Color Film - What is best choice in today's market?

[KarlG]

Portra / Ektar are my two favourites, but I quite like Fuji Superia as well.

I recommend checking out the Flickr group 'Film Database' (www.flickr.com/groups/filmdatabase) which contains samples of pretty much every film on the market! Scroll to the bottom, choose your manufacturer, take a look at a large number of samples from each film and see what you like.

 

[mackigator]

I thought this thread would go all over! Instead it seems a bit of consensus has emerged.

I second the Portra 160/400 as all-rounders, especially if skin tones are in the shot.

Fuji Superia 400 is my budget film of choice.

If you can afford it Fuji Provia 400x is every bit as good as you read (slide).

 

[cassel]

I like Ektar 100 for outdoor, natural light. I have lately been impressed with the Lomo line of color film, especially the 800. Nice colors!

 

[Godfrey]

I've used Portra 160, but my only reason for using it was so that I would have filtration control in image processing. I haven't yet processed a color film image since I started shooting some film again in 2011 or so.

Maybe I should give it a try, especially with the 6x6 cameras. 🙂

G

 

[Joe Vitessa]

For C-41: Ektar. Fuji Superia. Kodak Gold.

Everything else is way too expensive.

 

[santela]

My cheap film is xtra or agfa.
My sunny day film is ektar.
My portrait film is portra or provia, depends on who I'm shooting.
My landscape film is velvia, but it's getting a bit too expensive now.
My street film is provia.

If I could only have one, it would be provia, no contest.

 

[santela]

Just reading the thread now, can't believe I'm the only one recommending provia... maybe cuz it's too cliche?

 

[jcrutcher]

Fuji 160S and Portra 400. I'm not as fond of Portra 160 as the Fuji.

 

[Sunti]

I really miss Reala. That was a great film.

Reala was my main color film. Although it's still available in 120, I really miss it for the 135. There is still no substitute for it IMO.

 

[mackigator]

@santela: If I could have only one color film it would be Provia 400x. But at $14/roll I also get to enjoy other films.

 

[Pablito]

I like Fuji Superia 400 Xtra. You can buy it anywhere.

maybe anywhere in the 1st world...

 

[Balto]

Pro 400, provia 100/50, ektar, pretty much all I shoot!

 

[mszargar]

Ceteris paribus, Ektar is the easiest color negative to scan, IMHO.

 

[seakayaker1]

I use the Kodak Porta 160 and 400 color film and love the results. For both 35mm, 120 and 220.

 

[brbo]

I really like Fuji Pro 400H and Kodak Ektar 100. Portra 800@1600 if I need speed. All those have something "extra". Portra 160 and 400 are amazing to the point that they can look too perfect/true to life. I shoot film because I'm in love with the "photoshop" that comes embedded into the emulsion.

 

[tsiklonaut]

People: colour negatives (Kodak Portras & Fuji Pro 400H rule IMHO)


David+Sandra by tsiklonaut, on Flickr


Landscapes: colour positives (Velvias and Provias)


WInter's Blessing by tsiklonaut, on Flickr




Frozen landscape by tsiklonaut, on Flickr

 

[thegman]

People: colour negatives (Kodak Portras & Fuji Pro 400H rule IMHO)



Landscapes: colour positives (Velvias and Provias)


WInter's Blessing by tsiklonaut, on Flickr




Frozen landscape by tsiklonaut, on Flickr

These two are outstanding, particularly the first, just brilliant.

For the OP. Depends on how much light I have, generally for colour I used 400H or Portra 400, as it's a bit dark in London this time of year. If I had the light I'd use Ektar 100 and Velvia 50 or 100 (can't tell the difference).

 

[bjornkeizers]

Great thread guys. Most of what I've shot in color negative has been either Fuji Superia 200 or Ektar 100 - I just found slide film to be way more interesting.

Will have to give some of these other options a go.

It's truly amazing that color film options are so rare compared to b&W.

 

[sepiareverb]

Very surprised nobody has mentioned the Fuji Industrial films. I've not shot the 400, but the 100 was my favorite color negative film after Agfa Ultra went away. Great color, and pretty cheap- if you can swing 100 rolls at once. It did used to come in 10 roll bricks, not sure if they can still supply it that way. Was thinking about this film just the other day, thinking that I'd like to shoot some more of it- the grain is really lovely in this stuff.

 

[filmfan]

Kodak portra 400