Re: slide film & labs

[chris@chrismorrow.com (Christoper Morrow)]

At 10:55 PM -0700 on 10/21/97, Jim Brick wrote:

> Hi Rob...
>
> I think you just verified what the industry has been doing. Kodak sent me
> two rolls of K64 and asked me to shoot it along side my normal film. I shot
> it along side Velvia and sent sample results back to them. The Velvia was
> better in five out of six situations. K64 was equal in the sixth, not
> better. They are sending me 20 rolls of E100s for my trouble... I have a
> feeling that they are poking around with some new K formulas. And with the
> new K-Mini-processor... one never knows... One of the questions was "would
> you agree to test new products if they came available" so maybe we will
> have a K film that can compete with Velvia. And be processed by a
> professional lab in just a few hours. I'm so used to getting E6 in two
> hours and having grainless brilliant colors, that it's going to take a lot
> to get me to switch. But I like the stability of the Kodachrome process. I
> guess we'll see if Kodak is going to try and win back all of it's ex
> Kodachrome users. Let's face it, if you sell your labs which then give
> lousy service & quality, then close down most of them, to where it takes a
> week to get your Kodachrome processed, and you don't know where it's been.
> After investing time, energy, and much money in a shoot, I do not want to
> send my film across the country, or to another country, via those "usually
> trustworthy" package carriers. There's enough to worry about in the lab
> without worrying about getting it there and back. So unless Kodak can get
> all of the pro/commercial labs to sign-up for the K-mini-processor, I
> suspect they will still have trouble pushing into the Velvia/Provia domain.
>
snip

> Sorry this degraded to a discussion about labs, Kodak, Kodachrome vs
> Velvia. It must have been on my mind, and Rob's report triggered it.
>
> Thanks for your ear,
>
> Jim

Jim,

I just came back from attending the NPPA Flying Short Course in NJ last
week. While there, I walked through the vendor area (a mini trade show of
sorts). Of course I stopped by the Kodak booth. Picked up some literature,
talked to the reps, and was handed a bag. In this bag was a couple rolls
each of E100S and E100SW plus three rolls of T400CN. Surprise, surprise:
there were two rolls of a new Ektachrome film--Ektachrome 200.

According to the reps, it's very sharp and pushable. The samples on their
light box confirmed both statements. And one of the presenters, Steve Fine
of Sports Illustrated showed some of the work of SI photogs who have used
the film; looks good. I'll shoot one roll at 200, and the other at 320
(according to the reps that is a one stop push). Let you know how it looks.

Cheers,

Chris


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Christopher Morrow
Christopher Morrow Photography		Canandaigua, NY
716.394.8810 phone			716.394.4953 fax
http://www.chrismorrow.com

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