Fast colour film options

[Austerby]

I'm off to Stockholm for a long weekend before Christmas and need to get some film to take with me. I don't often use colour film but last time I went in December 2009 I used some Sensia 400 and loved the muted, wintry colours that I captured in the thin northern daylight at this time of year.

Looking around I've seen:

c-41 Portra 400, Portra 800, Fujicolour Pro 400H, Fuji Superia 400. Fuji Superia 1600

e-6 Provia 400x

I've not used any of them: any recommendations/experience of using them? I'm happy with either negative or slide film, though I appreciate their differences.

I'll be taking my newly acquired M5 and probably the 35mm/1.2 and 75mm/1.8 lenses, plus some black and white film.

 

[NeeZee]

there's also the superia 800 and Kodak Gold 400, maybe more.
Portra 400 is a really nice film and you can easily get away shooting it at 800 without pushing in development, if you scan the negatives afterwards. Provia 400x pushed to 800 or 1600 is probably my favourite high speed colour option, but rather expensive. If you like muted colours, a pushed slide film might not be your best bet anyway.

 

[venchka]

I use 120 Portra 800 (exposed between 400 & 800) for medium format. It really does a nice job in dreary, drab conditions. I expect that Portra 400 (exposed between 200 & 400) would do the same. Portra would be my choice.

120 Portra 800 literally in the rain about this time of year in Texas. My Hasselblad is envious. The camera wants to go home!

Wayne

 

[Skiff]

Additionally to the films you have mentioned there are also Kodak Ultramax 400 and Gold 400 as consumer films, as well as Superia X-Tra 800 as consumer film from Fuji.

My experiences with all the above films:

Provia 400X: One of the best high speed color films ever made. Finest grain and highest resolution of all current professional ISO 400 color films (Provia 400X has both a bit finer grain than Portra 400 and Pro400H, and significantly higher resolution).
That is not only my test result, but also the result from other very reliable sources:
http://www.aphog.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=401&Itemid=1

Provia 400X has also very natural and accurate colors, and very good skin tones. An excellent all around film.
Excellent at Push 1 with ISO 800, and even still very good at Push 2 with ISO 1600.

Superia 1600: Very sharp for that extremely high speed, with very good resolution. Grain is of course visible, but still relative fine for this speed.
Because of the fourth layer technology of this film very good color reproduction in mixed lighting situations.

Superia X-Tra 800: Same as Superia 1600, but with significantly finer grain.

Superia X-Tra 400: Same as X-Tra 800, but with finer grain and higher resolution. Sharpness and resolution are better than Pro 400H and Portra 400, but grain is coarser.
The current X-Tra 400 has no 4th layer anymore like Pro 400H, X-Tra 800 and Superia 1600.

Pro 400H: Finer grain than X-Tra 400, but with less resolution and with less contrast. This film has the 4th layer technology, therefore very good color reproduction in mixed lighting situations.

The Superia line in general has higher color saturation and more contrast than the Pro 400H.

Portra 400: Finer grain than Pro 400H, but a bit less resolution. More tolerance with underexposure than Pro 400H.
Weakness is the performance in mixed lighting situations, you get a quite dominant color cast. Pro 400H, X-Tra 800, Superia 1600 and Provia 400X are better in this respect.

Portra 800: Similar to Portra 400, but not as fine grained.

Gold 400: Higher color saturation, more contrast and higher resolution than Portra 400, but also significantly grainier.

 

[Joosep]

Additionally to the films you have mentioned there are also Kodak Ultramax 400 and Gold 400 as consumer films, as well as Superia X-Tra 800 as consumer film from Fuji.

My experiences with all the above films:

Provia 400X: One of the best high speed color films ever made. Finest grain and highest resolution of all current professional ISO 400 color films (Provia 400X has both a bit finer grain than Portra 400 and Pro400H, and significantly higher resolution).
That is not only my test result, but also the result from other very reliable sources:
http://www.aphog.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=401&Itemid=1

Provia 400X has also very natural and accurate colors, and very good skin tones. An excellent all around film.
Excellent at Push 1 with ISO 800, and even still very good at Push 2 with ISO 1600.

Superia 1600: Very sharp for that extremely high speed, with very good resolution. Grain is of course visible, but still relative fine for this speed.
Because of the fourth layer technology of this film very good color reproduction in mixed lighting situations.

Superia X-Tra 800: Same as Superia 1600, but with significantly finer grain.

Superia X-Tra 400: Same as X-Tra 800, but with finer grain and higher resolution. Sharpness and resolution are better than Pro 400H and Portra 400, but grain is coarser.
The current X-Tra 400 has no 4th layer anymore like Pro 400H, X-Tra 800 and Superia 1600.

Pro 400H: Finer grain than X-Tra 400, but with less resolution and with less contrast. This film has the 4th layer technology, therefore very good color reproduction in mixed lighting situations.

The Superia line in general has higher color saturation and more contrast than the Pro 400H.

Portra 400: Finer grain than Pro 400H, but a bit less resolution. More tolerance with underexposure than Pro 400H.
Weakness is the performance in mixed lighting situations, you get a quite dominant color cast. Pro 400H, X-Tra 800, Superia 1600 and Provia 400X are better in this respect.

Portra 800: Similar to Portra 400, but not as fine grained.

Gold 400: Higher color saturation, more contrast and higher resolution than Portra 400, but also significantly grainier.

Yes!
But I dont think Superia is sharper than Pro 400H. My Pro400H is always low contrast, very nice to scan, later when contrast is added, the visual sharpness goes up. Note that visual sharpness is a mixture of alot of things.

 

[Jamie Pillers]

How about Fuji X-Pro1 12,800? 🙂

 

[Skiff]

Yes!
But I dont think Superia is sharper than Pro 400H. My Pro400H is always low contrast, very nice to scan, later when contrast is added, the visual sharpness goes up. Note that visual sharpness is a mixture of alot of things.

Well, Superia 400 (and Provia 400X) are sharper and have higher resolution compared to Pro 400H. And Portra 400 is even a little bit behind Pro 400H in its resolution. The higher sharpness of Superia 400 to Pro 400H is also due to the higher contrast Superia has compared to Pro 400H. Nevertheless Pro 400H is a very sharp film.
I've tested it both in optical enlargement and with drum scanners. As optical enlargement with APO enlarging lenses deliver significantly higher resolution than even the best 8000ppi drum scanners, you see the differences in optical enlargement much clearer, but it is also visible with drum scans.
With 4000ppi scanners you will not see a big difference, because their resolution is much below the resolution capabilities of film.

 

[jwicaksana]

I use Portra 400 and Superia 800 for fast film. Oddly, I can expose the Portra to 800 with fine results, but I expose the Superia at ASA 500. It gives nice shadow details when over exposed a little. I will post samples when I get on my desktop.

Superia 800 exposed at 500, Nikon F4 Matrix Metering, 35 AF-D


The Other Side by jwicaksana, on Flickr

 

[Vics]

I've tested Fuji 400H, and just thought it lacked the thing we want in color film: color. I liked Fuji Superia 400 very much, and as I move more into color, I may go that way for hand-held pictures.

 

[Mablo]

The Stockholm old town is always in deep shadows but elsewhere in town it can be surprisingly lot of light (if you are lucky...). I'd take Portra 400 because you can shoot it from 400 to 1600 without problems.

I strolled around during a overcast, rainy day in Stockholm last week and had nothing but ISO 200 in my camera. A couple of stops more ISO would have been nice to have.

 

[Austerby]

This is the sort of thing I got last time (Sensia 400, Leica M7, 50mm c-Sonnar):


Skansen Christmas Market

Looking through my stocks I have actually found some old rolls of fast colour film, which must be long-expired, but I may take these. I've found one roll of Sensia 400 and two rolls of NPH400.

 

[unixrevolution]

My fast film of choice is The Kodak Portra 800. Simply the best 800 speed film I've ever used.

Alas, it's expensive, so I don't shoot it often.

 

[Photo_Smith]

Portra is great in 400 or 800. The 400 has a nicer grain pattern but the 800 is lovely especially in 120:

 

[Austerby]

Thanks for the comments. I've just ordered three rolls of Portra 800 35mm from Ag-photographic. 🙂

 

[boomguy57]

Additionally to the films you have mentioned there are also Kodak Ultramax 400 and Gold 400 as consumer films, as well as Superia X-Tra 800 as consumer film from Fuji.

My experiences with all the above films:

Provia 400X: One of the best high speed color films ever made. Finest grain and highest resolution of all current professional ISO 400 color films (Provia 400X has both a bit finer grain than Portra 400 and Pro400H, and significantly higher resolution).
That is not only my test result, but also the result from other very reliable sources:
http://www.aphog.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=401&Itemid=1

Provia 400X has also very natural and accurate colors, and very good skin tones. An excellent all around film.
Excellent at Push 1 with ISO 800, and even still very good at Push 2 with ISO 1600.

Superia 1600: Very sharp for that extremely high speed, with very good resolution. Grain is of course visible, but still relative fine for this speed.
Because of the fourth layer technology of this film very good color reproduction in mixed lighting situations.

Superia X-Tra 800: Same as Superia 1600, but with significantly finer grain.

Superia X-Tra 400: Same as X-Tra 800, but with finer grain and higher resolution. Sharpness and resolution are better than Pro 400H and Portra 400, but grain is coarser.
The current X-Tra 400 has no 4th layer anymore like Pro 400H, X-Tra 800 and Superia 1600.

Pro 400H: Finer grain than X-Tra 400, but with less resolution and with less contrast. This film has the 4th layer technology, therefore very good color reproduction in mixed lighting situations.

The Superia line in general has higher color saturation and more contrast than the Pro 400H.

Portra 400: Finer grain than Pro 400H, but a bit less resolution. More tolerance with underexposure than Pro 400H.
Weakness is the performance in mixed lighting situations, you get a quite dominant color cast. Pro 400H, X-Tra 800, Superia 1600 and Provia 400X are better in this respect.

Portra 800: Similar to Portra 400, but not as fine grained.

Gold 400: Higher color saturation, more contrast and higher resolution than Portra 400, but also significantly grainier.

I love Superia 1600, but it's hard to find these days. Superia 800 is good too, but not as fast; I love the grain on 1600.

 

[Dylan Hope]

Additionally to the films you have mentioned there are also Kodak Ultramax 400 and Gold 400 as consumer films, as well as Superia X-Tra 800 as consumer film from Fuji.

My experiences with all the above films:

Provia 400X: One of the best high speed color films ever made. Finest grain and highest resolution of all current professional ISO 400 color films (Provia 400X has both a bit finer grain than Portra 400 and Pro400H, and significantly higher resolution).
That is not only my test result, but also the result from other very reliable sources:
http://www.aphog.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=401&Itemid=1

Provia 400X has also very natural and accurate colors, and very good skin tones. An excellent all around film.
Excellent at Push 1 with ISO 800, and even still very good at Push 2 with ISO 1600.

Superia 1600: Very sharp for that extremely high speed, with very good resolution. Grain is of course visible, but still relative fine for this speed.
Because of the fourth layer technology of this film very good color reproduction in mixed lighting situations.

Superia X-Tra 800: Same as Superia 1600, but with significantly finer grain.

Superia X-Tra 400: Same as X-Tra 800, but with finer grain and higher resolution. Sharpness and resolution are better than Pro 400H and Portra 400, but grain is coarser.
The current X-Tra 400 has no 4th layer anymore like Pro 400H, X-Tra 800 and Superia 1600.

Pro 400H: Finer grain than X-Tra 400, but with less resolution and with less contrast. This film has the 4th layer technology, therefore very good color reproduction in mixed lighting situations.

The Superia line in general has higher color saturation and more contrast than the Pro 400H.

Portra 400: Finer grain than Pro 400H, but a bit less resolution. More tolerance with underexposure than Pro 400H.
Weakness is the performance in mixed lighting situations, you get a quite dominant color cast. Pro 400H, X-Tra 800, Superia 1600 and Provia 400X are better in this respect.

Portra 800: Similar to Portra 400, but not as fine grained.

Gold 400: Higher color saturation, more contrast and higher resolution than Portra 400, but also significantly grainier.

Very helpful post! I was pretty surprised to read that the consumer films have more resolution than the 'pro' films

 

[Jani_from_Finland]

I actually also got a nice roll with Provia 400X in Stockholm during a day visit in xmas 2009, it was very natural and snow was good looking in the shots. Can really recommend this film.

 

[dct]

I love Superia 1600, but it's hard to find these days. Superia 800 is good too, but not as fast; I love the grain on 1600.

+1 for the love. It is the only colour film I use over 200 ISO.

Like the rendering of the results.

Buying online is no problem getting this film, but the remaining local photo shops with film offering sell it rarely.