Bargain Film at Target - Heads Up

Someone near me must have gotten all the UC at my target except for one package that I now have. I rarely shoot color print film due to being spoiled by the colors of slide films I use I hope the colors are nice.
Rob
 
Rob,

I think you'll like it. Velvia it ain't, but what print film is? I find it vivid without being clown-like, which Agfa Ultra 50 was, if you recall that one. The term 'saturated' definitely applies here. "Rich" is another good one. Also, I find that in general, saturated films tend to do poorly with caucasian skin tones - not so with this one - it is not bad with skin at all.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
If this film is based on the Portra films, that might explain the qualities you are describing (good skin tones).

I had been reading Kodak's online info regarding Portra, and I think they specifically tout that very quality.

I have yet to get to Target myself to find any.
 
Last edited:
I made it to Target today while out looking for cat litter and laundry soap with my wife. While there I decided to look up the 400uc. At first I thought that they had none, I didn't see any on the display rack. I thought "oh well- someone beat me to it."

Well- my wife tells me that I have to ask the guy at the camera counter. I grumbled, I have bad luck with store personel in San Diego (half are aspiring comedians, few are good). I did and I am very glad that she insisted. the had 8 packages left.

I grabbed a modest 4 packages. Then I started to push off with our cart. My wife turns about and goes back and grabs the remaining 4 muttering "I can't stand to let a good deal like this just get passed over." I was stunned.
 
Ah, our wives can surprise us in wonderful ways. Mine went to a local Target last night for something or another, and I asked her to look for the UC. Showed her the box, what it looked like, asked her to get a couple if they had any. I had already bought 5 boxes at a different store. When she came back and I asked her, "Did they have any of the film?" She said oh, yeah they had some. Well, how much did you get? "All of it". Just doubled my supply there.
 
I shot this film a while back and wasn't impressed. The local supermarket charges almost 13 bucks for the three pack and it gave me relatively flat colors. I prefer Fuji and Agfa film over Kodak unless it's slide film.
 
Stephanie Brim said:
I shot this film a while back and wasn't impressed. The local supermarket charges almost 13 bucks for the three pack and it gave me relatively flat colors. I prefer Fuji and Agfa film over Kodak unless it's slide film.

Well, I agree that $13 for a three-pack is too high, but the thread was discussing that Target stores seem to be blowing it out at $5.98 per three-pack - a slightly better deal.

As to 'flat' - hmmm. Took this today, with some of that Target special film. I cropped and resized in The Gimp (Photoshop clone) and saved. No levels tweaking or anything else. You tell me.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Last edited:
My inside shots are good...it's the outside ones that needed correction.

dog.jpg

vs
bondage.jpg


Needless to say, I haven't done any tweaking. I was thinking of perhaps either under or overexposing it a bit to see how that worked.
 
Stephanie,
Nice shots, I love the Golden. Looks like my 3 year old 😀
 
I went to Target today... and completely forgot about this thread.

Oh, well... fortunately, I do have some film in the freezer. All of it is slide, though... But I like doing the ocassional print roll.
 
SolaresLarrave said:
I went to Target today... and completely forgot about this thread.

Oh, well... fortunately, I do have some film in the freezer. All of it is slide, though... But I like doing the ocassional print roll.

I agree, this stuff is NOT a replacement for Velvia. On the other hand, it's pretty saturated for a print film (my opinion) and yet it still renders skin tones pretty well. I took this TODAY with the Ultra 400 UC I bought last week at Target at the sale price. I scanned, cropped, resized, and removed a few dust specks - but I did NOT manipulate the colors or levels in any way. You tell me.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Last edited:
Kodak is known for its ability to pick up reds. Fuji is generally known for its ability to pick up greens. It's why Fuji is generally better when you're shooting tons of greenery and Kodak can be better if you're shooting sunrises or sunsets. Something I read somewhere a long time ago.
 
target

target

even in the far nw corner of these u.s., the tarjay store had the 400uc for six buck for a 3-pak of 36, so i couldn't pass it up even though i prefer a slower 100 film, and they also had on the clearance table the family pak of kodak 200 print film, 8 rolls for 7 bucks. wow.

and remember too, Target has a serious photography collection- i don't recall if it is the owner's private collection or the corporate collection, but it is reputed to be of excellent quality.
 
Fedzilla_Bob said:
The reds seem to pop. Which is what the first sample that you posted showed. The guy sliding in to base could use a tan! LOL

The first shot (swamp) had reds in it? LOL! Well, I'm color-blind you know. I thought it was greens, mostly. FYI, the first shot was taken with a polarizer, but the second shot (third base slide) was not taken with any kind of filter at all.

OK, here is a shot that I took yesterday in Raleigh at a lizard show or something. This should show skin tones. I used flash and a 100mm lens at f5.6 1/60th. Kodak Ultra 400 UC, no manipulation of the image beyond resizing it.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Last edited:
Hi Bill- Yep your first sample has a brilliant red gumball or candy machine in it. The skin tones on the kids in that shot was fine, I am sure that was due to sunlight.

I really appreciate the tip on the film, I am now set for film through next Thanksgiving.🙂
 
Fedzilla_Bob said:
Hi Bill- Yep your first sample has a brilliant red gumball or candy machine in it. The skin tones on the kids in that shot was fine, I am sure that was due to sunlight.

I really appreciate the tip on the film, I am now set for film through next Thanksgiving.🙂

Ah, that first shot of the gumball machine was ray_g's, not mine. I posted the shot of the swamp, the baseball kid, and some snake-things...just now.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Back
Top Bottom