Kodak MAX 800

[pcfranchina]

Anyone use Kodak MAX 800? I dropped in a roll and really didrn't know where I would end up. Ended up shooting in bright conditions. Found it to be way too grainy and unusable. I am not goin to shoot that high iso again. Anyone get the same or is that just me?
What color c-41 do you guys reccomend?

 

[ampguy]

I have some in the refrig. waiting to try, mine has an exp. date of 8/2008. I note that it is made in the US, but finished in Mexico. The last time I looked at Kodak film from drugstores it was made in China.

 

[IGMeanwell]

Fuji Superia 800 is definitely the way to go with Store bought high speed

 

[Dougg]

In the 800-speed films I've only used Kodak Portra 800, seen in the first example below in 6x4.5cm format, and Fuji NPZ 800. I've used quite a lot of the Portra and it's been very good, with my only criticism that it's not as good in mixed lighting as Fuji NPZ 800. The next example is the "Juice Bar Lady" shot with 35mm NPZ, and then a full-scale crop from the same 2000x3000 pixel scan. It does show grain, but the picture is pretty sharp.

Worth noting that I set my meter to 400 or 500 for these films, not 800. I give them that extra 2/3-1 stop exposure to open up the shadows and smooth the grain. (Processed normally.)

I use the 800 speed films almost entirely in 220 size, keeping some 35mm NPZ for special use. In either film size I prefer ISO 400 pro films as a standard for general purposes, and the ISO 160 when I know I’ll have plenty of light.

In what way was the Max 800 awful? I haven't used it... curious.

 

[Nick R.]

I've used Max 800 and didn't think it was so bad. I thought it had better tonality than the slower speed Max films which I do dislike. Portra 800 and Fuji press 800 are really good films. Here's an example of the Fuji in available light. I like the warm tones.

 

[Al Patterson]

I have never liked the Max line of films. I used to shoot Royal Gold 400 a lot, and really liked it. Now that I can't find it I find I'm shooting digital where I used to shoot color print film.

I have shot with the Fuji 800, and liked it. I might have to get a roll and check it out again.

 

[pcfranchina]

It was way to grainy. Way beyond any form of artistic grain. Lesson learned.

Thanks

 

[amateriat]

Max...oh, dear, Max!

Didn't like the 400. Didn't like the 800. Grain reminded me a bit of first-generation Kodacolor 400 (anyone remember that stuff?). color rendition was only fair. Of course, since I shoot nothing in color neg from Rochester besides Portra these days, it shouldn't have been so big a surprise. Can't recommend it to anyone unless that's literally all they can lay their hands on locally...in which case, they should go mail order.


- Barrett

 

[Dougg]

Ha! Found I'd shot a couple rolls of Max 800 two years ago. I'd noted on the first roll that it was pretty grainy. Here's a sample... (cropped on left and right but shows full height of the frame; 50mm lens).

Edit: Add a 100% scale crop from the original 2000x3000 pixel scan.

 

[ampguy]

Hi Dougg

Hi Dougg

That doesn't look bad at all to me. In fact the grain looks as good or better than some of my Fuji 400 and Walgreens (Germany) 400.

Ha! Found I'd shot a couple rolls of Max 800 two years ago. I'd noted on the first roll that it was pretty grainy. Here's a sample... (cropped on left and right but shows full height of the frame; 50mm lens).