Fujichrome Sensia

[David Charlwood]

Someone once told me that Fujichrome Sensia was the 'consumer' version of a Fujichrome 'Professional' slide film. Now that Sensia is no more, does anyone know which Fujichome slide film is equivalent? I am not interested in 'vibrant in-your-face colours' - just the natural results of using Sensia. Hope someone can help.
Regards to all,
David Charlwood.

 

[mijosc]

Provia 100F and 400X are really your only choices in 35mm if you're looking for natural color rendition.

Astia 100F is available in 120 and offers even lower contrast and more subdued colors vs. Provia.

 

[HHPhoto]

Someone once told me that Fujichrome Sensia was the 'consumer' version of a Fujichrome 'Professional' slide film. Now that Sensia is no more, does anyone know which Fujichome slide film is equivalent? I am not interested in 'vibrant in-your-face colours' - just the natural results of using Sensia. Hope someone can help.
Regards to all,
David Charlwood.

Hi David,

the professional version of Sensia III (the last type produced, edge mark "RA") has been Astia 100F ("RAP").
Astia 100F is still available at stores in 120.

The best replacement now is Provia 100F in combination with a Skylight 1A filter for a little bit warmer colours.
Because that is the main visible difference between Sensia and Provia 100F:
Provia 100F is absolutely neutral and natural in its colour rendition. Designed for exact colour reproduction in professional use.
Sensia 100 has a bit warmer colours, adjusted for general "amateur taste".
If you use Provia 100F with a Skylight 1A filter (or with a Skylight 1B if you even want a more warm colour rendition) you come very close to the Sensia look.

Concerning Sharpness, resolution and fineness of the grain there are no visible differences between Sensia and Provia, even in huge enlargements like projection (where both films really shine). Both are outstanding.

Provia 400X is excellent, too. A bit more saturation than Provia 100F. Natural colours, excellent skin tones, excellent with push 1 at 800, still very good at push 2 at 1600.
Wonderful all around film. Very good sharpness and resolution, very fine grain for the high speed.
Of course in this respect Provia 100F is better.

Cheers, Jan

 

[Paulbe]

David--my experience is that 400X is all-round excellent, but pricey!
You can't go wrong with either 100F or 400X and Jan's advice for the skylight filter is really good. Good luck!
Paul

 

[David Charlwood]

Thanks everyone for your advice and knowledge - it answered my question perfectly. I have been using colour slide film almost as long as I have been taking photographs and am reluctant to change my habits. I tried the new Kodak Ektar colour negative film but am unhappy with the results. Even more disappointing is the vanishing of Agfa Scala 200X for black and white slides - what a terrible shame. However, I hope that remaining slide film will see me out!
Regards,
David.

 

[HHPhoto]

Thanks everyone for your advice and knowledge - it answered my question perfectly. I have been using colour slide film almost as long as I have been taking photographs and am reluctant to change my habits. I tried the new Kodak Ektar colour negative film but am unhappy with the results. Even more disappointing is the vanishing of Agfa Scala 200X for black and white slides - what a terrible shame. However, I hope that remaining slide film will see me out!
Regards,
David.

Hi David,

I have some good news for you: Agfa Scala 200X is still available! Fotoimpex recently made an announcement that stock is sufficient to last to 2017 (and after that we will probably see this film coming back fresh produced, because it is APX 100 on a clear base; and APX 100 is intended to be made new by Adox and Inoviscoat).
You can buy the film here:
www.fotobrenner.de
www.fotoimpex.de
www.lumiere-shop.de
www.nordfoto.de

AFAIK the Lighthouse lab in Australia is still offering Scala development.
If not, there are five labs in Germany developing the film.
I can highly recommend www.photostudio13.de and www.schwarzweiss-dia.de.
Both do international business.
So sending them some films for development is no problem.

Furthermore there are several very good additional options:
Agfa Copex Rapid
Foma R100
Rollei Retro 80S
Rollei Superpan 200
Rollei Retro 400S
Rollei IR

are all excellent as BW slides developed in the original Agfa Scala process.
All Scala labs can develop these films.
Here is the needed data:

Agfa Copex Rapid: ISO 64 with 34mm; ISO 80 with 120.
First development time: 4:00 min.

Rollei Retro 80S: ISO 64.
First development time: 4:00 min.

Rollei Superpan 200, retro 400S, IR: ISO 160.
First development time: 3:45.

You just have to say the lab the time for the first developmet and then the Scala labs will do it for you.
Results are excellent.

BW slide is alive and kicking!!!

Cheers, Jan

 

[David Charlwood]

Thanks Jan - I am working on it right now!

 

[jb17kx]

A good trick is to check the letter codes - Sensia 100 (RA) against Astia (RAP), Sensia 400 (RH) against Provia 400F (RHP).

The was no professional equivalent to Sensia 200 (which was actually a very nice film), and Provia 400X (RXP) replaces 400F but that's good because RXP is in my mind one of the best colour films ever, just so damn expensive.

 

[HHPhoto]

A good trick is to check the letter codes - Sensia 100 (RA) against Astia (RAP), Sensia 400 (RH) against Provia 400F (RHP).

The was no professional equivalent to Sensia 200 (which was actually a very nice film), and Provia 400X (RXP) replaces 400F but that's good because RXP is in my mind one of the best colour films ever, ....

Yes, absolutely, Provia 400X is indeed one of the best color films ever:
- Vivid, natural colors
- very good grey balance
- ecxellent skin tones
- finest grain ISO 400 color film (significantly finer grain than Portra 400 New and Fuji Pro 400H);
grain is comparable to ISO 100 slide films of the ninetees
- highest resolution and best sharpness of all ISO 400 colour films (significantly better than Portra and Pro 400H)
- very good results pushed to ISO 800, good results even at ISO 1600; therefore a very versatile film
- good performance even in situations with mixed lightning (e.g. daylight and tungsten mixed)

.....just so damn expensive.

But still cheaper than Portra 400. CN film makes sense only with prints. Quality prints in 10x15cm or 13x18cm cost in the 30-40 cents range here (real quality prints, not the cheap mass prints from some drugstore labs).
Therefore a Provia 400X with development do cost me less than a Portra 400 (or Fuji Pro 400H) with development and quality prints.

CN film with no prints? That does not make sense. Only scanning and than watching on a computer screen?
Using a high resolution quality medium and than watching it at a 1024x768 pixel resolution (less than 1 MP)?
Nonsense. Waste of time and money.

Same with using a 12, 16, 24 +x MP DSLR and only watching these pictures on a low resolution computer screen with less than 1 MP, without prints. That is also a waste of time and money.

Cheers, Jan