Steve, I have inspired by your video and shot a roll of 35mm Provia 100f using an entry level film SLR that I bought in the year 2000. The results were excellent and am delighted to have this tried, so thank you!
Thank you for this comparison. It contains very useful information. What I can take away from it is, that Velvia 50 has to be shot +1. And it obviously doesn't like anything beyond 3 Stops dynamic range. But when it hits the spot, wow ! To my taste it's the better film, although tricky. Love those punchy colours. Great video as always 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Another great and very useful video. Thanks, Steve. I've been struggling with using MF and LF formats of Velvia 50 and 100 for a few months. My current formula is to average meter the mid- and foreground (ignore the sky and hope the 2 stop GND takes care of that), and then open by 2/3 - 1 stop. I then bracket for test purposes. This seems to be the correct exposure for both 50 and 100 Velvia, both of which seem to require much more light than the box ratings. Thanks for confirming this. Also the info about the larger exposure latitude and correct box speed of Provia is pure gold (gleaned from shots saved by this data). Great information!
I use the same process as you Dave regarding the graduated filter for the sky. The velvias definitely need more exposure than the ISO speed whereas Provia not only has a true 100 ISO but is also more forgiving.
Nice comparison, confirming what one would expect between the two. Velvia 50 I regard as a more specialised film, definitely at its best in subdued, even lighting where it can really sing. Provia 100F has about 2 stops more dynamic range in my estimation, so more broadly usable. Its resistance to reciprocity failure also has no equal amongst colour films (up to 128 seconds with no colour shift or adjustment to exposure required), so is generally better for long exposures.
I agree that overall Provia is more useful but I have to admit that the Velvia range does separate the green tones somewhat better for those shots with a preponderance of leaves and new ferns. Worth having both just in case but Provia is my go to slide film.
As a hobby photographer who shoots all sorts of subjects, I also like Provia for its versatility (e.g. ability to handle skin tones). But sometimes it is nice to switch to Velvia to get a different palette of colors. Velvia looks warmer to my eyes, so I sometimes use that to advantage.
Another excellent comparison of V50 and P100 to understand when and why to use which. Sorry I never had a chance to good shoot film with you as I leave the UK next week back to China. However, I'll follow your adventures on UT. Good shooting. PS We are still looking forward to your development steps... for color negative/positive film. In time, I know.
sorry to be offtopic but does anybody know a trick to log back into an Instagram account?? I was dumb lost the password. I would appreciate any tricks you can offer me
@Stephen Kelvin i really appreciate your reply. I found the site through google and im trying it out atm. Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
Isn't it nice just to be out taking photos? I've been shooting a roll of the new Ektachrome, and yesterday I was sitting in a stand of trees used by local kids as a fort waiting for the sun to come out. I was there two hours, and the sun did come out but it was too low in the sky so all that waiting was in vain. But I got to sit in a quiet place and just pay attention to things for awhile, and my camera took me out there. This has nothing to do with the main thrust of the video, but seeing you walk around a forest, camera in tow, brought it to mind. The process of taking photos is just as important as the actual result, I think. Provia is a good film, really nice colours. I'm curious to see how the new Ektachrome compares to it. Supposedly it is very "true-to-life", which seems to be the case based on images I've seen. Of course, those were shot by professionals so who knows what my amateurish clicking about will produce.
Totally agree that enjoying the moment is very important, sadly this isn;t possible when you have only 2hrs to make a volg and shoot two rolls of film. In fact the process of filming an outing with the camera always compromises the enjoyment of being out and about to some degree but the benefit is being able to watch the experience months or years later and enjoy it all over again.
Kind of a give and take isn't it, this vlogging business. On the one hand, you can build an audience and community around your work, on the other hand you have to haul around all this extra stuff (including the expectations of your audience) while you are trying to create something.
Being a hybrid shooter, I would always go with the Provia and bring out the colors in post. The greater exposure latitude (caused by its higher dynamic range) sounds and looks like a big bonus. I didn't shoot slide film for a long while now, because development is expensive, takes a long time (not doing it myself), and exposure is much more critical than with color negative. But I should try it again and see how it works. Once again: Thanks for sharing your insight!
Charts and sciencey data don't mean anything, those images mean a lot! You can see the difference between them, and wow, that was a bit of an eye opener for me. I'm not a film person at all, I've not had a film camera since the 80s when I was in elementary school and had no idea what anything photography wise meant. Now that I've been taking it a bit more serious for a couple years, I can fully appreciate the differences in the films you are showing. And thank you so much for sharing this knowledge and experience with us all. So very appreciated! Cheers!
Very instructive. As I don't have a camera with an exchangeable film magazine (and am too mean to shoot several films just for comparison) I found the side by side comparison very interesting. Confirmed my impression that Provia seems to be a good all-rounder for landscape, while I'd prefer Velvia when it comes to bright reds and yellows. Seems to be a matter of taste largely...
Thanks Steve. Wish I'd seen this a couple of weeks ago when I blew a roll of Velvia with everything under exposed to the point of unusability. Will try it at +1 next time! Hope to see you around Delamere sometime. I'll be lugging an RB67 around :)
I recently shot some outdoor portraits and a few landscapes on two rolls of Kodak Ektachrome 120 rolls, expired in 2004. I was surprised to see that they were absolutely spot on, no defects, but I was blown away by how much better colour rendition Kodak had compared with what Fuji sells these days. Provia comes close, but Kodak looked so damn good, especially on skin tones. Unfortunately I only have three rolls of expired film and after that, just sadness. Ektachrome is back for 35mm and depending how well it does on the market, Kodak Alaris might bring it back for 120, but it's going to be a long wait though.
I am also hoping for a 120 and 4x5 version of the new Kodak film and agree that the limited choice we have with Fuji is frustrating at times. I used to like the Fuji E6 stock just prior to the release of Velvia as it looked so lifelike and neutral.
Unless the price comes down, I won't be buying the new Ektachrome. It's going for $13/36exp. on B&H right now. I'd love to shoot it but certainly not at that price point. And I thought Fujifilm was expensive..
I remember when Velvia 50 came to market, it definitely wowed photographers worldwide. It wowed me! Yet, on one hand, I miss shooting slide film and on the other I am so glad I never have to again! It was fun and sometimes down right thrilling looking at them on the good old light box after processing. Getting that shot where it all came together perfectly, the sense of fulfillment was incredible. Getting exposure wrong was a total loss of time and money. As we all know, slide film is absolutely unapologetic when it comes to exposure and dynamic range. Comparing it to the digital realm? Well its definitely worlds apart. One of transparency films greatest attributes is with teaching photographers to read light correctly. It made me a better photographer for certain. Its short comings though? Well it reinstates and solidifies my love for digital cameras.
Hey Steve, I think the most important difference isn't the dynamic range, but the colors. I specifically shoot velvia 50 for the vivid colors and horrible dynamic range, it gives a very dramatic end result
Excellent comparisons - and quite useful. I agree, the Provia gets the node - especially with the over and under exposures, More natural renditions I think. Cheers!
Read somewhere about a thumb rule that normal speed film looses about one stop of sensetivity for every 10y over the expuration date. While lower ISO film looses less, but don't know if thats true or that freezing the film maybe helps there. Nice video in any case and keep snapping!!
I've also seen those figures quoted but freezing films reduces this dramatically and in the case of slow E6 films it seems to keep them as good as new. Faster films always seem to lose speed regardless of storage and I notice my slightly out of date Rollei Infrared 400 is definitely slower than fresh rolls.
Thanks for these videos Steve! I've had a heck of a time with Velvia 50 in 4x5 (I've had pretty ok results in 35mm) and was thinking I should try Provia. Seems like when Velvia 50 works well it WORKS WELL but seems to be a bit of a one trick pony and ultimately I might have more fun with Provia. I plan on trying Ektachrome next though. I'm sad it's only available in 35mm for now but here's hoping that changes! *crosses fingers*
I feel the same about Velvia and keep a supply for those times when the magic is required. Mostly it is Ektar, Portra and Provia for the reliability and scanning capabilities. Sadly there is no single do it all film.
A great video Steve, I think I need to venture more into my positive films, as a rule though I like my colours slightly under saturated. I admit the though you want some punch when it comes to Autumn colours. I struggle massively with reciprocity even though I've got the app, sometimes I get very silly times. I then have trouble trusting the times my app gives me. As always a brilliant video, I think I might have missed one of yours which I'm a bit annoyed about as yours is one of the channels I click on straight away.
Thanks Mark. I also favour negative materials but sometimes they are just too flat for our weather and it's nice to know which slide film to carry. Provia is a must have for me with Velvia 50 for those shots with a very small dynamic range.
On the topic of the speed of Velvia, some people say that the modern production Velvia is closer to 50 than the old one is. Having never shot old Velvia I can say that current Velvia 50 still feels a bit dark. I'm going to try rating it at 40 as well.
Thanks Jan, I did feel a bit guilty that I wasn't using the latest stock and maybe one day I'll do a review of all the currently available E6 films side by side.
For some reason, I remember reading back in the photography magazines of the '90's, people mostly said that they rated Velvia 50 at 32. Understand why now.
Finished first roll of velvia50 in 35mm, and most of my shots are underexposed by about 0.66 or 1.33 depending on picture. Funnily enough, some quick shots I made in a hurry where I just shot in aperture priority the exposure was better than me measuring the scene (with the average built in meter of the camera) and calculating it myself against the snow (+1) or sky(+0.5).
That was a really interesting comparison, Steve. I think I need to get hold of some Provia for the coming months. I shot a roll of Portra 400 in the woods for my latest one and whereas that film is beautiful in good, contrasty light, it wasn't ideal for the softer, darker conditions of the woodland. The greens take on a lot of yellow and I'm sure some transparency or even Ektar would have held up better here. It's good to experiment though. What E6 kit do you use? I'm happy processing b&w and colour neg but haven't done E6 before but would like to give it a go. Thank you very much for recommending my Skye video at the end - very much appreciated. ATB.
Hi Craig. I’ve had some success with Porta 400 in dull lighting but it is hit and miss. When I do my own E6 it is with the 2.5l Tetenal kits, 3 bath followed by the stabiliser. It can feel very slow after doing C41 or B&W but I love the magic of seeing slides come off the reel.
Cheers Steve, I know it's a bit more involved than C41 but I'm keen to give it a go. You're right about the 'magic' - I still get a buzz just seeing my negs coming off a reel.
enjoyed it Steve, I liked the Provia too. Concerning the exposure readings, did you average the readings or use a zone system approach by placing the shadows at zone 3 or 4 then checking that your highlights didn't blow out given you had 4 or 5 stops of latitude?
Hi Steve. For the low contrast shots I did indeed average out the spot meter readings and put the exposure in the middle. For the first scene with the sky I put this at Zone VII to ensure I kept some detail in it which unfortunately left the foreground in too deep a shadow for any slide film to cope with.
Thanks for the comparison. Velvia certainly seems to like being shot a little under box speed, it seems. I'm going to try some bracketing with the newer version and see how it fares.
Thanks Steve. I’ve learned that Provia 100 would be a good starting point when I venture into using transparency film. In other vlog posts you often use Ektar, are you planning to do comparisons of colour negative films (I remember you mentioned Portra & 400H previously), and black & white films? There are others doing comparisons, but none have been as detailed an informative as yours IMHO.
The old Velvia is known for overexposing it 1/3 stop (ISO 40). The Velvia 50 (current version) can be exposed with box speed. I prefer the Velvia 50 over the Provia mostly. I also recommend using GND filters. It should be necessarily glass filter, otherwise a magenta cast(especially with strong filters like GND8 and more) is visible. I use the Rollei Mark II and Rollei Rock Solid Filters. I am very happy with them. I'm not a color scientist, but they looks very neutral. Here some samples of my Velvia 50 shots with my Mamiya. www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=49370605%40N04&sort=date-taken-desc&view_all=1&text=velvia%2050%20mamiya%20
I hope to try kodaks new E100 in 35mm soon it will be interesting to see how it Compares to Fuji. Look forward to your negative trials, Portra or Ektar ?
Definitely worth comparing the Kodak film to Provia, shame it is only available in 135. For the negative films it will be Portra 400 and Fuji 400h initially with Ektar following later as it is all alone in its class.
Thought you might find this of interest, wish you had also shot this test with at least an app-c or larger sensor dslr or ILC mirrorless at ISO 100 and 1600 (now considered a "medium" speed in this digital era) just to see how much if any dynamic range and noise for grain you trade (especially for 1600 ISO digital) but really appreciate this comparison even if it's "only" film vs film. Thanks for the video!!👍👍👍: From Shutterbug in 2000, I believe: www.shutterbug.com/content/new-fujichrome-provia-100f-rdp-iii "Provia 100F is recommended for "pushing" to a full 2 stops (for an effective film speed of 400) with minimal variation in color balance or degradation. For the conventional Provia 100, only a one-stop push processing was recommended. As a bonus, the new film is said to be highly resistant to film speed loss or "reciprocity failure" or shifts in color balance during extremely long (or short) exposure times. Read more at www.shutterbug.com/content/new-fujichrome-provia-100f-rdp-iii#lydIU8AdAMJ5wj5F.99"
Interesting reading Lewis and I'd agree with the findings. I can see Provia being capable of a couple of stops extra with additional development and will give this ago in the next few months. I occasionally compare shots using something like my Nikon D610 or Micro 4/3 cameras but I already know they have far superior dynamic range to slide materials so it wouldn't tell me much. The only area I'd like to explore is something like full frame digital v Portra 400 in a very high contrast scene.
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Steve, I have inspired by your video and shot a roll of 35mm Provia 100f using an entry level film SLR that I bought in the year 2000. The results were excellent and am delighted to have this tried, so thank you!
Glad you got such good results Ezhilalan.
Thank you for this comparison. It contains very useful information. What I can take away from it is, that Velvia 50 has to be shot +1. And it obviously doesn't like anything beyond 3 Stops dynamic range. But when it hits the spot, wow ! To my taste it's the better film, although tricky. Love those punchy colours. Great video as always 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Again Greatest job!!! Steve you are a wonderful asset to film photography
Thanks Rick.
Both great films. Thanks for the comparison!
Another great and very useful video. Thanks, Steve. I've been struggling with using MF and LF formats of Velvia 50 and 100 for a few months. My current formula is to average meter the mid- and foreground (ignore the sky and hope the 2 stop GND takes care of that), and then open by 2/3 - 1 stop. I then bracket for test purposes. This seems to be the correct exposure for both 50 and 100 Velvia, both of which seem to require much more light than the box ratings. Thanks for confirming this. Also the info about the larger exposure latitude and correct box speed of Provia is pure gold (gleaned from shots saved by this data). Great information!
I use the same process as you Dave regarding the graduated filter for the sky. The velvias definitely need more exposure than the ISO speed whereas Provia not only has a true 100 ISO but is also more forgiving.
Thank you!!! This video was very informative.
Glad it was helpful!
Hi Steve. Top quality as always. Delamere Forest is looking good at this time of year ! Many thanks for sharing.
Thanks Tim, hopefully the colour will last longer this year
Nice comparison, confirming what one would expect between the two. Velvia 50 I regard as a more specialised film, definitely at its best in subdued, even lighting where it can really sing. Provia 100F has about 2 stops more dynamic range in my estimation, so more broadly usable. Its resistance to reciprocity failure also has no equal amongst colour films (up to 128 seconds with no colour shift or adjustment to exposure required), so is generally better for long exposures.
I agree that overall Provia is more useful but I have to admit that the Velvia range does separate the green tones somewhat better for those shots with a preponderance of leaves and new ferns. Worth having both just in case but Provia is my go to slide film.
As a hobby photographer who shoots all sorts of subjects, I also like Provia for its versatility (e.g. ability to handle skin tones). But sometimes it is nice to switch to Velvia to get a different palette of colors. Velvia looks warmer to my eyes, so I sometimes use that to advantage.
Definitely agree, Provia is quite cool and clinical but just so much easier to scan.
Another excellent comparison of V50 and P100 to understand when and why to use which. Sorry I never had a chance to good shoot film with you as I leave the UK next week back to China. However, I'll follow your adventures on UT. Good shooting. PS We are still looking forward to your development steps... for color negative/positive film. In time, I know.
Thanks Stuart, hope it goes well in China.
Most useful video I've seen lately, Sir.
Thank you again...just received a 20 pack of Provia and one of Velvia. I think they have become my favorite film.
sorry to be offtopic but does anybody know a trick to log back into an Instagram account??
I was dumb lost the password. I would appreciate any tricks you can offer me
@Khari Brooks Instablaster :)
@Stephen Kelvin i really appreciate your reply. I found the site through google and im trying it out atm.
Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Stephen Kelvin It did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. I am so happy:D
Thank you so much, you really help me out :D
@Khari Brooks you are welcome :)
Nice comparison. Clearly Provia is the better choice given the conditions. Thanks for sharing
Thanks Tony.
great job, top quality. i have a 35mm canon ae1, and now i got a hasselblad500cm from my granpa. very instructive, thanks!
Nice video Steve. Keep up your god work.
Isn't it nice just to be out taking photos? I've been shooting a roll of the new Ektachrome, and yesterday I was sitting in a stand of trees used by local kids as a fort waiting for the sun to come out. I was there two hours, and the sun did come out but it was too low in the sky so all that waiting was in vain. But I got to sit in a quiet place and just pay attention to things for awhile, and my camera took me out there.
This has nothing to do with the main thrust of the video, but seeing you walk around a forest, camera in tow, brought it to mind. The process of taking photos is just as important as the actual result, I think.
Provia is a good film, really nice colours. I'm curious to see how the new Ektachrome compares to it. Supposedly it is very "true-to-life", which seems to be the case based on images I've seen. Of course, those were shot by professionals so who knows what my amateurish clicking about will produce.
Totally agree that enjoying the moment is very important, sadly this isn;t possible when you have only 2hrs to make a volg and shoot two rolls of film. In fact the process of filming an outing with the camera always compromises the enjoyment of being out and about to some degree but the benefit is being able to watch the experience months or years later and enjoy it all over again.
Kind of a give and take isn't it, this vlogging business. On the one hand, you can build an audience and community around your work, on the other hand you have to haul around all this extra stuff (including the expectations of your audience) while you are trying to create something.
Being a hybrid shooter, I would always go with the Provia and bring out the colors in post. The greater exposure latitude (caused by its higher dynamic range) sounds and looks like a big bonus. I didn't shoot slide film for a long while now, because development is expensive, takes a long time (not doing it myself), and exposure is much more critical than with color negative. But I should try it again and see how it works. Once again: Thanks for sharing your insight!
Thanks Christian. I also favour the negative films but do like the way slide materials boost contrast and colour on dull days.
Charts and sciencey data don't mean anything, those images mean a lot! You can see the difference between them, and wow, that was a bit of an eye opener for me. I'm not a film person at all, I've not had a film camera since the 80s when I was in elementary school and had no idea what anything photography wise meant. Now that I've been taking it a bit more serious for a couple years, I can fully appreciate the differences in the films you are showing. And thank you so much for sharing this knowledge and experience with us all. So very appreciated! Cheers!
I can only trust results that I can see, theoretical advantages or disadvantages mean nothing in the final image.
Very instructive. As I don't have a camera with an exchangeable film magazine (and am too mean to shoot several films just for comparison) I found the side by side comparison very interesting.
Confirmed my impression that Provia seems to be a good all-rounder for landscape, while I'd prefer Velvia when it comes to bright reds and yellows. Seems to be a matter of taste largely...
Thanks Steve. Wish I'd seen this a couple of weeks ago when I blew a roll of Velvia with everything under exposed to the point of unusability. Will try it at +1 next time! Hope to see you around Delamere sometime. I'll be lugging an RB67 around :)
You deserve a medal for carrying an RB67 around the forest.
I recently shot some outdoor portraits and a few landscapes on two rolls of Kodak Ektachrome 120 rolls, expired in 2004. I was surprised to see that they were absolutely spot on, no defects, but I was blown away by how much better colour rendition Kodak had compared with what Fuji sells these days. Provia comes close, but Kodak looked so damn good, especially on skin tones. Unfortunately I only have three rolls of expired film and after that, just sadness. Ektachrome is back for 35mm and depending how well it does on the market, Kodak Alaris might bring it back for 120, but it's going to be a long wait though.
I am also hoping for a 120 and 4x5 version of the new Kodak film and agree that the limited choice we have with Fuji is frustrating at times. I used to like the Fuji E6 stock just prior to the release of Velvia as it looked so lifelike and neutral.
Unless the price comes down, I won't be buying the new Ektachrome. It's going for $13/36exp. on B&H right now. I'd love to shoot it but certainly not at that price point. And I thought Fujifilm was expensive..
I’m going to pass on it unless they come out with a 120 version. I do shoot 35mm but not enough to justify sticking another film.
We Should probably buy some to support the company, otherwise their endeavor will be for nothing.
Nae Dolor I completely disagree. They can bring the price down to a reasonable number. Getting it processed is expensive enough
I remember when Velvia 50 came to market, it definitely wowed photographers worldwide. It wowed me! Yet, on one hand, I miss shooting slide film and on the other I am so glad I never have to again! It was fun and sometimes down right thrilling looking at them on the good old light box after processing. Getting that shot where it all came together perfectly, the sense of fulfillment was incredible. Getting exposure wrong was a total loss of time and money. As we all know, slide film is absolutely unapologetic when it comes to exposure and dynamic range. Comparing it to the digital realm? Well its definitely worlds apart. One of transparency films greatest attributes is with teaching photographers to read light correctly. It made me a better photographer for certain. Its short comings though? Well it reinstates and solidifies my love for digital cameras.
It definitely improves your metering and exposure skills.
Hey Steve, I think the most important difference isn't the dynamic range, but the colors. I specifically shoot velvia 50 for the vivid colors and horrible dynamic range, it gives a very dramatic end result
Fair point, colours are amazing but I wish it scanned a bit easier too.
Really makes me want to pickup a roll of Provia!
what a great comparison video!
dope stuff!
thanks for sharing this great content with us!
really enjoyed watching this
Thank you.
Very interesting! Thanks.
Thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for.
Glad to be of help Georgina.
Excellent comparisons - and quite useful. I agree, the Provia gets the node - especially with the over and under exposures, More natural renditions I think. Cheers!
Thanks Robert, I pretty much go with Provia whenever I want to shoot slides these days.
Read somewhere about a thumb rule that normal speed film looses about one stop of sensetivity for every 10y over the expuration date.
While lower ISO film looses less, but don't know if thats true or that freezing the film maybe helps there.
Nice video in any case and keep snapping!!
I've also seen those figures quoted but freezing films reduces this dramatically and in the case of slow E6 films it seems to keep them as good as new. Faster films always seem to lose speed regardless of storage and I notice my slightly out of date Rollei Infrared 400 is definitely slower than fresh rolls.
Thanks for these videos Steve! I've had a heck of a time with Velvia 50 in 4x5 (I've had pretty ok results in 35mm) and was thinking I should try Provia. Seems like when Velvia 50 works well it WORKS WELL but seems to be a bit of a one trick pony and ultimately I might have more fun with Provia. I plan on trying Ektachrome next though. I'm sad it's only available in 35mm for now but here's hoping that changes! *crosses fingers*
I feel the same about Velvia and keep a supply for those times when the magic is required. Mostly it is Ektar, Portra and Provia for the reliability and scanning capabilities. Sadly there is no single do it all film.
Same here! I'm yet to to use slide film but I'm inclined to once I do, I'll use Provia. I'm more drawn to subtle colours anyhow
Provia is a superb all round film James, I just need Velvia for those times when the light is right.
A great video Steve, I think I need to venture more into my positive films, as a rule though I like my colours slightly under saturated. I admit the though you want some punch when it comes to Autumn colours.
I struggle massively with reciprocity even though I've got the app, sometimes I get very silly times. I then have trouble trusting the times my app gives me.
As always a brilliant video, I think I might have missed one of yours which I'm a bit annoyed about as yours is one of the channels I click on straight away.
Thanks Mark. I also favour negative materials but sometimes they are just too flat for our weather and it's nice to know which slide film to carry. Provia is a must have for me with Velvia 50 for those shots with a very small dynamic range.
On the topic of the speed of Velvia, some people say that the modern production Velvia is closer to 50 than the old one is. Having never shot old Velvia I can say that current Velvia 50 still feels a bit dark. I'm going to try rating it at 40 as well.
Thanks Jan, I did feel a bit guilty that I wasn't using the latest stock and maybe one day I'll do a review of all the currently available E6 films side by side.
For some reason, I remember reading back in the photography magazines of the '90's, people mostly said that they rated Velvia 50 at 32. Understand why now.
So do I John, it makes a worthwhile difference.
Finished first roll of velvia50 in 35mm, and most of my shots are underexposed by about 0.66 or 1.33 depending on picture. Funnily enough, some quick shots I made in a hurry where I just shot in aperture priority the exposure was better than me measuring the scene (with the average built in meter of the camera) and calculating it myself against the snow (+1) or sky(+0.5).
I find Velvia 50 needs more exposure, 40 or 32 is better.
That was a really interesting comparison, Steve. I think I need to get hold of some Provia for the coming months. I shot a roll of Portra 400 in the woods for my latest one and whereas that film is beautiful in good, contrasty light, it wasn't ideal for the softer, darker conditions of the woodland. The greens take on a lot of yellow and I'm sure some transparency or even Ektar would have held up better here. It's good to experiment though. What E6 kit do you use? I'm happy processing b&w and colour neg but haven't done E6 before but would like to give it a go. Thank you very much for recommending my Skye video at the end - very much appreciated. ATB.
Hi Craig. I’ve had some success with Porta 400 in dull lighting but it is hit and miss.
When I do my own E6 it is with the 2.5l Tetenal kits, 3 bath followed by the stabiliser. It can feel very slow after doing C41 or B&W but I love the magic of seeing slides come off the reel.
Cheers Steve, I know it's a bit more involved than C41 but I'm keen to give it a go. You're right about the 'magic' - I still get a buzz just seeing my negs coming off a reel.
enjoyed it Steve, I liked the Provia too. Concerning the exposure readings, did you average the readings or use a zone system approach by placing the shadows at zone 3 or 4 then checking that your highlights didn't blow out given you had 4 or 5 stops of latitude?
Hi Steve. For the low contrast shots I did indeed average out the spot meter readings and put the exposure in the middle. For the first scene with the sky I put this at Zone VII to ensure I kept some detail in it which unfortunately left the foreground in too deep a shadow for any slide film to cope with.
Thanks for the comparison. Velvia certainly seems to like being shot a little under box speed, it seems. I'm going to try some bracketing with the newer version and see how it fares.
Good luck Don, it’s worth the effort to find the best settings.
Thanks Steve. I’ve learned that Provia 100 would be a good starting point when I venture into using transparency film. In other vlog posts you often use Ektar, are you planning to do comparisons of colour negative films (I remember you mentioned Portra & 400H previously), and black & white films? There are others doing comparisons, but none have been as detailed an informative as yours IMHO.
I’ll definitely be doing further comparisons Tim, I just need a suitable trip when the weather is right and suits the materials.
Quite the luxury to do exposure bracketing, these days of $20+ slide films (not to mention that Provia is unavailable in 120 till who knows when!)
Expensive now for sure, a lot cheaper when I made this video Mark.
The old Velvia is known for overexposing it 1/3 stop (ISO 40). The Velvia 50 (current version) can be exposed with box speed. I prefer the Velvia 50 over the Provia mostly. I also recommend using GND filters. It should be necessarily glass filter, otherwise a magenta cast(especially with strong filters like GND8 and more) is visible. I use the Rollei Mark II and Rollei Rock Solid Filters. I am very happy with them. I'm not a color scientist, but they looks very neutral.
Here some samples of my Velvia 50 shots with my Mamiya.
www.flickr.com/search/?user_id=49370605%40N04&sort=date-taken-desc&view_all=1&text=velvia%2050%20mamiya%20
Nice work, I particularly like the Lago di Misurina image, excellent colour.
Thank you Steve :D
I hope to try kodaks new E100 in 35mm soon it will be interesting to see how it
Compares to Fuji. Look forward to your negative trials, Portra or Ektar ?
Definitely worth comparing the Kodak film to Provia, shame it is only available in 135. For the negative films it will be Portra 400 and Fuji 400h initially with Ektar following later as it is all alone in its class.
Thought you might find this of interest, wish you had also shot this test with at least an app-c or larger sensor dslr or ILC mirrorless at ISO 100 and 1600 (now considered a "medium" speed in this digital era) just to see how much if any dynamic range and noise for grain you trade (especially for 1600 ISO digital) but really appreciate this comparison even if it's "only" film vs film. Thanks for the video!!👍👍👍:
From Shutterbug in 2000, I believe:
www.shutterbug.com/content/new-fujichrome-provia-100f-rdp-iii
"Provia 100F is recommended for "pushing" to a full 2 stops (for an effective film speed of 400) with minimal variation in color balance or degradation. For the conventional Provia 100, only a one-stop push processing was recommended. As a bonus, the new film is said to be highly resistant to film speed loss or "reciprocity failure" or shifts in color balance during extremely long (or short) exposure times.
Read more at www.shutterbug.com/content/new-fujichrome-provia-100f-rdp-iii#lydIU8AdAMJ5wj5F.99"
Interesting reading Lewis and I'd agree with the findings. I can see Provia being capable of a couple of stops extra with additional development and will give this ago in the next few months.
I occasionally compare shots using something like my Nikon D610 or Micro 4/3 cameras but I already know they have far superior dynamic range to slide materials so it wouldn't tell me much. The only area I'd like to explore is something like full frame digital v Portra 400 in a very high contrast scene.
Could you tell me what light box you use? I’m getting back into shooting film after watching your vids!
It’s just a cheap one off Amazon Gayle, most LED panels work just fine.
Another interesting comparison could be Velvia 50 vs Velvia 100 (assuming that you are not giving up on Velvia).
That would be the next logical step.
A waste of film. Shooting slide in a dark overcast forest. Velvia isn't supposed to be there from the start
😀