question about color film processing

[david_freed]

I shoot digital and have no experience with film. I'm wondering if

with color film processing, you can specify any changes in the

process, such as making color more or less saturated, adding contrast,

making any changes in how the colors turn out, etc.

 

I know with black and white film you have some options in processing,

but I'm not sure about color.

 

Thanks, David.

[jbq]

As far as film processing is concerned, there isn't as much freedom in color as in B&W. But on the printing side most of it is done digitally those days, so all the tools you're used to on with digital capture are naturally available.

[roger_smith4]

Well, you can push film to increase contrast, grain and shadow detail. This will also get you more apparent saturation as contrast goes up. You have to do this for the whole roll, not for individual images.

 

C-41 is a standard process, unlike BW, so the changes you are talking about are generally done at the printing stage on a per picture basis.

[john_shriver]

In color film, you accomplish those goals by selecting the film.

[elliot_n]

With colour negative, and traditional (analog) processing and printing your options are

similar to those you have with black and white:

 

- Film Selection

 

- Push or Pull development (i.e. adjusting time in C41 developer)

 

- Contrast adjustment when printing (different graded papers - Kodak Portra, Supra Ultra

etc)

 

- Localised control of density and colour (i.e. dodging and burning)

[randrew1]

It is possible to manipulate contrast and color saturation of color film with masking. This is a very complicated and time consuming procedure. It is far easier to scan film and manipulate digitally. The only reason to use masks these days is because 2500 ppi scanning of 8x10 originals produced file sizes that, until recently, were very difficult to handle. I know of one nature photographer, Michael Fatali, who does this. His 30x40 prints are spectacular, but he may be one of the last to use these techniques.

[larrydressler]

With a Wet Darkroom anything can happen. With a Digital Camera you only have 1 type of film. The one your Camera came with. Oh Ya it can be B&W or Color Negative or Positive. And you can even cross Process it with the correct filters added to your software. No I think that The thing about film is that there is differant film and we see this fight everyday. Untill they start making CCDs or MOSs in differant formats and speeds this is not over.