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Re: [OM] Colour films

Subject: Re: [OM] Colour films
From: Frank Ernens <fgernens@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 02 May 2000 00:17:50 +1000
(Long post. There are some FILM REVIEWS [search for that] at the end of
this article.)

Glenn Garza wrote:

> I have been shooting Fuji Provia 100F, but am not satisfied with its
> rendition of the colors present in scenes. I have tried all the current Fuji
> films and cannot get over the lack of a normal or natural color palette.

Fuji used to be despised for this, now it's lauded. Our friend Grumpy
the choo-choo man would call me a fossil, but I like Kodachrome.

Terry & Tracey wrote

> Must be the non Kodak US processing. I shoot Kodachrome 64 pretty much
> exclusively and have had none of the problems you describe.

Ditto good results from the Sydney lab, but I dislike having
to use the mail. Australia Post are expensive but careful - still,
I've had one of those very flimsy boxes arrive smashed.

BTW, it is no longer so but at one point the Kodachrome
address was the same as that of Vision Graphics, a well-known
pro lab. And the mounts are Gepes, not Kodak.

SUBJECTIVE FILM REVIEWS:

Velvia - Very contrasty, with completely unrealistic
colours, especially the blues. No gradation. The shadows block
up very suddenly, and greens block up before anything else (you
can see this from the datasheet too), which accounts for the
way it "pumps up" greens to make landscape conform to some
people's preconceptions of them. As we all know, higher-key
or normally bright scenes should be overexposed 1/3 stop with
this film, which is consistent with that. But then the colours
become even more kindergartenish. OK for cloudscapes. Resolution
about that of Kodachrome 64. Does handle long exposures better than
other films.

Provia F - yes, it appears to be high resolution, but a look
under the microscope also reveals high acutance and rather
high grain, so some of this is perceived rather than real.
Also has wrong colours, but this time the highlights wash out
early, and it's the blues that go funny. The twist here is
that there are two blue pigments, and one washes out and the
other doesn't. As a result (i) pale olive greens and certain
blues even down to the midtone are wrong, and (ii) the mid
tones tend toward russet. Pure white is rendered purely, and
light greys are passable, so the impression of good highlight
detail is given. Handles long (1s) exposures very well. Because
the highlights are lost so soon, I suspect this film should be
underexposed 1/3 or 2/3 stop for high-key scenes (which, of
course, would no longer be high key). But I won't be wasting
A$21 on another roll to find out.

Elitechrome 100 - not a word against it. Resolution slightly
less than Kodachrome 64 and Velvia, but not by much. Handles
contrast better than Kodachrome 64 and much better than Velvia.
Slightly pinkish tinge in places, and the blues are a little too naval,
making it not ideal for some landscapes, but streets ahead of
Velvia, and excellent for some other subjects. Saturated but not
unnaturally so. The professional E100SW is said to be similar.
I could get addicted to this stuff.

Kodachrome 64 amateur - beautiful, natural colours, good gradation,
excels in "magic light". Highlights wash out and tend to pink
where more green should be present, a particular problem
in semi-arid landscapes. Doesn't handle long (> 1/2 s)
exposures well enough to even bother trying (just as Kodak
says - they told me to use the *amateur* Kodachrome 25 for that
in the days when there was still a professional version.) Not very
forgiving with high contrast scenes, but of course better than
Velvia. Worst point: can't get it in 120.

OM CONTENT: I wonder whether the Fuji people are assuming we
all use low-contrast zooms instead of nice contrasty Zuiko primes,
and auto centre-weighted meters instead of spot meters?


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