Color film recommendations

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v_roma

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Hello everyone,

I will be going to Wyoming in July for work and may have the opportunity to do some shooting. I will be going to the less green areas of the state (think american western flicks and tumbleweeds) and was looking for some color film recommendations. I've mostly shot Portra 400 for color film, which I like but it is not necessarily a landscape film, particulary when the landscape colors are muted to begin with. Does anyone have any suggestions? I've tried searching here and on the web but invariably find a discussion on some film or emulsion that is no longer available.

Thank you!
Vasco

EDIT: Format is 35mm.
 
What formats are you shooting? 35mm, MF, LF, other?

I would suggest bringing some slide film, maybe Velvia 50 or 100 or Kodak E100VS or E100G. You don't have to have vividly colored landscapes for slide film to look good.

To quote Kodak, "Color slides produce a wider density range, richer gradation, and deeper color saturation than color prints but they require a tighter exposure control."


That said, I'd bring along some Kodak Ektar color negative film (ASA 100) and some Porta 400.

You are going to bring some B&W too, aren't you?
 
loquax ludens said:
That said, I'd bring along some Kodak Ektar color negative film (ASA 100) and some Porta 400.

You are going to bring some B&W too, aren't you?
Click to expand...

ditto.

But if you are shooting 35mm don't forget the less expensive color negative alternative, Kodak Gold (particularly 200 ASA).
 
Thank you all. I edited the original post to clarify that I was asking about 35mm film. Slide film did cross my mind but I'm a little concerned about all the talk about exposure needing to be spot on with slide film and also, I think, narrower dynamic range for what might be some high contrast situations. I've never tried slide film so I'm not sure how accurate or overstated this all is.
 
With slide film you'll need to be much more aware of exposure determination. Otherwise you'll likely experience blown highlights or blocked shadows. It's not inaccurate or overstated, nor is it impossible to pull off.
 
7401617974_336a1bfd86_b.jpg


v_roma said:
..... Slide film did cross my mind but I'm a little concerned about all the talk about exposure needing to be spot on with slide film and also, I think, narrower dynamic range for what might be some high contrast situations...
Click to expand...

If you want the best possible color, use Velvia 50. It is forgiving for +/- 1.5 stops. Can be pushed also 1-stop if you can find a good lab. Once you get accustomed to it, all other negative film colors looks "bleached". Get yourself a 81A filter for overcast, rainy days. A polarizing filter will accentuate all colors and you will get deep blues and greens. Try it with a slide projector and then decide whether you can get them with digital.
 
Check out this guy's stuff on Flickr.

I'm not sure if he's a RFF member, but I've messaged him before, and I know he tends to rely on the onboard meter on his M7/MP for most all of his exposures. (coolscan 5000)

Here's a link to everything tagged with "velvia"--most are done with 50.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/37556068@N06/tags/velvia/

Quite a few are taken in midday sun--what I would consider the worst time to shoot (most contrasty light possible), and the Velvia 50 holds up better than you would think.

You really only lose about a stop on either end compared to negative film, and the difficulties of shooting slide film are vastly overstated.

Try it out. If you take care to get proper exposures with negative film, you will have no problem with slide film.

New experiences, man.

It'll be an adventure.

Get the hell out of that comfort zone.
 
I've shot Ektar, Reala, and Portra in the eastern California desert and mountain country. Reala appears to be no longer available (a real shame). As between Ektar and Portra, I prefer Portra, including for landscapes. Try Portra 160.
 
v_roma said:
Hello everyone,

I will be going to Wyoming in July for work and may have the opportunity to do some shooting. I will be going to the less green areas of the state (think american western flicks and tumbleweeds) and was looking for some color film recommendations. I've mostly shot Portra 400 for color film, which I like but it is not necessarily a landscape film, particulary when the landscape colors are muted to begin with. Does anyone have any suggestions? I've tried searching here and on the web but invariably find a discussion on some film or emulsion that is no longer available.

Thank you!
Vasco

EDIT: Format is 35mm.
Click to expand...

The most important choice to make here would be to get yourself a polariser. Use it.

I've used Portra 400 with PL, for landscape, terrific results. A PL should make the biggest impact imho.

Anyway following is side by side with Ektar, PL is more useful than just for clouds.

None

Stream #4 by athiril, on Flickr

PL

Stream #3 by athiril, on Flickr
 
Although if you are going to be taking pictures with people's faces in them, Velvia 50 might not be the best choice.
 
Ektar can indeed produce beautiful results, but in my experience it has less exposure latitute than Portra. In that regard, Ektar is more like a slide film. RFF member Liserenity has done some lovely landscape work with Portra which you can see here and on her flickr site.
 
I'd like to add another vote for slide films such as Velvia and Ektachrome E100 VS as well as Ektar 100 print film.

Here's an example of a shot taken using Ektachrome E100 VS slide film in Rocky Mountain National Park last summer.

medium.jpg


Mamiya 6, 50mm f4
 
Apart from a PL (for any film you take), I have one other recommendation. An 85A filter. I would use it if you took any colour neg and found yourself in such conditions such as heavy overcast under a canopy forest with normal compensation for the filter. With and without can be colour balanced the same, I have found with the filter, the colour was a bit stronger on side by side shots balanced to the same colour.

The following has had saturation increased in photoshop, at '+11', film is Konica Centura Super 100 (120) exp 2008 (found overexposure ruined this film so fast, probs due to expired, ending up shoot @ EI 50 and pulling 1 stop in dev to combat any of that). But the general concept should hold up.


Marysville Ranges? by athiril, on Flickr





Just one more word on polariser usage, fiddle with it, until objects in your scene appear darker in the viewfinder. I think the versatility of this filter is understated. The sun doesn't need to be out, you can be shooting shade, overcast, or heavy overcast, and under a canopy like the above situation. Can be used in almost any situation. It's a more useful tool than simply for having fun with bodies of water and clouds.
 
I'm not sure why, perhaps it's something I'm doing wrong, but Portra 160 always looks washed out and overexposed to me, whereas Ektar almost always gives me lovely results. Ektar isn't ideal for skin tones, but I've learned I'd rather tweak the saturation in post-processing than deal with Portra lately. That said, Porta is still a decent all 'round film.
 
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