Scala 4x5 Users Experience?

[michael_kravit]

I was wondering if anyone on this list has used Agfa Scala B/W transparency film in 4x5. If so, what are your experiences. Is the manufacturers ISO accurate or are you de-rating to a lower EI? How are you sending your film off to be processed? Are mailers available like the 120 and 35mm filsm?

 

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Mike

[tim_klein1]

I think it's a great film though it's kind of a specialized product.

You can make prints from it but I'm not really sure what benefit (if

any) you'd get from that over printing from B&W negatives. This tends

to leave Scala as a film that's used for B&W product shots, fashion,

etc. that is intended for publication.

 

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I was mainly playing around with the film in 4x5, using it for

backlit displays. I've also used it a couple of times when I knew I

was going to use an image electronically. Scala scans very well.

 

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In my opinion, it really excels in medium format. 6x7 shots with

Scala, projected on a screen, are absolutely stunning! As I mentioned

in an earlier post, I'm using it in 6x7 for images I make for

alternative process prints. It's nice to be able to judge the image

straight from the film on a lightbox then enlarge to an 8x10 negative

in a single step. I've only done cyanotype to this point, but I'm

hoping that my process can be made to work for Platinum printing as

well.

 

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As for your other questions: I've only shot Scala at EI 200 and the

results are very nice. I haven't felt the need to adjust the rating.

Mailers are not available, to my knowledge, for 4x5. I simply put my

sheets in an empty film box and apply a label that includes any and

all information that I can possibly think of about the contents of

the box; film type, number of sheets, rated speed, name, address,

phone#, etc. It's probably overkill, since I'm sending the film to a

professional lab, but I use a half-sheet label (about 5 inches by 8

inches) that serves the dual purpose of covering as much of the film

box labeling as possible (since the film often gets shipped in

something other than a Scala box), and sealing the box from

accidental opening. I then wrap my check and the order form around

the box and secure with a rubber band. The box goes into a bubble

wrap mailing envelope. To this point, I've had no problem with this

method. I always use small film boxes (10 or 25 sheet) rather than

the larger 100 sheet boxes. I once received processed E6 by return

mail that was shipped in one of the larger boxes and it arrived

crushed enough that there would have been light leakage and hissy

fits if it had contained unprocessed film.

[pierre_kervella]

I really like Scala. Most of the time, I take only two or three types

of film for my 4x5" travel photography: Velvia and Scala, and

either a color negative or a less saturated color slide film. Scala

has an exposure range of -3 to +3 diaphs. This is to compare to

the -2 to 2.5 diaphs of Velvia for example. There are very few

scenes that will not fit into this 6 diaphs range.

 

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I also like it a lot for night photography, though the reciprocity

failure is quite strong. This film is also well suited for scanning. I

have very nice digital prints on glossy paper taken from Scala

slides.

 

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You can use whatever EI between 100 and 1200 ISO without

problem, especially in 4x5 where the grain is not so much a

concern. The contrast tends to go up after 400 ISO, though.