Tim Gray
Well-known
I ran some film exposure tests on some Kodak pro films that you guys may or may not be interested in. I tested Ektar 100, and all the Portras (160NC, 160VC, 400NC, 400VC, and 800). I did NOT scan them myself. I had them scanned at NCPS, the budget scans. I shot them all in full daylight, with some mixed lighting on the 800.
They all have a remarkable amount of exposure latitude. Most of the films look fine at -1 and are perfectly useable up to +3 or +4 stops. I'm sure if you scanned yourself you could get more out of the over exposed shots, particularly in the highlights.
All the films have very similar looks. Portra 800 looks a bit more yellowish-green to me. Not sure if the scanner operator made some correction or if that's what the film actually looks like.
Here's the link.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tgray1/collections/72157623656649261/
They all have a remarkable amount of exposure latitude. Most of the films look fine at -1 and are perfectly useable up to +3 or +4 stops. I'm sure if you scanned yourself you could get more out of the over exposed shots, particularly in the highlights.
All the films have very similar looks. Portra 800 looks a bit more yellowish-green to me. Not sure if the scanner operator made some correction or if that's what the film actually looks like.
Here's the link.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tgray1/collections/72157623656649261/
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charjohncarter
Veteran
I would like to see this but I can't get your link to work. I'm not good on the computer so maybe I'm doing something wrong, but for me it just doesn't work.
I just clicked on your Flickr and it is at the top of your Photostream.
I just clicked on your Flickr and it is at the top of your Photostream.
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charjohncarter
Veteran
Did you do adjustments on these in an editing program? Or did the scanning vendor adjust them? Did you tell him/her to turn off his automatic adjustment for exposure? They seem so similar that I can't believe that there wasn't some algorithm adjustment in someones software. But it does show the latitude that these films have either way.
Tim Gray
Well-known
Sorry about that. I forgot this place doesn't accept HTML. I fixed it (I think).
I let the scanner operator make adjustments as they saw fit. I don't know exactly what they did. This test wasn't supposed to be a super controlled test. I should be able to improve upon these results with home scanning, but this test was supposed to see how the film and scans reacted with affordable mid-quality scans.
I let the scanner operator make adjustments as they saw fit. I don't know exactly what they did. This test wasn't supposed to be a super controlled test. I should be able to improve upon these results with home scanning, but this test was supposed to see how the film and scans reacted with affordable mid-quality scans.
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GoneSavage
not actually
Had to copy and paste a the URL from the link into my browser to get to them, but the results you've posted are pretty astounding! I'd love to see some 35mm tests as well.
arseniii
Well-known
As a 160NC and 400NC user, I have to admin I started to like VC better ;-\