beginner - saturated colours

[ricardovaste]

Hello,

I'm new to SLR photography [couple of months use out of my 505si

then dynax 5] and was looking for a good film with highly saturated

colours for sunsets, vibrant flowers, warmly lit settings etc. I

hear velvia 50 is a good film for this sort of use. Are there any

alternative or better films for what im looking at?

 

Thanks a lot,

Richard

[discpad]

Hi Richard!

 

Velvia 50 has been discontinued, however there is still film floating around that is still within the expiration date. Fuji attempted to replace it with Velvia 100F (nothe the F!), which is an abortion that lived; and was quickly replaced with Velvia 100 (no F).

 

Kodak makes E100VS, and also the less well-known (and less expensive) Elite Chrome Extra Color 100. See:

http://www.kodak.com/eknec/documents/a9/0900688a80316ba9/e126e.pdf

for more details.

[edgar_njari]

E100VS is a great film

 

Elite chrome 100 extra color (EBX) is also great.

 

Some have the opinion its one and the same film, others see differences. Kodak data says its the same film. Either way, buy some of both and see what works for you.

[flaviosganzerla]

Richard,

 

Take a look at Velvia 100 and Provia 100. I like using Velvia at iso 125 and Provia at 160. This is for daylight exposure with strong light.

It works very well, at least here in Brazil. Too bad my portfolio has few color pictures yet, but you can take a look there.

[ben_hutcherson]

I just got my first roll of Velvia 50 processed today, and am absolutely in love. I bought two rolls back in January, and was waiting for some pretty spring colors to arrive so that I could really put them through their paces. I shot one this weekend, and loved it so much that I went back today and bought another 5 rolls.

 

My local camera shop has a full 20 pack left with a 2007 expiration. I'm very seriously considering buying it.

 

I've read that 100(non-f) is close but not exactly the same. I have not tried it, so can't say for sure. I'll probably pick up a couple of rolls on my next trip to the camera shop. I'm also anxious to try some of that new Provia 400x.

 

I've been using a lot of E100G and E100GX lately also. They're both great films, and a little bit less expensive than their Fuji equivalent(or at least around here). Neither is overly saturated, but you can underexpose a little bit and use a polarizer to boost the saturation. I'm going to try some E100VS one of these days. Elite Chrome 100 is also a pretty good film with decent saturation. I've managed to get reasonably blue skies without a polarizer, although nothing like Velvia skies. Once again, I never have tried the super saturated version of Elite.

[ilkka_nissila]

Velvia 100F is fine for my purposes - I never could stand the original (yuck). I think it's unnecessary to give comments like "an abortion that lived" - no wonder that film is used less and less when film users use language like that. E100VS is nice too but quite grainy in comparison.

[berk_sirman2]

Another vote for Velvia 100F. It is not as saturated nor as contrasty as Velvia 50 or 100 but much more versatile. I do not like Velvia or E100VS myself, I find them a bit too much.

 

Maybe it was a marketing error for Fuji to name this film "Velvia"100F. When people buy a product with that name and do not get the excessive contrast and saturation of the original Velvia they get disappointed. I think it would sell more if it was named something else.

[ricardovaste]

Thanks for all the replys. i noticed that th ekodak extra colour 100 was at a 'nice price' and are considering buying a role just to try it out. But i noticed it only comes as a slide film - can i still have this processed and printed the same as i would at my local lab the same as any other film?

 

I'll also probably try all three of the velvia's - my dad picked up a 50 yesturday so there are still a few about.

thanks!

[philippartridge]

Film emulsions do engender aesthetic and emotional reactions.. Do DSLR fans feel so passionately about which camera has the better saturation settings?

 

I virtually never read a kind thing said about RVP100F; the reaction to RVP100 so far seems range from a few 'thumbs up' reviews, to mostly begrudging acceptances of the inevitable, as well as 'about the same, but not as good'.

 

RVP50 has been responsible for much of the impactful, attractive landscape photography for a period of 15 years - it has been an instant and ongoing success, any way you see it. I think it has also helped shape how non-photographers and photographers alike apprehend typical colour landscapes, the 'look' if you will. With the right subjects, time of day and exposure, and in the best light for it (clear but flat), V50's rendition of subtle sky tones and green [plant] tone separation is better than the rest, to my eyes.

[ben_hutcherson]

Richard,

All of the films that we are talking about here are slide films. There are some high saturation print films, but most would agree that if specifically want saturated colors you're better off using slides.

 

E-6 film can be processed as a color negative film, but it's more often done for artistic effects than anything. There's also a good chance that your local lab may not even offer this service, and, if they do, they'll probably charge extra for it. I would strongly suggest finding a good E-6 lab to have Extra Color, Velvia, E100VS, etc. processed. At most pro labs that offer E-6, you'll find that it's actually signifcantly less expensive to have slides developed as you don't have to print them. My local lab charges $8 to develop and mount a 36 exposure roll of E-6. A 36-exposure roll of C-41 is close to $20 to print to 4x6s. If you get some really good slides, you can always have them printed as big as you like(within reason).

 

Now, as far as high saturation print films, you may want to try using some consumer grade print film and overexposing it a little bit. I once exposed some Superia 400 at 100 by accident, and was quite pleasantly suprised at how saturated the color turned out, although I wouldn't suggest that you overexpose it this much.

 

Kodak also makes a couple of films in their Portra line that are pretty good about saturation. NC is the low-contrast version that probably won't get the effect that you're looking for. VC is a little bit more saturated than consumer films. UC is probably the most saturated you're going to get from a print film. UC is available from Walmart, so you might just want to pick up a roll of it to try out. Look for "Ultra Color 400" in a black box.

[ricardovaste]

Thanks for the info on slide films - i wont bother me that much as it will just mean i can pick out the ones i want to get printed, rather than gettin them all printed [like with a colour negative] when really you only want a selected few.

 

A word on the the kodak E100VS - is this an older version, or just one thats only available in america now? im situated in England and i searched a reliable site [www.mx2.co.uk] for this film but did not find it. Is the newer version the 'Ektachrome E100G'? Does this give as good results?

 

Also, I read a little caption on slide film and mentions it requires a tighter exposure control. As im only a beginner will i be able to get good results with this, or be as creative and get good exposures?

But i suppose I'll find out soon, i ordered a extra colour 100 36exp today [just one role] to test it out.

 

(While we're talking about exposures, how do you rate the 14 segment honeycomb metering thats on all the AF minoltas?)

 

Thanks for all the advice,

Rich

[wickedmartini]

I would check out the new Velvia 100. I've attached a data sheet with sample images if you are interested.

[ilkka_nissila]

E100VS is a member of the E family Ektachromes, no it's not particularly old and it's definitely available in Europe. Find a store which has a broader selection of films.

 

If you want saturated colors in a print film you may want to try Kodak 100UC and 400UC, although they're not as saturated as the slide films mentioned. It's just that slide film is better for the subjects mentioned.

[katherinea]

Slide film is fine for a beginner to use. You may know yourself when what your camera's

meter says seems correct, or know how to point your centre-weighted meter elsewhere to

get a reading that seems right. If you are uncertain about an exposure you can 'bracket' it,

i.e. take 3 pictures - one for the reading your camera gives you, then one with one stop

more exposure, and one with one stop less.

[larrydressler]

If you can find it try the discontinued Agfa Vista 100 or 200 it is still sold as the Walgreens house brand film but check the box If it is the old Agfa it will say made in Germany. As for films that still exist I have a weak second choice and that is Kodak UC films. but they need help in the computer to compete.

 

Larry