Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/02/07
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Austin, My color negative film stock is either Fuji Reala for really detailed images with fine grain, Fuji's Press 800 CZ or NPZ. The Press 800 or CZ films have a grain rating similar to their 200 speed consumer films. Contrast is about the same as consumer films. Balancing for odd light has not been any problem even with the funky mercury lights at the Garber center last spring. An example shot in typical convention lighting is here. http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=607793 She was wearing a Kodak very deep blue(almost Navy) shirt. As you can see there is some detail there. NPZ has the same grain as CZ but with a lower contrast. Balancing mixed light is also very easy as the link displays. This is daylight on one side and school fluorescents on the other. She is a very fair skinned young lady and the top is black. http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=1021655 The second example is window light with a black wall to the right killing any fill. The original shows detail around the dark side of her hair. This one has gone up to 11X14. http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=1044049 Both these films retain a good ability to hold fine detail although not up to 100 ISO BW film or Kodachrome. Now, why use this stuff? Obvious uses are sports under the lights, Jim Shulman's symphony/ theatrical shots, street photography at night. I would suggest two other broad areas of use. The first is people photography in low light situations: this could be using available light or where you want to use low levels of added light. An example of this would be wedding formals with GN100 flashes. Small flashes such as this are small, and can be set up quickly using super clamps, modified putty knives, or what have you without having to lug around battery packs. The other reason is that when you want a walk around color film, you can shoot just about anywhere available light or lightly modified light. Your M has shutter/aperture to shoot at high noon to street lights. You can also carry a couple of ND's to use whatever aperture you want while maintaining a useable shutter speed. Penalties with this film are a reduced ability to record really fine details in 35mm and enough grain that 11x14 is probably the usual limit. I have no experience with the Kodak products, don't know anyone who uses the higher speed Portra's so don't have any comments in that direction.. 2 cents Don dorysrus@mindspring.com - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html