Recommendation for Colour Print Film

[formal]

Hi All,

Normally I use B&W in my Leica and use digital when I want colour. However, I'm off to Rome for a few days and I don't want to take both sets of cameras, so I'm taking my Leica and some rolls of Kodak BW400CN.

I'm also thinking of getting some colour print films. Any recommendations?

David

 

[lZr]

There is new Kodak Portra I will never see, but for me, Fuji 400 and you go.
If you can shoot 100 ASA, get Fuji Reala

 

[lynn]

I only shoot sloooow, and no people, so Fuji Reala and Agfa Ultra are my staple films. The latter tends to a colour saturation that makes for unnatural skin tones, but brilliant, literally, with other stuff.

 

[Duncan Ross]

I'm happy with cheap Kodak color 200 which I get for free from the film developers. There are all sorts of photographers on this forum with many objectives, goals and priorities. I put image quality at the bottom of the list some time ago and if you use Kodak 200 you will too!

 

[kaiyen]

Weird that this hasn't come up - Kodak 400UC. It's my one and only I bring on trips (I shoot cheaper stock on random, in the area stuff). Saturated but still great on skin tones, amazingly low grain, and, as I have said in another thread, scans like a bad-ass.

allan

 

[rogue_designer]

Weird that this hasn't come up - Kodak 400UC. It's my one and only I bring on trips (I shoot cheaper stock on random, in the area stuff). Saturated but still great on skin tones, amazingly low grain, and, as I have said in another thread, scans like a bad-ass.

allan

I use the 400UC quite a bit as well. I'm also curious to see how the new Portra 400 VC behaves.

My other staple film for the past 4 years or so has been Portra 160VC - it's a great all purpose emulsion - good saturation, but nothing absurd so it still works for portraits, I shoot it metered dead on at 160 - and it holds up pretty well in a wide range of shooting conditions.

 

[formal]

Thanks for the suggestions. All I now need to do is find a suitable outlet in Rome.

Regards,
David

 

[quattro98]

I also like the Kodak 400UC -- you can download a brochure from their web site for more info.

 

[dazedgonebye]

I've been happy with the porta VC in 160 and 400. Based on this forum though, I'm giving the 100 and 400 UC a try.

 

[sf]

The portra films are all beautiful. Best of the every-day color films. If you are shooting people.

For an all-around color negative film, I very much prefer the Fuji NPH400.

 

[visiondr]

Others here have raised a toast to the virtues of Fuji Reala films. I must disagree. To me there's nothing real about Reala at all. It is oversaturated (like many films today) far surpassing the colours of reality. I much prefer the more muted and, to my eye, more accurate colours of Kodak Portra NC. I can't wait to try the latest incarnation of this fine film.

Ron

 

[ijohnnyz]

6-pack of Fuji Superia 400 for $8 at Costco. Other than that, I shoot b&w for everything else, especially at night w/o flash.

 

[MadMan2k]

Superia 400 is pretty good, I like the way it renders greens and the contrast.

Kodak 400UC is really nice. It's pretty saturated, so it might not be accurate for portraits in some lighting, but it just looks good.

 

[uhligfd]

If you are in the USA, you can get Kodak 400 UC at Wmart for 3 36 exposure rolls at $12. Beats B+H price (4.89 each) by almost 25%.

I shoot exclusively on Kodak 400UC. The Portra 400VC is too punched up in color. 400UC is just right and lively across the whole spectrum. Fuji 400HPH is much duller in color saturation, with Reala even duller to my eyes. 400UC enlarges really well, too.

If color, to have vivid color is my ideal and not to mess with Reala's or NPH's muted color.

 

[gregg]

Kodak 400UC and 160VC have given me the best results as of late. I shot over 100 rolls of Fuji Superia 400 last year so I have a comparison point. My initial 10 rolls of 400UC show more detail and better skin tones. 160VC is a great film for lower speed and high sharpness. They both scan so well that I've exhausted my Provia 100F slide film in favor of these two print films.

 

[f8&go]

Thanks to all for the experienced referrals on
400 UC & 160VC. Will try.

 

[yarinkel]

For 100 ISO, Fuji Reala
For 400 ISO, Kodak 400UC

I found that 160VC show a bit too much grain for it's speed when I try to scan it (Minolta Elite II scanner). Probably grain aliasing that you won't encounter with traditional print tho.

 

[mwooten]

The portra films are all beautiful. Best of the every-day color films. If you are shooting people.

For an all-around color negative film, I very much prefer the Fuji NPH400.

I'd like to second NPH. There is something in this film that is really sweet. It treats people so well

Take care,
Michael

 

[kshapero]

Oh yeah, I also use Kodak UC400 mostly.