Fast Fuji Color Film: Buying and Using Advice Needed

[sockeyed]

I like NPH a lot for its realistic colours, speed and fine grain. It's my travel film of choice, and I generally rate it at 320.

Here are about 140 samples I've posted on flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sockeyed/tags/nph/

I do really like the Superia 800, too. It's more saturated and contrasty than the NPH, but still pleasant. Great at 500 or 640
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sockeyed/tags/800/

Have fun!

 

[Russ]

I've got quite a bit of experience with the faster Fuji films. The Superia 800 X-Tra and NPZ (Pro H 800 ) are excellent films. The Superia 1600 is quite good to, if you need the speed. Just be sure to overexpose them by 1/3 a stop, for optimum color and smaller grain. I regularly burn my NPZ @ 650, with excellent results. And burn your 1600 @ 1250. You'll be amazed at how much improvement there has been in color negative films, in the last few years. For my wedding work, I've standardized on NPH @ 320.

Russ

 

[Russ]

I do really like the Superia 800, too. It's more saturated and contrasty than the NPH, but still pleasant. Great at 500 or 640
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sockeyed/tags/800/

Have fun!

You'll have to excuse the crappy flatbed scan. This is from an 8x12 inch print, from a Superia 800 X-Tra (Press 800) negative. Exposed @ 640. The print has nice colors and fine grain.

Russ

 

[djon]

NPZ 800 can be GREAT for really big prints, including the usual "nature", as well as real photography of people and in the most intense of daylight. Yes it's grainy, but who cares. It certainly doesn't need to be rated under 800 assuming one scan's one's own film. Minilabs are another story, sorry about that. Reasonably normally done 4000ppi from a Nikon or Minolta will blow anything from a Fuji scanner away, bigtime...and see Russ's beautiful photo above...I don't know Russ thinks it'd look at 11X14, but I'm sure it'd be great at 6X9 at least. Russ? Your opinion?

 

[Russ]

...and see Russ's beautiful photo above...I don't know Russ thinks it'd look at 11X14, but I'm sure it'd be great at 6X9 at least. Russ? Your opinion?

My image, was scanned from an 11x14 print, on my funky POS flatbed scanner. And my scanning technique, sucks! I use a professional lab for my wedding work, and I still prefer to overexpose my negative films by 1/3 a stop. It really shows an improvement in grain & color. I agree, the newer 400 & 800 speed films are very good. Nothing like the older stuff that was around when I started shooting, a long time ago. It's only been the last few years, that I've been burning color neg film. I've always been a color slide film and B/W neg film shooter. Yeah, don't worry about the 800 speed stuff, it's quite good. The attached snap, is also from Fuji 800 neg film.

Russ

 

[Bill Ely]

The January, 2005 issue of Leica World News, quotes the prominent fashion photographer, Arthur Elgort, as follows: "I generally load Fuji NPZ (an ISO 800 color negative film that I rate at 400) in one R9 body, and Fuji Provia ISO 100 slide film in the other."

That statement is consistent with a number of opinions previously expressed about Fuji NPZ.

 

[Nikon Bob]

From my use of C41 films. I fully agree with Russ and others that some overexposure is the way to go for improved grain and colour, or B&W with C41 B&W films.

Bob