Your favorite low speed color neg film

I am partial to Astia slide film although tis a bit blue for me and have been using Portra 160 for quite

some time. I'm wondering if there is a nicer grained film with color appropriate for people without the use

of filters. What do you prefer to use?

 

Thanks

Gold 100 is a favorite for me. A bit grainy though. Reala is another good one. I tried Portra 160VC lately and its nice, but not quite as fine grained as Reala and the colors are quite bold.

reala

Reala is the best print film out there, closely followed by portra NC, fuji superia 100, and portra 100 uc. If extra color is what you're after then stick with reala, or portra 100UC, if natural color and fine grain is what you're after, then Portra 160NC wins the bill.

For all around general use I really like Reala developed by A&I (Frontier w/Crystal Archive paper).

 

For portraits with flash, I like Portra NC 160 developed at a Kodak lab on Endura paper.

Thanks. I'm pretty happy with the Portra, but was wondering if there was a finer grain I guess.

I'll give the Reala another chance as it's been quite some time since I've used it. I'm scanning

it and printing on a lustre paper.

 

Anyone use a slower than 100 print film anymore? That Agfa 50 was fun although weirdly

colored.

Fuji 160S pro. Scans like a dream and not contrasty. I have not tried the new Portras, but this is much better than reala.

 

Astia is not blue. Either your lenses are cold ( Japanese ) or the processor is not under control. He needs to add acid or base to control the blue/yellow balance.

 

Try a skylight filter all the time on the lens. That is what I did with Pentax lenses.

Thanks Ronald. I'm definitely check that out.

Since Kodachrome 25 died I have settled on Elitechrome 100.

I'm curious what you don't like about NC160? In my mind, it is the gold standard of slow speed, people films.

Not that I don't like it, just wondering if I might find something with a grain structure more

like Astia. It's a great film for sure and most definitely an industry standard - at least in NY.

Ektar 25.

 

Sorry, could not resist.

I like Royal Gold 25 for landscapes. It is not very good for people pictures. I have 4 rolls left in the freezer.

Fav. neg film Portra 160NC (great contrast and tonal look, but I like to add a bit of color to it in photoshop)

 

Fav. pos film, old Ektachrome 64. Amazing old-fashioned look, though harder to expose right, works ok if you can light the subject and control every shadow. A bit out of focus and it looks like a painting.

I like Reala a lot for outdoor use either with natural lighting or fill flash. However; indoors it has a tendency to pick up stray colors, especially greens. If there is any kind of flourescent lighting around, or even if the room has off green or blue walls, Reala, and other Fuji films too (see my earlier post about Pro400H), will pick this up and give the photos a greenish cast ... especially to skin tones. Anyone else have this issue?

 

I haven't had this problem with Kodak Gold 100 so I am trying to use that or other Kodak films more for strictly flash work.

I've found Reala and NPZ quite good under indoor fluorescent light- just give them a bit more exposure to help when you color balance them.

 

My favorite is Reala 100 and for a bit more punch (and for night shots) Fuji 160C. I think Reala is very attractive for skin tone and am suprised you don't think Astia's up to the task. Maybe give Sensia a try- it might be slightly warmer?

"Stephane Bosman , dec 29, 2006; 05:36 p.m.

Ektar 25.

Sorry, could not resist."

 

When you're right, you're right!

Oh yes I forgot, Ronald is right, I used a sample 35mm roll of Fuji 160s on a FED 5C with an industar lens, the replacement for the NPS; the scans were absolutely awsome, virtually grain free and very sharp.

Plain, old fashioned Gold 100.

I'll put in a vote for Ektar 25/ Royal Gold 25. RG 100 wasn't too bad for scenics either. But Gold 100 and Reala are still my favorite.

Vericolor S (VPS). I have one roll left.

reala 100

Reala for me - is this film still being produced? It's hard to get up here in Canada..........