Color Slide Film
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
COLOR FILMS COMPARED 8899 Your Guide to the Right Color Film By Julia Silber & Peter Kolonia n color film, image quality rules, with convenience a close super-low saturated color—a.k.a. black-and-white!). And contender. The best films are getting faster, with more don’t worry about that film going bad. When you’re not out Ibrilliant color, finer grain, and even, in some cases, lower shooting, keep it in the fridge to preserve its freshness, prices. These recent improvements are paying off in better, remembering to remove it about an hour before use. sharper pictures in tough lighting conditions, increased flash The secret to selecting film? Let the subject and shooting ranges, better background detail in flash shots, and greater conditions dictate your load. Put bright, colorful subjects on depth of field in good light. A win/win/win situation. ISO films that reproduce color with high saturation, for example. 400- and 800-speed films are battling to become The Doing otherwise will only frustrate you. Which films are the Standard. Both produce exceptional image quality that vies most highly saturated? Bingo! Let’s go to the charts! with ISO 100 and 200 results at normal print sizes. First, let’s scope out what’s new this year. Ironically, the And guess what? ISO 400 and 800 films had better watch 2001 edition is, perhaps, most interesting for its notable no- their backs, because ISO 1600 is catching up, just a tweak shows. One of the oldest color consumer films in continuous away from superior, knock-your-socks-off image quality. production is gone: Kodak Kodachrome 25 (see Okay, so you have a broad selection of excellent films at “Snapshots” for more on this). Another Kodak MIA is your disposal. But are you feeling overwhelmed by the task Vericolor III, the time-tested ISO 160 color negative that of choosing among them? Relax. For starters, you don’t recorded (probably) your parents’ and (maybe) your grand- have to choose just one. Carry several. Stock your camera parents’ wedding is also out. Both are casualties of the finer bag with a selection of high- and low-speed, normal and grain, faster speed, and richer color delivered by today’s high-resolution, normal and high-saturation films (even continued on page 144 COLOR SLIDE Color latitude Manufacturer FILM ISO ratingAbbreviationResolution Sharpness SaturationGranularityContrast Exposure Formats Price* Comments Agfachrome RSX II Sharp, fine grained, neutral balance for Agfa 50 RSX 50 Very high Very high Incr. Extr. fine Med. Mod. A,B $12.36 50 Prof. bright landscapes, closeups. Fujichrome Warm balance (esp. skin tones); bold colors, Fujifilm 50 RVP Very high Extr. high Enh. Extr. fine Med. high Narrow A,B,C,D $12.41 Velvia Prof. and fine grain; Tested 7/94 and 6/99. Fujichrome Pro 64T Tungsten-balanced, fine-grain film for studio Fujifilm 64 RTPII High High Incr. Very fine Med. Mod. A,B,D $13.84 Type II Prof. portraits, still lifes. Decent exposure latitude, bold colors, and Kodak Ektachrome 64 Prof. 64 EPR High High Incr. Very fine Med. Mod. A,B,C,D $14.98 fine grain make this a pro favorite. Tungsten-balanced film preferred for studio Kodak Ektachrome 64T Prof. 64 EPY High High Incr. Very fine Med. Narrow A,B,D $13.30 portraits and still lifes. Accurate colors, fine grain. Near-archival Kodak Kodachrome 64 Prof. 64 PKR High Extr. high Incr. Extr. fine Med. high Narrow A $10.20 image lifespan. Amateur version available. Tested 6/94. Agfachrome Very sharp, bold colors. Good for portraits, Agfa 100 CT 100 High Extr. high Incr. Extr. fine Med. high Mod. A $10.71 CTprecisa 100 architecture, scenics. Agfachrome RSX II Very sharp. Accurate, bold colors. Good for Agfa 100 RSX II 100 High Extr. high Incr. Extr. fine Med. high Mod. A,B,D $14.24 100 Prof. fashion, portraits, closeups. Tested 6/99. All-purpose slide film for flash portraits, Ferrania Solaris Chrome 100 100 Chrome 100 High High Incr. Very fine Med. Mod. A $6.80 brightly lit landscapes, beach scenes. Fujichrome Astia Smooth, natural skin tones, accurate color, Fujifilm 100 RAP Very high Very high Incr. Very fine Med. Mod. A,B,C,D $12.06 100 Prof. for use in fashion, product photography. *Prices based on 36-exposure roll unless noted. 1 Price based on 24-exposure roll. 2 Sold as a multi-pack. A: 35mm cassettes. B: 120 rolls. C: 220 rolls. D: Sheet film sizes. Color saturation: Incr=Increased; Enh=Enhanced; Mod=Moderate. 104 POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY/JULY 2001 COLOR SLIDE Color latitude Manufacturer FILM ISO rating AbbreviationResolution Sharpness SaturationGranularityContrast Exposure FormatsPrice* Comments Fujichrome Provia Very A,B, Bold colors, extremely fine grain. Use for fashion, Fujifilm 100 RDPIII Very high Incr. Extr. fine Med. Mod. $12.06 100F Prof. high C,D landscapes, portraits. Extremely fine grain. Good for portraits, nature, Fujichrome Very Fujifilm 100 RA Very high Incr. Extr. fine High Mod. A $10.10 underwater, closeups. Renamed from Sensia II. Sensia 100 high Tested 6/97. Ektachrome A,B, Neutral balance, very accurate color reproduction, Kodak 100 EPN High High Mod. Very fine Med. Mod. $14.01 100 Prof. C,D suitable for exacting catalog work. Ektachrome 100 A,B, Accurate colors, neutral balance. For portraits, Kodak 100 EPP High High Mod. Very fine Med. Mod. $14.01 Plus Prof. C,D scenics, still lifes. Tested 11/96. Ektachrome Very A,B, Warm-balance for overcast portrait, fashion, and Kodak 100 E100SW Very high Enh. Extr. fine Med high Mod. $12.06 E100SW Prof. high C,D architectural photography. Ektachrome Very A,B, Enhanced color film for fashion, portraiture; use Kodak 100 E100S Very high Incr. Extr. fine Med. high Mod. $12.06 E100S Prof. high C,D when very bright colors are not desirable. Ektachrome Very A,B, Vivid, saturated colors, extreme sharpness. Kodak 100 E100VS Very high Enh. Very fine High Mod. $12.06 E100VS Prof. high C,D Permits one-stop push. Very Enhanced color film, great flesh tones, pleasing Kodak Elite Chrome 100 100 EB Very high Incr. Extr. fine High Narrow A $10.10 high contrast, bold colors. For portraits, landscapes. Tested 4/97. Elite Chrome Very Extremely high color saturation for its speed class. Kodak 100 EBX Extr. high Enh. Very fine High Mod. A $10.60 Extra Color 100 high Well suited for nature, scenics. Recommended for daylight landscapes, Konica Chrome R-100 100 n/a High Med. Mod. Very fine Mod. Narrow A $5.99 architecture, and product photography. Ektachrome Tungsten-balanced film for studio portraits, Kodak 160 EPT High Med. Mod. Very fine Med. Mod. A,B $15.34 160T Prof. product shots, and stage lighting. Amateur version of tungsten-balanced film for Kodak Elite Chrome 160T 160 ET High Med. Mod. Very fine Med. Mod. A $12.05 indoor (3200 K) lighting. Agfachrome Medium-speed, very fine-grained film for action, Agfa 200 CT 200 High Med. Incr. Very fine Med. Mod. A $11.97 CTprecisa 200 children's portraits. Tested 7/98. Agfachrome RSX Good speed-to-grain ratio, can be push or pull- Agfa 200 RSX II 200 High Med. Incr. Very fine Med. Wide A,B $14.88 II 200 Prof. processed with decent results. Newest version has finer grain, more vivid color Fujichrome Fujifilm 200 RM High High Mod. Very fine Med. Wide A $12.05 than previous Sensia II 200. For portraits, nature, Sensia 200 and scenic photography. Ektachrome Film for overcast landscapes, action. Rec. for Kodak 200 EPD High Med. Mod. Very fine Med. Mod. B $8.35 200 Prof. special effect cross-processing in C-41. Ektachrome A,B, Versatile film. Very good colors and contrast even Kodak 200 E200 High High Mod. Very fine Med. Wide $13.35 E200 Prof. C when pushed to E.I. 800. Tested 1/98. Medium-speed version of Elite II 400 with higher Kodak Elite Chrome 200 200 ED High High Mod. Very fine Med. Mod. A $12.05 color saturation. Tested 7/98. Kodachrome Very Fast, sharp film with fine grain and near-archival Kodak 200 PKL Very high Incr. Very fine High Narrow A $15.34 200 Prof. high lifespan. Amateur version available. Ektachrome High speed, tungsten balanced. Good for stage, Kodak 320 EPJ High High Mod. Fine Med. Mod. A $16.75 320T Prof. existing-light portraits. Tested 4/93. Bold colors, neutral balance. For stage, low-light Fujichrome Provia Fujifilm 400 RHPIII High High Incr. Very fine Med. Wide A,B $16.70 portraits, and sports. Finer grain than 400 F Prof. previous Provia 400. Newest version has finer grain and more vivid Fujichrome Fujifilm 400 RH High High Mod. Very fine Med. Wide A $14.00 color than Sensia II 400. Suitable for sports, stage, Sensia 400 and push processing. Ektachrome Kodak 400 EPL High High Mod. Fine Med. Mod. A,B $16.75 Slightly warm balance, fine grain. 400X Prof. Amateur version of Ektachrome . 400X with more Kodak Elite Chrome 400 400 EL High High Mod. Fine Med. Mod. A 1 $10.30 neutral color balance, fine grain. Tested 4/97. Fujichrome Provia Designed for push processing. Use for sports, Fujifilm 1600 RSP Med. Med. Mod. Med. Med. high Wide A $18.00 1600 Prof. stage, low-light scenics. Tested 11/94. Ektachrome High-speed film. Push processing required to Kodak 1600 EPH Med. Med. Mod. Med. Med. Wide A $18.19 P1600 Prof. obtain E.I. 1600 speed. Tested 4/93. POPULAR PHOTOGRAPHY/JULY 2001 105 COLOR FILMS 8899COMPARED COLOR PRINT Color latitude Manufacturer FILM ISO rating AbbreviationResolutionSharpness SaturationGranularityContrast Exposure FormatsPrice* Comments Very Extr.