Spring - Which 120 slide film do you recommend for shooting flowers?

dave lackey

dave lackey

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After all my hard work since last summer making flower beds and planting roses, tulips and daffodils, they are about to reward me with countless shooting opportunities! Yay!:D:D:D

Which slide film would you guys recommend? The 503cxi is working amazingly well and I think I shall add an extension tube with the 80 Planar for close-up work. I have used Velvia for a long time previously but not in 120 size film.
 
Velvia is fabulous in 120. Bigger! I've had great results in 120 with Provia 100F for flowers as well, just a slightly different look, maybe more "accurate", but the extra speed can help with sharpness if trying to capture morning or evening light on flowers, especially if there is a breeze. The Velvia is obviously a tad punchier, but you don't always need or want that when the flowers are colorful enough. Gilding the Lily and all that.
I'd certainly try a roll of Provia if I were you, just to see if you like it. The 80 Planar will deliver the colors.
 
What GarageBoy said, absolutely the very best choice for intense color with transparency film. (It is also long term stable)
 
I have a roll of 120 Kodachrome that I am saving for the Resurrection.
In the meantime I'll have to make do with some 4x5 and 120 Velvia.
Good luck! Our daffodils are almost gone. Crazy early spring on the Upper East Side of Texas.
Wayne


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
How do Velvia 100 and Velvia 100F compare to Velvia 50?
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Velvia has a more intense color palette, with skin tones generally redish and not all that pleasant. It is great for landscapes.

the 100's are a bit less intense, and not too badly reddish if people are in the shot.
 
i shoot velvia 50 or provia 100 or 400. i let the light or needed depth of field determine which one to use. All 3 give great results. just shot the same flower1 with velvia as it was the last on the roll and the same one with provia 100 as it was the first shot on the new roll. projected, it was hard to see a huge difference as it was a close shot. the slide film destroyed the same shot from my girlfriends digital though!
 
dave lackey said:
After all my hard work since last summer making flower beds and planting roses, tulips and daffodils, they are about to reward me with countless shooting opportunities! Yay!:D:D:D

Which slide film would you guys recommend? The 503cxi is working amazingly well and I think I shall add an extension tube with the 80 Planar for close-up work. I have used Velvia for a long time previously but not in 120 size film.
Click to expand...

For flowers I am using mostly Provia 100F, sometimes also Velvia 50.
Provia 100F:
It gives you wonderful natural, neutral and precise colors. So if your flower has intensive colors, Provia 100F will record exactly that.
If your flower has more subdued colors, then Provia will give you also exactly that.

Velvia 50 offers you a bit more saturetd colors (and a bit higher contrast). So the colors of the flower are intensified. If that is what is wanted for the shot(s), just go for it.

What I highly recommend in any case: Get the unsurpassed Schneider-Kreuznach 3x medium format loupe. Outstanding quality! Even drum-scans look worse in comparison.
As a light-box the new Kaiser slimlite Plano LED models are excellent:
http://kaiser-fototechnik.de/en/produkte/2_1_sortiment.asp?w=381
Second step to get the best quality (at the lowest costs) out of your nice Hasselblad slides:
A Rollei MF slide projector (e.g. the Rolleivision 66 dual P; Rolleivision 66 AV) with either the 2,8/120 AV-Apogon or the Schneider AV-Xenotar 2,8/150.
 
100 is "brighter" (more highlight contrast) and more magenta there
100F is less saturated and yellows/oranges turn almost muddy brown
 
Wow... A medium format slide projector. THAT would be really cool. :)

Just picked some Portra and Velvia slide film today, both 50 and 100.
 
hi Dave so is spring coming in Atlanta! In the past I used much Provia 100 F only 35mm, and found it very good, not too "strong" colors but quite real. Iguess in 120 should be the same. Let us know how you find your results, ciao
robert
 
robert blu said:
hi Dave so is spring coming in Atlanta! In the past I used much Provia 100 F only 35mm, and found it very good, not too "strong" colors but quite real. Iguess in 120 should be the same. Let us know how you find your results, ciao
robert
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Hi, Robert!

I found some 35mm Provia in my desk... But I need to look for some in 120 film. I love that, too.

I have been shooting Portra 400 the last couple of weeks and I like the results with the 503 much better than any 35mm images I have done. So, let's see, our tulips will be up soon. Can't wait to shoot them and I will certainly share.:)
 
Velvia of course, but I use 100 speed, because flowers blow in the wind, and I can use a higher shutter speed with Velvia 100.
 
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