i'm looking for a print film to match my previous pictures taken with E100VS ? i wan't to have more details in the final print (traditionnal and digital prints) because of the lattitude of print film, i will be able to take just one photo instead of bracketing with ekta (less holders to carry...) i'm shooting in 4x5, my main subject is urban landscapes i really enjoy the color rendition of the E100VS (i don't like velvia green) shall i use portra 160 NC or VC, or Fuji NPS160, or....? and if the final goal is digital print, shall i use NC and ad saturation in PSD, or it's ok to use VC (to be able to make colorfull traditionnal prints as well) ? thanks

-- dg (sacripant@online.fr), September 06, 2001

Answers

if you want to carry fewer holders switch to either the Fuji Quickload system or the latest version of the Kodak Readyload system. The latest version is the one that uses only one sheet per packet, as opposed to the much less reliable two sheet per packet system previously used. Fuji NPs and NPL are available in Quickload, but as far as I know no current color negative film exhibits the overly contrasty (my opinion) characteristics of E100VS. I'm not sure what Kodak's plans for Readyload versions of any color negative material.

-- Ellis Vener (ellis@ellisvener.com), September 06, 2001.

wide exposure latitude and brilliant color as you know in E100VS do not exist in a color print film, and probably haven't since the demise of PHR. why not obtain high quality scans of your positives, and have a good quality digital print done? there was recent thread in which a number of posters took advantage of the wider latitude in a negative scan, and then add color to taste as you have already mentioned in PS - but neither of these ideas helps you out in terms of traditional printing. As to NC or VC, I've worked with 400NC and found the color pallette to be fairly subtle, nowhere close to E100VS. with PS you should be able to get what you want from either NC or VC.

-- Michael Mahoney (mmahoney@nfld.com), September 06, 2001.

Kodak Portra 160VS has the most saturation of 4x5 colour neg that I have used(used ptima,npc, as well as elvia,provia,100vs,100sw). It has good exposure latitude ( recently I accidentally rated it at 400 and got it pushed processed one stop with very usable negs ). I routinely get mine scanned with an imacon flextight and printed on a lambda printer. It is much easier to scan than trannies (ie shadow detail etc). When I want multiple in a hurry I use a grafmatic holder or resort to a 6x9 back. I am actually using the 6x9 back more and more. Much easier with dust management, greater choice of film, no need to use a dark bag in the field .. almost like a large format motor drive and with a wide angle lens negates the need for a centre filter or vignetting worries.

-- Peter Ng (shenng@yahoo.com), September 07, 2001.

dg:

You may want to try making prints using the Fuji Frontier system, which digitlly scan a slide then rpints it using lasers or something like that at a resolution of 400 DPI or better.

This is the only process aside from dye transfer that offers prints with teh colour and quality of teh original slide wothout a whopping increas in contrast.

I am not sure all frontier systems can use 4x5 as a source, so you might have to make copies on 120 film. but so be it. It may be a valid tradeoff ad worth making the aquaintance with people at a lab that uses the system. It also does an excellent job of enhacing contrast on print film.

You can also scan negs, fiddle with them using PS then bring a file to the lab and they can make an RA4 print. The largest sixe is 15in, so a reduction to 120 film may not be all that terrible.

Cheers

-- RICHARD ILOMAKI (richardjx@hotmail.com), September 13, 2001.