Extra Color Negative Equivalent?

[britt_larson]

I've heard that Kodak Elite Chrome 100 Extra Color gives fabulous

saturation and brilliant colors (I've been told this - never actually

used it myself). However, does anyone know if there is a negative

film that has about the same saturation, and also has very bright,

vivid colors? I'm not looking for an all-purpose film necessarily -

I've heard EC100EC isn't great for portraits, and so the negative

doesn't need to be either. Thanks in advance!

[john_henneberger]

Try Agfa Ultra 100, the successor to the discontinued Ultra 50. Ultra 50 was comdemned by some as way too saturated and favored certain colors. That conclusion is certainly true for various types of shots. For scenic and other type of shooting, however, the film was awesome. Time and time again the images of mine everyone seems to comment on (positively) the most are the Ultra 50 prints. I think many that didn't like the film, would have if they gave it more of a chance. While I haven't used the Ultra 100 yet, I think you might like it.

[fuck]

Britt,<P>

 

I've heard that Velvia is no good for portraits. I've heard that Kodachrome 200 is too grainy. I've heard that digital is better than medium format film.<P>

 

These are all subjective opinions. Same as someone telling you that a film that you've never used has "famulous saturation and brilliant colors."<P>

 

Your best bet is to go ahead and get a roll of Elite Chrome 100EC and use it. Then you can get and try some negative films. Most of the consumer neg films (Kodak Gold and Fuji Superia, e.g.) and some pro neg films (Kodak 160VC, and 400VC and UC) are pretty well saturated for most people.<P>

 

If trying out a bunch of films is cost or time prohibitive, you can still get and shoot the roll of Elite Chrome, and if you like it, but still want a comparable neg film, show the slides to someone at a pro camera shop or lab and ask what they recommend.<P>

[mark_stewart]

What Skully said. You never know until you try, and even then a lot of people still don't see it.

 

And for what it's worth, I've shot Extra Colour chromes and Ultra 100 negs, and while they are both saturated I wouldn't really say the two are comparable. They'll give noticably different results in the same situation. Extra colour gives overly saturated, but very warm results. Ultra 100 in my experience is a little cooler but still with cartoon levels of saturation.

[kaiblanke]

Yes, this film really has lots of color, which you have to master somehow, otherwise it comes out too funky. I used this film (and Agfa CT 100 as a neutral slide film) during my Nepal travels and found it necessary to have another camera with me loaded with the neutral AGFA. Some things just cannot be shot with E100EC. Although it is possible to shoot portraits with it (and with velvia), but you have to know what you are doing - experience cannot be replaced here.

<p>

I tried to find a print film like Velvia / E100VS / E100 EC and other saturated slide films, but there is no real replacement. Yes, Ultra has some nice colors, but another exposure range, so you cannot say the prints (from the negative and from the slide) come out the same way.

<p>

But why not shoot slide film and make prints from slides ? I have some 30*45cm (12*18 inches) prints from 35mm slides hanging on my wall - these are really good. And since you have slides you do not need to hassle around with proof prints etc. Scanning is also easier.

<p>

You may want to look in <a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=246365"> this folder </a>, some of these pictures have been shot with E100 Extra Color and some with the neutral Agfa. Just compare them yourself. And try slide prints in a good lab if you want those colors.<div></div>

[r.t. dowling]

Shoot Elite Extra Color (or E100VS, which is the same film) and then have Frontier prints made from the slides. This will give you more saturated prints than any negative film is capable of. Same thing goes for making Frontier prints from Velvia.