Nasty project

[John Camp]

I paint in an odd style which I won't get into here, but in addition to drawings, I use photographs so I can contemplate details that are hard to see in real time (like wind-blown tree limbs; the details are hard to see when the wind is blowing.) Anyway, I sometimes do this by projecting photogaphs on a white wall (painted white for the purpose), and I will tell you, digital photographic projection sucks. I've always known that, of course, but sometimes the fact that *graphics* work in scholarly lectures, or that you can sort of see photographs if you stand back far enough, disguises exactly how bad the projection is. If you get close to the image, as I do, you realize that almost everything is a blur -- and we're not talking about that huge an image, either. 24x36 is terrible.

I shoot slide film when I can, but the turn-around for Kodachrome is more than a week (more like 10 days) without special handling; I may have to start shooting something else, though I love Kodachrome for faces...

So, I need advice: What do I replace Kodachrome with, that can be processed quickly, and has good facial color?

And, a question: Will digital projection **ever** get much better?

JC

 

[Bryce]

Try Fuji's Astia. Standard E-6 processing, actually capable of rendering skin tones and whites.

 

[thurows]

10 days is ridiculous. A&I in California use to maintain their own line so lab A wasn't sending to lab B and waiting for a courier to get the film to transportation so it can be sent to Kodak. But alas no more. Your slide film should be chosen based on the saturation and detail that you want. Kodak's colors are usually more faithful, I'd try E100g or if you want slightly warmer tones E100GX.

So far as digital projectors getting better, they have and still are however, they are based on a resolution of 72 dpi and until computers display files at a higher dpi they'll be stuck where they're at resolution wise. More dpi on the file side of it just means that you can blow the file up larger.

 

[dmr]

It definitely shouldn't take 10 days for Kodachrome. With Dwaynes's, if I get Kodachrome sent out in the morning mail on Monday (actually gets to the PO on Monday morning) I can expect it back Saturday and sometimes Friday. I'm sure it goes by air to Kansas City or Wichita, so it should be about the same time from almost anywhere in the midwest.

I don't know for sure what class they send it. It's less than $1, done on a scale with the pre-printed label. I'm sure it's not special handling of any kind. I just use their standard shipping coming back. I think the trick is to be sure it absolutely, positively gets to the PO as quickly as possible.

 

[John Camp]

That's who I use (because, well, it's the only one left) and it took, I think, 11 days -- but then, I do live in a postally troubled town. :bang:

JC

 

[Finder]

E-6 is an excellent process and there are excellent E-6 films by Kodak and Fuji.

Digital projection is limited like monitors which have a limited pixel resolution. I think the highest is around 1000x700. The only limit to technology is cost and demand. Since you have a fairly specialized use for this technology, I doubt there is a significant market for this use.