matthew_jawlik Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 A relative photography novice, I just got my first ever rolls of slide film developed and I can't stop smiling. Taken last week in Ireland, the colors of the landscapes, sky, and architecture are absolutely stunning. I was nervous about seeing the first slides (all this talk about slide film being super-sensitive and all) but most shots were exposed right on IMO. At any rate, I am rather excited right now and just thought I would share. I've been shooting Provia and Velvia--just because I see it all the time in the mags--and I'm interested in other people's preferences. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan_bundick Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 Don't get stuck on one type of slide film when you are just starting out. You may invest several years of shooting only to find you like something else better. I would suggest you try some of Kodak's new E100 G and compare the results you have with the Fuji. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.t. dowling Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 Slide film is indeed fun to shoot, and not nearly as complicated as some people make it sound. When I'm shooting slide film, I shoot do differently than when I'm shooting print film. My results are always fine. Enjoy it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jordan2240 Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 Matthew, There is nothing quite like looking at slides on a lightbox. I'll assume that's what you were doing based on your excitement. Unfortunately, when you scan them, something gets lost in the translation (i.e. they don't have that glow you see when the light's coming through them - obviously). Nonetheless, I enjoy shooting them as well. The view from the lightbox keeps me coming back. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominic_. Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 You have to remember that a slide can hold up to 2 times the amount of colour and detail that a print has. Therefore when you are viewing your slides on the lightbox, that's about as good as they'll ever look. Also, Velvia is a very high saturation film, I agree withe suggestion that you try the E100G, its a great film without over-the-top colour saturation like velvia. Don't let these responses discourage you however, transparancies are greet to shoot and I love them too. They also, as you noted, help expose errors in your exposure length as well. Just enjoy! -Dominic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el_fang Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 <i>"You may invest several years of shooting only to find you like something else better."</i><p>Or only to have the stupid manufacturer drop the film from their lineup without warning. Save yourself the trouble and stick with Fuji emulsions. Velvia and Provia are bread and butter for the few pros left who haven't gone digital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_buckles Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 I've been shooting slides for about a year, and haven't had any desire to shoot print film since! I've used Velvia, and enjoy the "punch" it gives dull scenes, but in bright, colorful situations, sometimes it's overkill. I took a roll of Elite Chrome 100 Extra Color on vacation, and it was great for landscapes, but the skin tones were terribly orangy. Ektachrome 100VS gave me nice, saturated colors, but again skin tones in closeups were not natural looking. My favorite overall slide film is Kodachrome 64. I am in Love with this film!!! I know I can use it anytime, anywhere, and get a natural, colorful look. It's perfect for people shots, skin tones are dead accurate! And i've found by experimenting there are ways to make outdoor scenes more colorful in Kodachrome...using a polarizing filter, bracketing my shots, shooting the same scene at ISO 64 and ISO 80, and also pointing my camera's lens at the brighter part of the picture, locking in the exposure, then recomposing the shot and taking the picture all help me get Kodachrome slides without that "sunlit washout" look, and better color saturation. I've also heard that the new Velvia 100F is pretty good..I will probably stick to that and Kodachrome for myself. I project my slides, but don't leave them on the screen for long, also look at them thru a handheld viewer..I don't mix the Velvia's and the Kodachromes in the same slide tray, as the Velvia tends to make the Kodachrome's look dull, when in fact, the Kodachrome is a good representation of what the scene really looked like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 And cheaper than prints, too! I'd love to see a 4x5 on the light table. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnabdas Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 Try the new Velvia 100F too, I like it a lot personally. Somehow I never really liked Provia 100F. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gauthier Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 Another vote against Provia 100F - I really don't like the cold palette, except in winter situation (I don't mind the snow looking blue a bit in the shadows). Velvia is awesome in overcast situations, but just too much under the full sun. I'm still looking for a low contrast, warm to neutral film to replace Provia in sunny situations. Kodak E100 is too contrasty, so I'm currently testing Agfa RSX 100. The first roll came out more than OK, with neutral, but faithful and glowing colors. Saturation is a bit lower than with Provia and the grain is a bit bigger, but nothing major. I'm still testing the film under various situations before I really make my mind in this one, but my feeling already is that it is seriously underevalued. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_eaton Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 400F pulled a stop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.t. dowling Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 If Kodak had continued to improve Kodachrome over the years, instead of just sitting on it and allowing it to die a slow death, I think we'd currently have something called "K100G" and it would look quite similar to Velvia 100F. It's nice to dream... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gauthier Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 Scott: Pulling Provia 400F one stop might be a solution, but the price of the stuff is unfortunately insane. Here in Montreal, they sell Provia 400F for 15.50 canadian dollars vs 9.75 for Provia 100F and 9.50 for Velvia 50. To make it worse, the lab overcharges one or two dollars for push/pull. I'm not the type to always go for the cheaper solution (after all, Velvia isn't that cheap either) but if a 7.50 film like RSX 100 does the job I expect from it, I'll be glad to pays half the price and to shoot twice as many rolls. I'm looking forward to Astia, which is said to hit the canadian market again very soon (it's been unavailable for quite a while, now). I'll give it a serious test, too. Meanwhile, RSX 100 seems to be a very good compromise, even though you seem defiant of any product bearing the Agfa name. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Crowe Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 Ian. I have compared 35mm, 120, and 4x5 Velvia 50 on the light table. Same approximate angle of view and identical tripod position for the photos. Oddly enough I find at the same viewing distance the 120 format seems more appealing to the eye, probably because the eye is moving around more to see all of the 4x5 image. However, with high quality lenses the 4x5 image is far superior in both colour and resolution! Under 10x magnification there are details in the 4x5 that simply do not make it onto the 35mm film, you cannot believe it until you see it! Yes, I love seeing the 4x5 transparency on the light table, now if I could only figure out how to project it? My retirement project will have to be to build some backlit picture frames for the 4x5's and display them appropriately! Don't get me wrong, 35mm is still most of what I shoot but when I can take the 4x5, I do. Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry_akiyoshi Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 The new Astia 100F is brilliant stuff, just so you know. Clean, accurate, holds highlight detail remarkably well. I bought five rolls when I got to New York a month ago. A 12x18 print from 35mm had no perceptible grain -- and the colors are absolutely right on. If it weren't so expensive I'd buy 50 rolls tommorow; as it is, I'm going through it a bit more slowly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gauthier Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 Ouch! Astia 100F is 5.89 at B&H and that means that the retail cost here in Canada will likely be in the 12-14 dollars range, at least when it is introduced. I wish I had a good reason to go to New York. With the current exchange rate favouring the candian dollar a bit more, there are somme good deals to be done on film in their store. If only their shipping cost to Canada wasn't so prohibitive! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_henderson Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 Scott. I haven't pulled Provia 400F. What does it do to the palette please and how does it compare with Provia 100F pushed one which I am familiar with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnabdas Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 Folks, one related question. Is the "New Sensia" the same stuff as Astia 100F? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christopher_engeler Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 This year I switched 100% to slide film. After experimenting, I have settled on Kodak 100GX. Second place is Provia 100F. I have tried Velvia 100 but it does no scan as well as the other two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garver Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 Philippe - I'm not sure about its official status in Canada, but I know that Astia is available in Toronto right now. Henry's web page lists Astia 100F in stock in 135, 120, and 4x5, and I know I saw a box that said Astia on it in Downtown Camera's Fuji fridge on monday (I don't remember anything else about it). Henry's is selling the 100F for $11.99, just as you guessed. Of course this doesn't tell you anything about mtl, but if you really wanted some 100F, you could have Henry's ship it to you for a lot less than those insane prices we pay to have things sent from B&H. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithdunlop Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 Mike, Which version of Kodachrome are you using? Are you spending the extra money for the "professional" version? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gauthier Posted October 1, 2003 Share Posted October 1, 2003 Peter: Thanks for the tip. Last time I talked to the guys at Photoservice (about two weeks ago) they just knew they'd get the film any time soon. I must go back tomorrow, I'll have a look. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_buckles Posted October 2, 2003 Share Posted October 2, 2003 I'm using the consumer version of Kodachrome 64...it's right at the courtesy counter at my grocery store. I pick up a roll a week , when I do my grocery shopping..very convenient! I also can drop it off at their film counter...turnaround time for Kodak for me is about 6 days...I did just send my first prepaid mailer to A and I Photo, i'll see how that turns out. I've also used Happy D (Dwayne's) labs for Kodachrome processing , they're great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cpj Posted October 3, 2003 Share Posted October 3, 2003 Somebody suggested "experimenting" with different emulsions and that's a good idea, but you have to make side-by-side comparisons or you will go crazy. (Using interchangeable film backs on a Hasseblad, for example, makes this easy as you can expose the same scene on different film without removing the camera from the tripod.) Personally, I like saturated color film transparencies if I am going to have large, 20x24 or 30x40 laser prints made as at $200 a print you don't want anything less than the best quality. I have found that Kodak E100VS and Fuji Velvia 50 (haven't tried 100) give me the deep saturation needed for "public exhibition prints." People just react better to saturated colors--the WOW factor at work, I guess. For personal portrature or "mood" photos you might prefer a different film. But the two I mentioned are great for scenics and landscapes. That said, I guess it should be obvious that "inexpensive film" is just plain "inexpensive film" and tends to produce mediocre results. Chances are you won't be making 30 x 40 Lightjet prints from the $1.95 stuff bought at K-Mart or the local supermarket checkout line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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