EPP and EPN

What are peoples experience/opinions of Ektachrome EPP and EPN?

As Astia is becomign harder and harder to find I thought I'd look

around for an alternative.

 

Astia has become my standard for architecture interiors, some

exteriors an landscapes. To me, it is a transparency film that gives

me close to a C41 film feel, but with just a bit more edge (and none

of the things that annoy me about print film...)

 

How would users of EPP and EPN compare them to each other

(differences)and to Astia. (Somewhere in my mind I've got a thing

about them being overly blue...?) Reciprocity looks like a problem -

is it as bad as Kodak makes out? Astia is good down to 30 secs.

 

So, before I fork out for a box or two (8x10), any opinions?

experiences?

epp is not a bad film, I was given 18 boxes of it and was

surprised with the results.

 

it is a little more contrasty than epn- and was a favorite film for

fashion guys before neg film took over.

 

I would not compare it to astia- it is very much a chrome film in

look, I would think it is more like the provia- it looks a lot like the

older RDP-II.

 

I am curious about what "annoys" you about neg film. I used to

not like it very much until I tried the portra films- which pretty

much sold me on the ease of neg film.

 

i can understnad though the ease of using chrome- the instant

feedback is a very big bonus. and there is just something about

looking at an 8x10 chrome that floors you.

 

I have brought it down to 10 sec, and had no problems but never

longer than that. I also have never noticed much of a blueish

cast- I think you might be influenced by the fact that people

always talk about kodak films having a "colder" look than fuji

films. I don't really see it being colder, I just find it a little more on

the neutral side.

 

hope this helps a little, and if not I hope your quest for the look

your after ends successfully.

Astia is being replaced this summer by Astia 100F: a much finer grained version of

ASTIA. There is a rumor about it being the first transparency film to incorporate the

"4th emulsion layer" technology used by Fuji in some of theircolor negative materials

for more neutral results in mixed lighting situations. I am expecting to get my hands

on some shortly for a magazine review.<P>In the mean time EPN is my favorite film

for subjects when the color rendition has to as faithful as possible to the colors of the

subject: primarily for when I shoot products in the studio or photograph art work.

I only use EPN in 4x5 and 8x10 in my business of photographing artwork for reproduction. It is the only film that is rated Accurate in color reproduction and has the longest tonal scale of any film stock. Many paintings have such a long tonal range from very dark details and bright detailed highlights that any other film would block up the darks or burn out the highlights and EPN wil handle all that. My films are usually drum scanned to make "giclees" (inkjet) or lithographs and the film works well. I would not use it on my vacation as it is too flat and I like my personal photos to pop more and I don't need color accuracy then. Years ago I tried some Fuji films but found them to be too constrasty for this application and the colors were too bold.

There is a new Astia 100 F. I have tried it in 120 format and it is great. The same old feeling of old "Kodachrome" like the original ASTIA but finer grain. We all hope it comes out in sheets. But I have also tested the new Velvia 100 F in 4x5" sheet. It is fantastic, real ISO 100 compared to real ISO 40 of the old, same but slightly thinner color palett. This could subsitute your Astia if the new Astia 100 F does not

come out in sheets. Did anyone speak of digital killing film?

Did you get a chance to try the new Astia and Velvia in mixed light to see if their "4th layer" stuff works for transparency film?

 

BTW, I've been trying to get an answer out of Fuji to find out if, when and what sheet sizes will be avaialble, but haven't got a clear reply

I did not lern about this "4th" layer in the new ASTIA 100 F till I read

this post on the forum. I will get some more rolls tomorrow and test it

in fluorsent light.

"There is a new Astia 100 F. I have tried it in 120 format and it is great. The

same old feeling of old "Kodachrome" like the original ASTIA but finer grain.

We all hope it comes out in sheets. But I have also tested the new Velvia 100 F

in 4x5" sheet. It is fantastic, real ISO 100 compared to real ISO 40 of the

old, same but slightly thinner color palett. This could subsitute your Astia if

the new Astia 100 F does not

come out in sheets. Did anyone speak of digital killing film?"

 

 

Ha - Fuji just called me back - maybe they read the least... :-)

 

Apparaently (and I'll believe it when I see it), Both the new Astia F and Velvia 100F will come in:

 

4x5

 

4x5 Quickload

 

8x10

 

BUT won't be available in N America until the Fall.