Type of film

[Hightree]

Hi all, I need a bit of advice. I'm in the luxuary position to go to Southern Africa for a 3 week holiday, starting end of May. Now, I wondered what type of film to take with me. I prefer slide over print, so that's clear, and I also prefer 100ISO for normal usage. The weather circumstances during that period will be dry and warm with lots of harsh sunlight. Can I safely depend on 100ISO slide film or do I need to adapt contrastwise?

Thanks,
Frank

[another view]

Although I don't shoot a lot of chrome anymore, Fuji Provia 100F was my "standard". It's not anywhere as contrasty as Velvia (as in 50 speed) but still has a lot of punch to it. It tends to go blue a little in the shade or on overcast days but it sounds like that's not a problem. It can also be pushed two stops (expose at 320) very well.

Might consider some of the Kodak E100 films too - I don't have a whole lot of experience with them other than E100VS which has a pretty decent latitude to it compared to Velvia (it's highly saturated like Velvia). It's not good with caucasian skin tones, but maybe that's not a concern. E100GX is another one to think about - less saturated (more normal) colors with a warm-ish cast to it which might be good more often than not based on what you say.

Any slide film will be contrasty and there will likely be situations where it will be tough to get the shot you want - but that just means that you get creative so you can get something decent. Contrast can be knocked down with tools like fill flash, graduated neutral density filters and maybe by tightening up your composition.

[92135011]

shooting people?
DONT USE FUJI. Especially Velvia.

[paulnj]

shooting people?
DONT USE FUJI. Especially Velvia.

TRUE. VELVIA isn't a people film, but PROVIA is quite ok for skin tones with a 81 series filter

Though I might let you know that ASTIA(RAP) is a FUJI film loved by people photogs ;)

[Hightree]

Thank you all. I've used Velvia in the past and found it a wonderful film but indeed, for portraits it's not very useful. I'm leaning towards Provia but will try films before I decide.

Thanks,
Frank (also Canon-user)

[paulnj]

I have shot THOUSANDS of rolls of PROVIA 100F(some 400F if I knew I needed speed) and sensia 100 ... BOTH are good films . BUT... I always used a HOYA 81B with fuji films to combat the "fuji blues" that another view speaks of.

I haven't shot E6 in a few years, but remember KODAK ELITECHROME 100(consumer film) being pleasingly neutral when that was my disired effect. The kodak pro films I have very little experience with, so I can't comment on them(though I have seen AMAZING images from them)

I now use LEXAR most of the time though , so no need for warming filters anymore

[Michael Fanelli]

Hi all, I need a bit of advice. I'm in the luxuary position to go to Southern Africa for a 3 week holiday, starting end of May. Now, I wondered what type of film to take with me. I prefer slide over print, so that's clear, and I also prefer 100ISO for normal usage. The weather circumstances during that period will be dry and warm with lots of harsh sunlight. Can I safely depend on 100ISO slide film or do I need to adapt contrastwise?

Thanks,
Frank

FWIW, the environment you mention is going to have a lot of contrast and require a lot of latitude. You might be better off with print film handles a much larger lattitude and doesn''t add contrast the way slide films do. You will capture stuff that gets blown out or lost in shadows on transparancies.


I

[Hightree]

Thanks Paul. I normally use Sensia 100 too but always with a skylight filter. Good results so far.

Michael, that was indeed what I was afraid for. I know how to deal with Western-European circumstances (=rain) but Southern Africa is a different cup of tea. I have worked with Fuji Superia X-tra 400 print film in the recent past and I found it a pleasant film to work with. I may want to take a bunch of rolls with me anyway.

Cheers,
Frank