by Jack and Sue Drafahl EKTAR If you liked the first two Ektar films Ko- dak released earlier this year, then you're going to love the two newest additions to this exciting film family. Kodak just released Ektar 25 Professional, and the medium-speed Ektar 125. Both films are modeled after the first two films, qi Ektar 25 and Ektar 1000, but boast An Unqualified, \ several improvements. EKTAR 25 PROFESSIONAL FILM Categorically Loud, § The best way to describe the differ- Rave Review! \ Ektar 125 is an extremely practical film, with much wider exposure latitude than the slower 25-speed Ektars. ence between Ektar 25 and the new professional version is to use a correla- tion we sometimes give our photo stu- dents. If you went to the finest winery, and selected their top-of-the-line vin- tage, you would be selecting Ektar 25. Now, if you were to select those few bottles that were aged to absolute per- fection, then you would be selecting Ektar 25 Professional. Kodak's manufacturing plant sees to it that all Ektar 25 film must fall within the tight tolerances they set for each distinct layer of film. When the specifications on a certain emulsion are found to be a perfect match in all areas, it becomes Ektar 25 Profession- al, and is refrigerated at that point. This better-than-best film is recom- mended for the professional photogra- pher demanding large enlargements from a 35mm negative. The serious 80 PHOTOgraphic/September 1989 EKTAR its exposure latitude than Kodak's Ko- dacolor Gold films. Ektar 25 Profes- sional uses the same T-grain and cubic emulsions found in Ektar 25, making it some of the finest color negative film in the world. Because of the critical ag- ing required in the Ektar 25 Profes- sional, refrigeration is required until use, allowing consistent results from roll to roll. FIELD TESTING EKTAR 25 PROFESSIONAL PROFESSIONAL amateur may find this film a little It has already been proven that Ek- harder to use because of its slower ISO tar 25 is a viable film for use in profes- and because the film is less forgiving in sional situations where rich accurate Think of Ektar 25 Professional as a best-of-the-best emulsion, aged to perfection, and then refrigerated to suspend the perfection. color, sharpness, and fine grain are needed. The only problem could possi- bly occur when consistent results from roll to roll are required. This is where Ektar 25 Professional comes into play. Because each roll is refrigerated at the point when all specifications are per- fect, the professional can shoot from one roll to the next, without worry of color shift. Even the smallest differ- ence in emulsions may create a slight color shift, especially when photo- graphing subjects in the studio on a white background. But Kodak tries to anticipate the critical needs of the pro- fessional, which differ from those of even the most serious amateur. Ektar 25 Professional really excels in scenic and landscape photography, too. Extremely fine grain, high con- trast, excellent color balance, and con- sistency all contribute to your final dy- PHOTOgraphic/September 1989 81 • •• f •••i 1 KODAK EKTAR KODACOLOR •••1' GOLD FILMS HONORS namic negative. You can easily im- (Continued from page 79) press your friends when you show action was intense, or the lenses were Jean Shifrin, a staff photographer at them a beautiful 20X24 grainless col- slow. One example was a shooting ex- The Kansas City Star, has been chosen or print made from a 35mm Ektar 25 pedition on the Willamette River, pho- as the winner of the 1989 National negative. tographing herons. These are nervous Press Photographers Association/Ni- birds that can only be approached by kon $10,000 Documentary Sabbatical EKTAR 125 FILM water. The day was heavily overcast, Award. Ms. Shifrin will use the grant When we first reviewed the original the lens an f/8 500mm handheld. It to complete her winning project, "Par- Ektar 25 film we noted that in order to was an impossible shot for slower ents Again—Grandparents Who Raise gain the highest quality possible, expo- films, but the 1600 Gold gave us sharp Their Grandchildren," during a three- sure latitude and film speed had to be pictures at '/iooo and f/8. True, the month sabbatical... Amy Deputy at sacrificed to create such a film. It grain was more pronounced than the Western Kentucky University in seems that Kodak wasn't happy with ISO 400 film's, but when choosing be- Bowling Green, KY, was named first- this trade-off and made several unique tween getting or not getting the shot, changes to their Ektar technology. The we say go for the Gold 1600! results were an extremely high-quality film with increased speed and a wider CONCLUSIONS exposure latitude. Doesn't seem possi- Every time Kodak improves their ble, does it? emulsions, even a little, we're the win- This amazing feat was accomplished ners. We just keep taking those blue- by first rearranging the eleven layers in ribbon photos and Kodak keeps mak- the film. The first difference is in the ing it easier. Looking back at the emul- blue layers. Ektar 125 has two (one sions of ten years ago, we begin to fast, one slow) blue layers slightly really appreciate how far we've come. thicker than the single blue, slow layer But look out world, because who found in Ektar 25. Second, there is an knows where we're going to go! ffl extra inter-layer between the two green layers which restricts color couplers from migrating into each oth- COMING NEXT MONTH er, thus increasing the film's sharp- ness. For the first time, a new type of NEW FILMS magenta color coupler has been used POLAROID ONEFILM which has the ability to enhance the place portfolio winner in the 44th-An- speed of the T-grain emulsion. The SCOTCH CHROME 400 nual College Photographer of the Year two red layers contain the same DIAR USER REPORTS competition—sponsored by Kappa Al- couplers found in Ektar 25, which in- pha Mu, the National Press Photogra- hibit dye formation wherever appro- CANON EOS-1 phers Association, and the University priate, increasing color saturation in RICOH MIRAI 105 of Missouri School of Journaliam. the final image. Put it all together and & RICOH SHOTMASTERS Eastman Kodak and Canon U.S.A. you've got one heck of a great film. were sponsors. AETNA OPTIX STUDIO KIT FIELD TESTING EKTAR 125 BESELER 45V-XL Sorry Kodak, but we think you HISTORIC went a little too far. Why would you HOW TO make a film so much better than your COLORVISION PRESERVATION other 100-speed films that you become How to make your colors sizzle. your own best competitor? As much as The National Trust for Historic we enjoyed shooting Kodacolor Gold Preservation is a private, nonprofit 100 and Ektapress 100, Ektar 125 is so membership organization with more superior in our opinion, that we again CONCLUSIONS than 220,000 individual and 3000 or- find ourselves in the same spot we These two films fill in the gaps in ganizational members. It was char- were in years ago when we refused to the Ektar family, and now give the tered by Congress in 1949 to encour- use anything but Kodachrome. more serious photographer a choice of age the public to participate in the We tried to discover any flaws in film speed, quality, and consistency. preservation of America's history and this new film by trying every possible We only hope that Kodak has antici- culture, as well as to purchase historic shooting situation. We photographed pated just how great the demand will properties. Photographers are always sports, nature, scenics, indoors, por- be for these two new Ektars and made nosing around picturesque old build- traits, studio setups—just about every plenty. We have one question though: ings. If you'd like to get more involved subject listed under the topic: photog- What would happen if Kodak came in identifying and preserving such raphy. We did find one flaw—we ran out with these Ektar films in 120 size? structures, contact National Trust for out of film! If we had to sum up the re- That would be even more impressive, Historic Preservation, Dept. PA, 1785 sults of field testing Ektar 125 in one but where would we find 6 X 8-foot Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Washing- word, we would have to say "Perfect." color paper? ffl ton, D.C. 20036. ffl 82 PHOTOgraphic/September 1989.