black or blue sky in night scenes... same type of photos with my print film came out really orangish! So I thought may be slide film would work different!

Your prints could be reprinted at another balance and eliminate the orange sky.

 

Perhaps the digital images were altered as well.

 

Ron Mowrey

Thanks Ron! I will see if I can talk to the lab people about this!

A couple of other things: atmospheric conditions come into play a lot with this sort of thing, so perhaps try shooting on a clear night. Also, you may like to try a Tungsten-balanced film for a cooler feel.

Kodak 320T see my photo's <a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=388784">here</a>

 

I think this might be what you are looking for. also you can try fuji 64T