Best E6 Film For Skin Tones?

dcsang

dcsang

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Just curious about this one as I've been considering a project that I would like to shoot in E6 but it's portraiture.

So...

Skin tones

Which E6 film do you find gives the most consistent skin tones with all other things being "equal" (i.e. standard non-gel lighting etc.)

Any and all suggestions considered - given that they're currently available in 120 format 🙂

Thanks,
Dave
 
50 incident metering for Astia 100 eh??

Process @ 100 though? i.e. I'm not pulling the film am I?

Thanks so far for the suggestions. I'm figuring on Astia right now but thought there may be others out there - the Kodak my local has is 100VS not the G which may not work as well..

Cheers,
Dave
 
With my incident meter (Sekonic) I like skin when I meter at 50 using a warming filter. Normal development.

Without filter, metering at 100 gives skins a bit dark to my liking or to scan... In fashion photography it's usual to open a third or half a stop. Landscape and product are the contrary: they prefer to saturate a bit...

Cheers,

Juan
 
It`s gone, Ektachrome 100 plain vanilla. No SW or S. The film was made to give accurate colors and not punched up contrast and saturation.

I would probably try Fuji Astia. It gives normal colors and saturation and contrast for nature stuff.

Everyone went for punched up colors and the nice films did not sell, so now they are gone. Pros who used 100 went digital and the amateurs wanted exageration.

My digital Nikons do well on flesh. So do Canons. Totally adjustable in photoshop and you can make presets to recreate with the click of a mouse. Furthermore it can be sharper than the best 35mm slide films and you can do selective softening/sharpening +odge and burn and change contrast all after the fact.

Just like film replaced glass plates, digi is replacing film.
 
Juan,

Thanks again - I have a warming filter (I think an 82 or 81) but it won't fit my Rolleiflex - it's a standard 77mm screw on filter - I should be able to hold that filter over the taking lens and it should do the trick right?

Cheers,
Dave
 
Ronald M said:
It`s gone, Ektachrome 100 plain vanilla. No SW or S. The film was made to give accurate colors and not punched up contrast and saturation.

I would probably try Fuji Astia. It gives normal colors and saturation and contrast for nature stuff.

Everyone went for punched up colors and the nice films did not sell, so now they are gone. Pros who used 100 went digital and the amateurs wanted exageration.

My digital Nikons do well on flesh. So do Canons. Totally adjustable in photoshop and you can make presets to recreate with the click of a mouse. Furthermore it can be sharper than the best 35mm slide films and you can do selective softening/sharpening +odge and burn and change contrast all after the fact.

Just like film replaced glass plates, digi is replacing film.
Click to expand...

I don't disagree with you here Ron.
I just think I'd prefer to do this particular project in 120 Film on my Rolleiflex 🙂

Cheers,
Dave
 
81A is the normal warming (A2 by Nikon) but any warming will do: I have several brands: B+W. Leica, Hoya, Nikon, Tiffen: they're all a bit different in color... Some of them a bit more amber, some more yellowish... I recommend you to get one or two for your favorite lenses, or find a way (ring?) to keep the 77mm well placed...

Cheers,

Juan
 
I've only shot a bit of Astia, but it seems to be what "everyone" recommends for E6 portraits.

I shot a lot of Provia 100F in 2008 and was very happy with the results...skin tones looked accurate and pleasing to my eye. You'll find a lot of people feel Provia 100F gives you the goods colour-wise, but keeps the skin tones in check.

You should do a quick test.
 
IMHO, the astia 100 is a very special film and in this case, it is probably your best bet. Also, one thing that I have noticed, the astia 100 is not the easiest film to scan.
 
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