Kodak to offer Ektar 100 in 120.

[helenhill]

Stuart:
Your 'Acros' shots are Stunning
Love the overall Depth & Tones
Can't wait to Try...Thanx for Posting

 

[TRSmith]

I hear what you're saying about transparency film Stuart. It reinforces my memory of the film from long ago. It was the film of choice for any work that was going to print.

Color negative film was for snapshooting, weddings, etc. The last color negative film I used was VPS. But the advent of Ektar in roll film size (the original topic of this thread!) has me wondering. I will no doubt try some since I also remember the critical exposure requirements of slide films. Its narrow DR can get you (me) into trouble fast.

Ultimately the strengths and weaknesses of any film can be used to advantage if used in the right context with a clear goal in mind. It's wonderful to have options and there now seem to be many more films to work with than there used to be.

 

[Lars]

some people like color negative, but I generally don't. We'll see if Ektar 100 changes it. Some things I don't like -- it has much larger grain than equivalent slide film (well, until Ektar), the colors require individual and specific correction in most scanning programs -- the mask makes it more difficult to get accurate colors. It also has a significantly shorter archival life than E6 films. Finally, slide film has a "bite" that color negative film just does not have -- the richness of the colors, the microcontrast and the overall look just looks much more natural to me. And when you are scanning, you already have the final, perfect starting point to compare to on the lightbox. Should the colors be a certain way? Just look at the slide and you'll see. If you want to change something, you can always do it after you reproduced the slide as it is on the lightbox. Color neg has no such reference...you have to do it all from memory.

Yep I have to agree with Stuart here - there is no unambiguous color reference in a neg, it has to be interpreted. In a way like digital raw workflow actually, except there is no software to help you get consistent results. If you want perfect color accuracy you have to set up your workflow and stick to it, from shooting through development and scanning.

In the workflow, slide film gives an intermediate reference point in the film's interpretation of color, you can evaluate the results before scanning. OTOH you lose shadow and highlight detail with slide film.

Still, the latitude of negative has its advantages. I've consistently shot slide film in 8x10 large format over the years, and there are more than a handful situations where color neg film would have saved the day. High-contrast situations like Jim's coast image above is one of them. For specular highlights like sun reflections in chrome, color neg is untouchable.

 

[Stuart Richardson]

Yes, dynamic range is a good point, but I find that I always wind up clipping shadows and highlights anyway! I like contrast -- I think it makes real, as it were. It brings attention to the true subject matter and looks more natural to my eye. Obviously, there are situations where you really want all that shadow detail, but personally I would rather have a gorgeous set of midtones than extreme detail in the highlights and shadows.

P.S. Thank you Helen! I am glad you like them...Acros is a really wonderful film.

 

[Oxide Blu]

For me, films are/were a pallet that was considered before shooting. I put more thought at the front end with film, back end with digital. Digital seems more about capturing as much detail as possible, will figure out what to do with it later. Didn't have that "later" with film.

 

[Jan Brittenson]

For those interested, B&H has Ektar 100 in 120 in stock as of today. I just ordered 10 rolls to try it out in the Mamiya 7.

 

[Bill_Green]

For those interested, B&H has Ektar 100 in 120 in stock as of today. I just ordered 10 rolls to try it out in the Mamiya 7.

Jan, I'd love to see some pictures, hear your thoughts, and if you don't mind your impressions on the image quality of the Mamiya 7/Ektar combo compared with the DMR.

 

[viablex1]

here are two from ektar 100 and a mamiya 7 with the 50mm lens..

 

[Lars]

here are two from ektar 100 and a mamiya 7 with the 50mm lens..

Very interesting images.
In the first image, how much detail is available in the highlights?
Did you shoot it at ISO 100?

 

[viablex1]

sup lars, I don't know as of yet these are the quick and dirty scans from dale labs, I haven't tried to scan on my 9000 as of yet I have some more to send out but it was shot at 100 iso, I will have to scan one and then post it..if I get the time, I am busy buying fotoman cameras right now

matto

 

[Bill_Green]

here are two from ektar 100 and a mamiya 7 with the 50mm lens..

Wow, that looks great!

 

[Francois_A]

Nice images! :thumbup:
That 50mm on the Mamiya is impressive too!