Can I buy NPH 400 on a bulk roll?

[guitar_j]

I'd like to start using this film, I recently bought some strobes to

do some studio work and I think this is the film for me. I'm gonna

get a roll or two and see how I like it before I buy a lot but I was

just wondering where/if I can get it on a bulk roll. until now I've

shot on Superia 200, this stuff just isn't cutting it, when I got

back my first roll of studio shots of my wife I was disappointed with

the skin tones and overall contrast. I know I can get 160 in bulk

but as I have some fairly low powered lights (2-150w/s), I'd like to

get the extra stops that 400 can give me over 100 or 160. From what

I've seen the grain of 400 doesn't seem to be an issue.

 

Thanks

-Josh

[john_shriver]

I don't see NPH in bulk at B&H or Adorama, which pretty much says it's not available. Kodak Portra 400NC is available in 100' rolls, a wonderful film if you have it printed on Kodak Endura paper.

[guitar_j]

THanks John, I had checked B&H and Adorama, I didn't see it either, I just thought someone might know of another source for such things... I'll check that Kodak out, there is a lab with a Noritsu machine here, they do pretty good work, not what I'd call pro, but I'm not what I'd call pro either so that works nicely.

[discpad]

Josh,

 

You should consider getting another inexpensive (Read: Chinese) strobe on eBay, so you can use the lower ISO film. Although you can shoot portraits with two strobes, a third strobe makes life easier, and a 4th strobe for a hairlight really makes light-haired women look fantastic.

 

In any case, you shouldn't have any trouble shooting 160 film with even just two 150 watt/second strobes.

 

Cheers!

Dan

[guitar_j]

I wish I had a good camera store around I'd like to buy a few rolls of Fuji and Kodak both 160 and 400 to see how I like them :-/ Closest thing we have is a 1 hr photo. They do good work though for me anyway, but charge outrageous prices on film. They stock a few Kodak pro films, but for some reason I'd just rather use Fuji. The closest camera store (a Ritz) is 2 hours away, which isn't that bad. I might have to make a trip out there this weekend and pick up a few rolls before I try to buy a bulk of anything from adorama.

<p>

As far as getting another strobe, I probably will, I got these two "inexpensive" strobes on ebay and contrary to what most people say about them I've been fairly satisfied. I would like to have better control over output rather than Full or half, but I like them, and for what I paid for them I feel like I got a decent deal.

<p>

I might pick up a used 283 or 285 and a peanut slave if the 1st bank of my wife permits :-)

<p>

Right now I'm going to have to convince her that bulk film loading is more cost efficient which shouldn't be too hard because it is.

<p>

I plan to do alot of "Hey, come over and get your picture made... I'll give you some copies... Don't forget to tell your friends" kind of thing for practice, so I'm going to need some film on the cheap.

<p>

I've babled enough... <p>

-Josh

[discpad]

Josh, I have four Britek BB-150 strobes, which I bought new on eBay for about $43 apiece (using AuctionSniper). They also have inexpensive barn doors (which I don't have, and even more inexpensive honeycomb snoots, which I do, that I use for a hair light.

[guitar_j]

my lights are briteks too... but as I said I like em'... I'm not going to be toting them around everywhere and I like these because they're small and light and inexpensive which is a good thing for those of us on a shoestring budget...