Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/09/09
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Birkey, Have you ever tried AGFA RSX? It constantly outperforms most of what Kodak and Fuji put out. And how about OPTIMA? A lot of pros swear by it! I hate the fact that you cut out the smaller guys from your "can't go wrong with" list. Lucian On Tue, 9 Sep 1997, BIRKEY, DUANE wrote: > On Mon, 8 Sep 1997, Dave Topper wrote: > > > Anyhow, I am really curious as to good types of file, both slide and > > regular, that I should use in the camera. I feel strange about > taking > > pictures with such a fine, precision instrument, then taking my roll > of > > Kodak Gold down to the local Pathmark. Kind of like taking a Ferrari > to > > Midas. > > > > So ... any tips? Please email me directly if you can. > > > > Thanks, > > > > DT > > Tip # 1) It's a camera, take pictures with it. > > Tip # 2) Everybody has an opinion about what the best type of film is > and none of them are you. There are lots of good films available and > it is hard to go wrong with any film Fuji or Kodak makes. Each film > has it's own characteristics that you may or may not like. I use Fuji > Velvia, Astia, Provia 100 and once in a while Provia 400. I used to > use Kodachrome and a few of the Pro Ektachromes. But in Ecuador at > least, Fuji is the only slide film that delivers the goods. For color > I use Fuji Reala, Super HG 100, Kodak VPS 160 and Gold 100plus. Every > single one of them are fine films and some just work better for some > situations than another. > > Tip # 3) Subject choices, composition, lighting, exposure and focus are > the important factors. If you don't have those correct, the choice of > film is pretty irrelevant. > > Tip # 4) A Ferrari is a fine car, but if you don't know how to drive > any car, owning a Ferrari won't make you a great driver. A Leica is > a fine camera, but if you haven't mastered the factors in tip#3, Owning > a Leica won't make you a better photographer. > > Tip #5) I'm not familiar with Pathmark labs. I would try every local > minilab you can and compare the results from similar subject taken > under identical lighting situations. Some will stink and others may be > quite good. If you underexpose your film by three stops, none of them > are going to give you nice prints. > For what it's worth. > > Duane Birkey > HCJB World Radio > Quito Ecuador > > >