anthony_fernandez1 Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Hi guys, What do you think about Agfa's Optima films? I've had some great results with the 200-speed, enlarging out to 15.5" square on Crystal Archive. Beautiful. No grain, great color rendition, etc. etc. What are some similar films? Thanks. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patric_dahl_n Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 I have just bought twenty 120-rolls of Agfa Optima, in both 100 and 200 speed. I still have to see the results. I have tried these films in the 135 format, and was very pleased with the results. Clear neutral colors. Some people don't like these films printed on Fuji paper, but mine were and so were yours, and we liked it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oskar_ojala Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Quite nice, more "professional" look than Vista (less contrast, more accurate colors maybe?). The grain is not the finest, but in MF it's not such a big deal. The biggest thing going for these films is the color. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lkv Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 I like & use this film a lot. My main problem with it is it's availability ! I'd like to use it more systematicaly, but sometimes, especially when traveling, it is hard to find... Apart from that, it is my favorite negative film. The colors are just beautifull. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil_browne1 Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 I use Agfa Optima 400 in 120 for weddings, it's great. The other benefit, where I purchase Agfa, it's about $2.00 cheaper per roll than Kodak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott_eaton Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Considering New Fuji NPH has better grain and works better with Fuji papers (much better in fact), and Kodak Portra UC makes Optima look like a 1970's Ektar film in terms of technology, why are you using this material? Optima has great skin tones, and is a superb compormise between the bland Agfa portrait film, and overly contrasty Vista series. Still, Both Fuji and kodak have about a dozen films in between them that do as equal a job with skin tones and handle strong colors MUCH better. On Fuji papers Optima turns strong reds to burnt orange, and blocks up other warm colors while Reala and NPH have perfect neutrality and better grain. Is it because most of us are shooting Fuji and Kodak that makes Optima seem like the cool, alternative film to shoot? I'm just curious because I've shot about half a dozen rolls of this stuff and found it to be inferiour to NPH, NPS, Reala, Portra NC, Portra UC and NPZ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony_fernandez1 Posted March 17, 2004 Author Share Posted March 17, 2004 Scott, Actually, I'm not an amateur and so I don't buy into "cool alternatives" or use products to seem "cool". Like most of you guys here, I've tried Kodak Portra and Fuji Reala and NPS. The former had way too much of a warm bias to it for my tastes and the Reala and NPS were both too cool-biased. I've found that Optima isn't overly contrasty and gives a nice neutral balance to it when I print on Crystal Archive--probably because that paper is balanced cooler than Kodak's papers, which I've stopped using. And when I print 15.5x15.5" off a 6x6 neg, the grain just isn't visible. Of course it does show up at 30x30", but as we all know the viewing distance for a print that large isn't very close. Haven't tried NPH, but I'll definitely give it a try. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCULUS New York Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 Pink Grapefruit! http://www.photo.net/photo/1494535&size=lg That's the only thing I can say about my perception of Optima color rendition. Don't get me wrong, that pink/orange cast is probably flattering for portraiture, but I must be VERY careful where I use it for landscapes. I attach here an early roll that I thought was over-juiced-Juicyfruit, but you must decide for yourself. On the other hand, shooting hydrangea during an early October golden hour, it really punched up the graveyard (No, I'm not kidding). I have a fridge full of it. Ray Hull Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oskar_ojala Posted March 19, 2004 Share Posted March 19, 2004 Scott, It's more about the way colors are rendered, especially the weaker colors. That said, I shoot more Fuji or Kodak and most of the time I shoot slides. Films such as Reala and 400UC are superior in a technical sense, but sometimes the color rendition of Optima just suits my goals a bit better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oskar_ojala Posted March 19, 2004 Share Posted March 19, 2004 One thing: I assume we're talking about the current version (that says Optima <film speed>-Y on the neg) and not Optima II. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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