Inexpensive, Good Film?

[britt_larson]

I am an amateur photographer. I am looking for a good quality film

(color slide). However, I am on a tight budget. What films do you

recommend that produce good results, yet are relatively inexpensive?

I am testing both negative and slide film, and deciding which brand

and type I like. Thanks in advance!

[gareth_harper]

Fuji Sensia 100 and 200asa.

The 200asa has the punchy colours of the 100asa film but and is still fairly fine grained. If you are counting the pennies buy it process paid. The 200asa is great for travel and street or event photography, that extra stop makes life when holding the camera by hand much easier. With the 400 Sensia you lose a bit of the colour punch and have clearly visible grain, but it's still a lot better than no shot at all. Or if you want a do it all slide film consider provia 400 which can be pulled to 100asa or pushed all the way to 1000asa, but it will cost more to buy and more to process.

 

Agfa CT100 if often available a little bit cheaper. I've just a shot a couple rolls of it and am waiting for it to return, not used it for years so I'm not sure of it.

Also for the classic look consider Kodachrome 64.

[r.t. dowling]

Kodak EliteChrome 100, Kodak EliteChrome 100 Extra Color (for intense saturation and contrast), Kodak EliteChrome 200 (higher speed and moderate contrast - good for portraits), Fuji Sensia 100, and Fuji Sensia 400.

[todd peach seattle, washi]

Be sure to check with <a href:"http://clickthrough.photo.net/cta/image-map/bh/cta/www.bhphotovideo.com?BI=11">B&H</a> on pricing for film. In some instances, B&H is half the price of the same film sold locally. Be sure to check out the 'imported' films for best price. You'll want to buy 20 rolls or so to 'amortize' the shipping costs.

[rich815]

I also recommend Fuji Sensia 100. You also mention you are trying negative films. Consider Kodak Gold 100. Good colors, good grain and good flesh tones. And consistent. From B&H it can be had for about $1.75 a roll Import.

[chris1664876655]

I just shot a few rolls of Kodak High Definition 400. It's nice. 3 pack was about 9

bucks. It's a print film.

[todd peach seattle, washi]

The Kodak Gold (negative) films are carried by Costco. I shoot a lot of Gold 200, bought there. Typical pricing is about $10 for 4x24 + 2x36.

 

Kodak Gold is generally passed up by the 'film snobs'. I use it a bunch, I know how it performs, and the 'price point' is part of my shooting style. If I can turn a roll of film for $5-8 (film and processing) I shoot differently than I would if I'm pushing $20 a roll ($5 for 'pro' film and $15 for 'pro' processing). I feel more free to try to capture the 'fleeting expression', etc.

[claus_weber]

Sometimes photo stores have bins with grab bags that have a variety of newly expired films for cheap. Usually they have stored the stuff in the fridge anyway so if you use it pretty quickly they should be fine. The upshot is that you can try a bunch of different stuff cheaply. Just a thought.

[lex_jenkins]

Fuji Sensia 100 is probably the best low cost E6 slide film around.

 

I tried the various Kodak Elite Chromes. Not bad but not to my taste. Vivid colors seemed to lack subtle gradation and looked more like swaths of painted on color.

[harry_akiyoshi]

Another vote for Sensia 100. It's cheap, and it looks great -- moderate grain, accurate but nicely-saturated colors. Great skin tones, great latitude. It lacks the resolution of Velvia and the fine grain of Provia 100f, but it's a great buy for the price. I like it MUCH better than the EliteChromes, but that may just be a matter of taste.