Agfa film and choices on color films

[dxphoto]

Hi, Any one has comments on Agfa color film(vista, optima and so on)?

Besides, since I will most likely scan the negtives in and PS them,

so the choice is not important?? I know the grain I will have to

consider about, but things like saturation, can I just forget about

it since Photoshop will do the job?

[mawz]

I've had rather good luck with the Agfa slide film, notably RSX II 50. I'd probably use that over colour neg film if the final destination is scanning.

 

Photoshop can be used to alter saturation, but a higher saturated film will still produce better colour unless a fair bit of editing is done.

[gman]

For a couple years I was using Agfa Vista films and especialy liked the 100...now discontinued! 200 and 400 were also very good but I really had poor results with the 800 Vista. I am now using Fuji for the most part and Kodak UC 400 on occasion. The 200 is good but grainier than the 100. I used it because it was cheap and then was surprised by the results! I sure miss Vista 100!

 

W

[alan_chan4]

The choice of colour negatives is important for scanning. While they all produce nice smooth grain free lab prints, some colour negatives show horrible grain when put through home scanners. If you want as little grain as possible, I suggest you try Kodak High Definition 200 or 100 Ultra Color, which are the finest grain colour negatives I am aware for home scanning. Reala has good sharpness but somehow it can be as grainy as Superia 400 after the neceassily postprocessing and sharpening. I would pretty much forget Konica which are just too grainy for the purpose (but again, very fine for lab printing). HD400 and 400UC also have finer grain than Fujifilm for scanning. But whichever colour negative you use, always avoid underexposure which will result in horrible grain regardless of which one you use. If in doubt, overexposure it up to as much as 1 stop. Sorry that I have no experience with Agfa, though I like RSXII 50 a lot, even more so that Velvia 50. But then you need an excellent (and often expensive) film scanner for slides.

[jeff_drew4]

I have had decades of good results from Agfa color films. I prefer the Optima series

for negatives, but honestly, when the last of my supplies leave my freezer, they will

be replaced with other choices from Kodak & Fuji! Optima color is fine quality

especially when printed at an Agfa lab - now fairly scarce for me. For less hassle and

better overall image results, I have moved on to Kodak & Fuji as their films have

evolved further. Probably not for Agfa - oh well.

[madwand]

<i>"The choice of colour negatives is important for scanning."</i><p><p>

 

This is an understatement IMO. Agfa Optima used to be my favorite film for 4x6 minilab prints, but it far down my list as a favored film for scanning. Kodak 100UC and Fuji Reala both come to mind as great scanning films (many like 400UC better than 100UC - certainly you can do a lot more with ISO 400 than with ISO 100, and 400UC is very fine for 400). Also consider Fuji's new professional films.<p><p>

 

<a href="http://www.fujifilm.com/JSP/fuji/epartners/proPhotoProductsPortrait.jsp">http://www.fujifilm.com/JSP/fuji/epartners/proPhotoProductsPortrait.jsp</a><p><p>

 

The best solution, for you, will probably be determined by testing films yourself using your own equipment, and test subjects. "Blow" a little bit of film and processing, and settle these questions for yourself instead of going with the wrong materials for too long.

[madwand]

Correction: The new Fuji films are the Pro 160S and 160C. Not sure why Fuji US's web site doesn't have it. There seems to be some availability of it.<p><p>

 

<a href="http://www.fujifilm.com/JSP/fuji/epartners/PREventDetailPage.jsp?DBID=NEWS_825271&CAT_ID=-1007">http://www.fujifilm.com/JSP/fuji/epartners/PREventDetailPage.jsp?DBID=NEWS_825271&CAT_ID=-1007</a><p><p>

 

<a href="http://www.adorama.com/FJP160S220U.html">http://www.adorama.com/FJP160S220U.html</a><p><p>

 

<a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=search&Q=&b=168&a=89_629&a=80_598&a=0&shs=&ci=331&ac=&Submit.x=20&Submit.y=11">http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=search&Q=&b=168&a=89_629&a=80_598&a=0&shs=&ci=331&ac=&Submit.x=20&Submit.y=11</a>

[roman_kuznetsov]

Used lots of Optima 100 and 200 on my last vacation, in both format, 135 and 120. Mostly nature and landscapes. Lovely results, even though 200 speed film was slightly outdated. Colors were true and contrast was spot on, better than Kodak 400UC, which was 2'nd great for faster film. Printed very well on Noritsu/Kodak paper combination. Even got some nice pictures from that tricky Ultra 100!

 

Will miss this film very much if it will be really discontinued by Agfa ;-(