Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/04/29

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Fim suggestion
From: Donal Philby <donalphilby@earthlink.net>
Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 18:02:42 -0800

Tina Manley wrote:
> 
> At 12:52 PM 4/29/99 -0400, Andrew wrote:
> >- Sensia II 100 is sometimes too cool
> >- Velvia 50 is sometimes too saturated
> >- The 200 and 400 speed films I've used are a bit too grainy
> >  (Sensia II 200 and 400)
> >
> >E100S?  Others?  I know the easiest thing to do is simply shoot
> >a roll of some new films, but I'd like to start by heading in the
> >right direction, especially if I can benefit from another LUGger's
> >experience.
> >
> 
> Andrew -
> 
> I like Astia for people.  It's warmer than Sensia or Provia and not as
> contrasty or saturated as Velvia.  I haven't tried E100SV yet but have
> heard that it has the colors of Velvia without the contrast.

I hate Astia for people, finding it colder than anything I've ever
shot.  Maybe a bad 50 rolls, but it was dreadfull, especially when shot
along side Velvia (differenct parts of a job that I thought each would
be better for).  The bottom line is not that I am right or Tina right,
but that film is a very, very, very personal decision.  If you like the
look, it is a good film.  If you don't, it isn't for you.  

You must simply try them and use what suits your taste and needs.  

Though it is rather irritating in one sense to have new films introduced
and old ones dropped off.  You can't be consistent.  Fortunately, there
are a few standbys such as EPP and EPN (which one stock shooter I know
shoots exclusively because the lower contrast dupes well) which do go on
and on.  A friend has been shooting EPP since it came out for
everything.  Everything for him is industrial work all over the
world--and he has had one EPP image reproduced (from 35mm) onto a
billboard 134 feet long in Times Square.  

He keeps telling me to quit messing around, to simply bulk load EPP (at
about $3 a roll) and shoot.   This from someone who has been published
in hundreds of annual reports and won 15 NY Art Directors awards and has
a quarter million images on file with 7 stock agencies.  He has not the
slightest interest in new films.  He has better things to do, like shoot
more photos.

donal
- -- 
Donal Philby
San Diego
http://www.donalphilby.com