OT: Saturated contrasty negative films..
Hey just wondering if anyone's got any strong opinions on the most saturated/contrasty (either or) 35mm negative film. Any speed.. Like I suppose what I'm asking is what's the Velvia of negative film? Thanks, Ryan
Re: OT: Saturated contrasty negative films..
Hey just wondering if anyone's got any strong opinions on the most saturated/contrasty (either or) 35mm negative film. Any speed.. Like I suppose what I'm asking is what's the Velvia of negative film? I don't think there is subsititute for RVP, negative or slide. Your best hope would be Agfa Ultra 100. Alan Chan http://www.pbase.com/wlachan _ STOP MORE SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail
Re: OT: Saturated contrasty negative films..
Alan wrote: AC I don't think there is subsititute for RVP, negative or slide. Your best AC hope would be Agfa Ultra 100. Uh, I just got to see my first Ultra 100 test results and they are not very encouraging to say the least. I took pictures of a variety of subjects, including scenics, macro with and without flash, portraits. Colours are very good in diffused light, even with direct flash. The increased saturation is there but it doesn't impact the colour balance, except for the skin tones that get a red or magenta (for backlight with blue skies) taint. The bad news are firstly grain - unacceptably high for a 100 ASA negative, almost as high as a 400 ASA film. This is especially annoying as in the product specification Ultra is given with very low granularity. I have to take the next Ultras to an Agfa lab to have it specifically developed in Agfa C41 chemicals and see if it gets any better. Second, the Agfa exhibits the same poor antihalation protection I have noticed previously with the old Optima II 100. The edges of overexposed areas are excessively blended with the adjacent areas, resulting in a massive sharpness decrease. For instance in a sunset shot this shows up as fuzzy horizon line and exaggerated silhouettes effects. Anyway I'm not going to dismiss Ultra 100 that fast and continue to test with different subjects and labs. It is obviously a very specialized film that works as intended only in specific situations and I intend to determine exactly its usefulness. Servus, Alin
Re: OT: Saturated contrasty negative films..
- Original Message - From: Th. Stach Subject: Re: OT: Saturated contrasty negative films.. Also a little OT on this: Who knows when Kodak Ektar ISO 25 was discontinued? I miss this film most... It feels like forever, but I suspect it was only 5 or 6 years ago. William Robb
Re[2]: OT: Saturated contrasty negative films..
Alin, To that end, it seems that the old Agfa Ultra 50 was not so much different. Quite punchy, but quite grainy for an ISO 50 film. Also I found it to be quite specialized - did not handle contrast very well. Seemed to me it was the film to use when the colors were dull and the lighting was flat. I have found that both Konica Impressa 50 and Fuji Reala 100 are much better general purpose films. Ironically, both are lower contrast films - they end up being a good companion to the Agfa Ultra. My old rule of thumb was shoot one of those unless the sitaution would end up with dull, colorless images - then switch to Agfa Ultra. --- Bruce Wednesday, October 15, 2003, 3:26:22 AM, you wrote: AF Alan wrote: AC I don't think there is subsititute for RVP, negative or slide. Your best AC hope would be Agfa Ultra 100. AF Uh, I just got to see my first Ultra 100 test results and they are AF not very encouraging to say the least. AF I took pictures of a variety of subjects, including scenics, macro AF with and without flash, portraits. Colours are very good in diffused AF light, even with direct flash. The increased saturation is there but AF it doesn't impact the colour balance, except for the skin tones that AF get a red or magenta (for backlight with blue skies) taint. AF The bad news are firstly grain - unacceptably high for a 100 ASA AF negative, almost as high as a 400 ASA film. This is especially AF annoying as in the product specification Ultra is given with very AF low granularity. I have to take the next Ultras to an Agfa lab to AF have it specifically developed in Agfa C41 chemicals and see if it AF gets any better. AF Second, the Agfa exhibits the same poor antihalation protection I AF have noticed previously with the old Optima II 100. The edges of AF overexposed areas are excessively blended with the adjacent areas, AF resulting in a massive sharpness decrease. For instance in a sunset AF shot this shows up as fuzzy horizon line and exaggerated AF silhouettes effects. AF Anyway I'm not going to dismiss Ultra 100 that fast and continue to AF test with different subjects and labs. It is obviously a very AF specialized film that works as intended only in specific situations AF and I intend to determine exactly its usefulness. AF Servus, Alin
Re: OT: Saturated contrasty negative films..
On Wed, 15 Oct 2003, Alan Chan wrote: Hey just wondering if anyone's got any strong opinions on the most saturated/contrasty (either or) 35mm negative film. Any speed.. Like I suppose what I'm asking is what's the Velvia of negative film? I don't think there is subsititute for RVP, negative or slide. Your best hope would be Agfa Ultra 100. I agree with Alan about RVP. Velvia is simply amazing... I can't wait to shoot the new ISO 100 stuff. In print film, you may want to also try Kodak's 400UC. It's the most punchy of their print films. The grain is surprisingly bad when enlarged to 8x12, especially in the out-of-focus parts, but I'm not sure how important that is to you. chris
