Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/07/09

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Fuji Film/Toronto Leica Dealers
From: "Gary Todoroff" <datamaster@humboldt1.com>
Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 11:19:26 -0700

> Bud Cook wrote:
> >As for the Astia, I now realize that this is probably not a film to use
> >for travel applications.  However, since I've got it I'm going to use it
> >on the trip.
> >
> From: Henning J. Wulff 
> All the above comments about Velvia apply to some degree to all of Fuji's
> 100 speed films, except that Astia has especially nice skin tones. For
> travel I would pick Sensia, as I do not prefer either Provia or Astia for
> that purpose. 

I have shot a few rolls of Astia here locally at festivals and events that
could easily qualify as "travel" photography. Having heard about the skin
tone qualities, I decided to concentrate on people instead of buildings and
scenics. As a result, my own travel pictures (I did have to drive about 15
miles!) captured the events in a very personal way with the people
involved. Mostly I liked the way the Astia seemed to soften the sharpness
of the Leica optics, not by bad resolution, but by putting kind of a glow
to skin tones. Obviously a subjective feeling here, but Astia and sharp
lenses make a very pleasing combination when photographing people.

BTW Henning, I liked your comment about the "violent" quality of color with
Velvia. Altho I love it for our Calif North Coast greenery, I took some
pictures recently with it at a Humboldt Bay Coast Guard open house. One
shot is of a Dolphin helicopter with its bright visibility orange color.
When projected on a big screen, it about knocks you off your chair and
makes your stomach go a bit queasy. It almost made me wonder if Velvia had
invented a new color. I have learned to be careful with Velvia around any
shades of red.

Gary Todoroff