Bruin
Noktonian
Fuji recently dropped the 4th color layer on their Superia 400 in the US, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's inferior. They could have duplicated it's effects with the other existing layers. There was a discussion about this on APUG a while back if you want more details.
I wouldn't recommend pushing Superia 800; actually I'd shoot it at 400-640.
I wouldn't recommend pushing Superia 800; actually I'd shoot it at 400-640.
btgc
Veteran
TWoK
Well-known
My Superia 800 from 2003 has it.
Fuji has not removed the 4th layer from anything. They may have quit advertising it on the film packaging but it is still there. Look at the data sheet if you don't believe me: http://www.fujifilm.com/products/consumer_film/pdf/superia_xtra400_datasheet.pdf
All the films were updated with the 4th layer and I am sure it will stay until they are retired from production.
Nate, the two new Fuji Superia 400 films available in Japan (X-TRA and Premium) no longer have the 4th layer. These two films replaced Fuji Superia Venus 400 (has 4 layers) and Fuji Fine & Tough 400 (FT) (not sure if it had 4 layers). See this thread for more details.
According to the current data sheets on the respective Fuji websites, the Fuji Superia X-TRA 400 available in the USA has 4 layers, and the Fuji Superia X-TRA 400 available in Japan has 3 layers.
Juan Valdenebro
Truth is beauty
The amount of grain depends on exposure, and on film asa. If you give both films as much light as they need for optimal results, of course the 400 will have smaller grain.
The thing is that for in camera metering, there's no such thing as shooting at an asa, because you end up doing what your meter or your guess for compensation tells you...
Personally I use Portra400 for low light, but I give it the light it deserves. I give all my C41 a +2 when metering incident (so 100) with warming filter. On auto in camera I set asa at +2/3, that's, for example, 64 for Ektar (25 incident with warming filter).
I use Portra800, an amazing film, for stopping down a bit in low light, and I usually push it two stops. It doesn't mean you can gain real speed until 3200, no, it means that's a film designed for great color after what labs know as push2, but you gain less than a stop... For a push2 I meter it incident at +1/3, so 640 (warming), and in camera auto at -1, that's 1600 with filter.
Metering is this complicated if you are not sure about what to do. It is this easy when you know what to do. I meter slide film and B&W differently. Also, when an incident metering says 1/250 at f/8, it doesn't mean the same that when a camera gives that reading.
But if you try the above settings for standard and pushed C41, you'll see they are very precise. I do it with all C41 films, no mater the brand or asa. Check it and tell me what you think then...
Cheers,
Juan