120-SIZE KODAK EKTAR 25 the World's Sharpest Color Film Gets Bigger by Jack and Sue Drafahl
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120-SIZE KODAK EKTAR 25 The World's Sharpest Color Film Gets Bigger by Jack and Sue Drafahl What would hap- instance, 6X4.5, 6X6, 6X7, and tremely fine detail can make viewers pen if you took the 6 X 9cm are just a few of the formats feel as though they were actually world's sharpest commonly found in medium format. there. 35mm color-nega- In addition, you could use this film SCENICS: Scenic photographs taken tive film and made it available in 120 in a roll-film back on a 4 X 5 camera. with Ektar 25 produce images with a format? First, you'd make a lot of This would be extremely handy for wealth of fine detail, making such medium-format photographers ex- the photographer who needs the images ideal candidates for photo tremely happy; but you'd also set a quality of Ektar 25, but demands the murals. We found that scenics taken new quality standard for professional swings and tilts found on the 4X5 with this film tend to have darker photographers. When 35mm Ektar camera. blue skies without the aid of a polar- 25 was introduced, the world was Equally impressive are the Ektar izer. Color saturation in both the ar- awestruck by its extreme sharpness, 25 negatives shot on the 120 pano- chitectural studies and the scenics which allowed magnifications previ- ramic cameras, which create nega- was rich and vivid. ously unheard of from such a tiny tives even larger than the 6X9cm AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY: Since good negative. Kodak has now taken this size. Be warned, though: the resolu- aerial photographs must exhibit fine sharpness to a higher level with 120 tion of this film is so great that it detail in the enlargements, it's crucial Ektar 25. Many situations requiring tends to accentuate deficiencies in that the film used is able to provide bulky 4X5 cameras can now be shot your camera lenses that you never extreme sharpness, fine grain, and using 120 Ektar 25 in the wide varie- saw before! high contrast. By using a good-quali- ty of versatile and handy medium- ty medium-format camera and 120 format cameras. STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY Ektar, you can make aerials that zing Today's studio photographer usu- with contrast, and have sharpness FILM CONSTRUCTION ally deals with softboxes, umbrellas, that matches many of the best aerial Manufacturing of 120 Ektar is and other types of soft lighting. camera setups. The only drawback to similar to that of the 35mm version, When you shoot a subject against a using this film for aerial work is the but with some minor changes. The white background under this type of slow ISO 25 film speed, but we feel basic structure of the film, which lighting, you may find that the whites that with the newer high-speed comprises nine layers, takes advan- are not white enough in your final lenses, shutter speeds up to Viooo can tage of special DIR and DIAR print, as a result of having to main- be attained. couplers that keep the colors from tain a dark enough subject density. IN THE DARKROOM: Printing 120 drifting from one layer to another. With Ektar 25, however, the contrast Ektar may take some time getting These time-released inhibitors allow range is higher, thus making the new used to. First, you will find that using full development of a solid color in film an ideal candidate for shooting a grain focuser with one of these neg- one layer, while keeping it from such subjects. With this extra con- atives is like counting grains of sand bleeding into the other layers. This trast level, you can keep the back- from six feet away. Secondly, you creates what Kodak calls "Sharper ground very white and still print the will find the resolution of these nega- Color." subject as desired. tives so high that misalignment of The film's magenta layer (green The same philosophy applies to your enlarger, or poor lens quality, sensitive) uses the highly efficient T- studio setups with black back- will be obvious on your first print. grains; the yellow layer (blue sensi- grounds, in which you want to elimi- Furthermore, the film is very thin; it tive) uses a combination of tabular nate the background in order to pro- takes a bit of practice to load onto and cubic grains; and the cyan layer vide the illusion of something being metal reels. (red sensitive) uses 100% cubic suspended in space. We also found Generally, when you make very grains. These very thin layers are that many types of copy subjects, large prints from a color negative, the supported on a base that is 3.6 mils such as maps and colored line copy, contrast level drops with the scatter- thick. The emulsion and base sides reproduced better on Ektar 25 than ing of light, and therefore reduces the both have a matte surface, which al- on other color-negative films because overall sharpness of the print. With lows retouching on either side. of its higher contrast. Ektar 25 120 negatives, you are able to maintain the high overall contrast MEDIUM-FORMAT APPLICATIONS and sharpness levels. These negatives APPLICATIONS ARCHITECTURAL AND SCENIC are ideal for the photographer who Unlike the 35mm version of Ektar PHOTOGRAPHY: Ektar's higher con- wants to create backlit displays using 25, the 120 version actually has a va- trast and extremely high resolution Duratrans display material. riety of negative sizes possible, de- make it a dynamite film for architec- Printing 120 Ektar is easy. We use pending on the camera you use. For tural photography. Intricacy and ex- our "Gold Standard" printing pack 50 PHorographic/September 1990 We found Ektar 25 to have some unu- sual but highly useful studio applica- tions. For example, in the color photo at left, the black paper background and support props are invisible in a normally made color print. In the un- derprinted version at right, you can see those supports. Ektar 25, be- cause of its increased contrast, pro- duces a black that looks like the background has been "dropped out," making objects appear to float in space. Also, even though the NEC peripherals were photographed with soft lighting, they have a clean "white-enough" image tone in the normally printed final print. ALL PHOTOS BY AUTHORS as a reference point when using our Durst miniprinter. Ektar tends to be -5Y and +5M from our normal set- ting. Almost any custom lab, and even some one-hour labs, can now print the new Ektar 25 120 film. SPECS Reciprocity failure with this film is almost nonexistent with a no-correc- tion limit of 10 seconds to !/io,ooo. The film can be used under tungsten lights with an 80A filter, and under photoflood lamps with an SOB filter. 52 PHOTOgraphic/Seplember 1990 I ** Presenting the new film that's making a lot of professional photographers very happy. We found that a 30M filter works quite well under fluorescent lights for LEARN CAMERA full color correction, but a slight cor- REPAIR rection in the printing process netted If you like photography and are mechanically inclined, a career as a camera excellent results when a correcting repair technician could be an outstanding filter was unavailable. opportunity for you. We also found that if you wanted YOU can take the first step towards a fulfilling career in the field of camera repair. even higher contrast for color line Success and job satisfaction can be yours in copy, or some creative applications, this exciting career. Don't be just a you could push this film to ISO 50 dreamer, be someone who makes their dreams come true. Send TODAY for your with little image deterioration. FREE copy of the school catalog. It has Ektar 25 in the 120 format should detailed information on the course, the be available at your local camera school and career opportunities today. store as you read this. It is available National Camera Institute, Inc. 1748W. 18th. St., Suite D-3 only in single rolls, with a list price Eugene, OR 97402 - (503)683-5361 of $ 5.59 a roll. Give this extraordi- It's the glow of the future. nary new 120 film a try and we bet A computer screen so sophisticated, it will introduce the world to that your 4X5 camera will begin Training in digital photography gathering dust. The computerized darkroom. Eastman Kodak Co., 343 State St., It's here now. at the Rochester, NY 14650; telephone TECHnDLDGY Colorado Institute of Art (716) 724-4000. ffl Ohio Institute Of Photography (OIP) trains Our students are the innovators students for a photographic career through who will take this new medium specialized education. This training focuses to new levels of commercial on combining technical and creative skills. success. RHODE ISLAND Associate Degrees and Diplomas are avail- able in the following majors: Get in on the ground floor. SCHOOL OF PHOTOGRAPHY • Commercial • Visual Communications Find out more on one of the • Portraiture • General Applied most progressive photography Established 1944 • Corporate • Photo Lab Technician • Biomedical (Diploma only) educations in the nation. DEDICATED TO PROFESSIONAL For more information, call or write: Call our toll free number now: PHOTOGRAPHIC EDUCATION Ohio Institute of Photography (800) 525-6556 Dept. 10 • 2029 Edgefield Road a committed creative faculty, professional Dayton, OH 45439 • (513) 294-6155 COLORADO INSTITUTE OF ART equipment, dormitories, financial aid (for those who OH Reg « 72-11-0344T Accredited Member of NATTS 200 E. 9th Avenue • Denver, CO 80203 qualify), placement assistance, approved for veterans and foreign students, transfer students welcome.