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Re: [OM] Velvia - was: 350mm f2.8

Subject: Re: [OM] Velvia - was: 350mm f2.8
From: Tris Schuler <tristanjohn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 09 Mar 2002 02:24:19 -0800

> Frankly, I think Velvia is something of a mediocre emulsion. The best
> results from this film I've seen have been when the photographer
> (apparently) tunes the saturation _down_ in software. Then this film
begins
> to show me something. I can do without the all-too-typical canyon and
> lyrical-forest shots, though.


A ' mediocre emulsion'? - Really?

If you take the time to learn to use it properly instead of banging off
uninformed comments, you may possibly change your mind.

When people complain that it is oversaturated it is normally because they
make the mistake of underexposing it. Velvia does not need to be
underexposed to give a great colour rendition.

Answer me this - if you are not looking for intense colour saturation, why
do you use slide film and why do you underexpose it?

Look, Steve, I've had hard a night on the road. so I'll give you the short version.

I don't use Velvia. In fact it's been years since I shot any chromes at all. I use negative emulsions for the reason I prefer to work primarily in the street and there's no way that suits slide film--I need film that can take it, film that has wide latitude. I don't have time to worry about critical exposure when I'm jostling through crowds, in and out of shade and light, on the road at night and all that.

As for underexposing and whatnot: I suspect many (if not most) Velvia images were underexposed somewhat, an old story for chromes.

Velvia is probably the very best film for colour reproduction work in
magazines for all subjects, but particularly nature, landscape and fine
detail work.

I don't care what is and what is not used in magazines any more than I care what network television is doing these days (whatever that could be--I never watch it) any more than I care what Mrs. Smith in Omaha thinks or likes and wants to drive with four wheels tomorrow. The opinion I offered was mine and it has nothing (necessarily) to do with mass media or mass markets or the same-same Smiths of this world who make those other things go.

To describe this fine film as 'mediocre' probably says more about the user
than the film.

Maybe it does at that. My opinion often walks alone.

All films from Fuji, Kodak, Ilford and most of Agfa are truly excellent, but
it is a case of horses for courses, you must use the right product for the
job.

All films from Fuji, Kodak are Ilford are _not_ excellent. I doubt if most films from Agfa are, but then I steer clear of that manufacturer based on the results I've seen . . . which have not been mostly excellent.

Do yourself a favour, get a roll of Velvia, load it in your camera, set the
ISO to the box speed, get a tripod and go and take some pictures,
landscapes, flowers, street scenes etc. Get it processed _properly_ and then
bung them into your projector and make them big, I mean really BIG, then
come back and tell us what you think.

Not interested. I admit that I have my eye on Provia (I think I can see a limited use for it) and I would also like to shoot a few special scenes I have in mind in and around San Francisco on Kodachrome. but that's about it for me and slide film. For the rest, like I said I require a film that's hearty and can go all day. For me that bill is filled either with Tri-X or a handful of fast and slow color emulsions I could name. I play around with other stuff from time to time as I'm curious and like to experiment, but if you want to know for general purpose work Kodak Gold functions for me about as ably as anything else. (Actually, for all the heat Kodak takes for it's so-called consumer film that's a pretty good emulsion in its own right for just walking around.)

Tris


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