Speeds of slide films. What's available?

[benji]

Hi,

I've occasionally used slide film in the past. That was Fuji Velvia 50 (I otherwise mainly shoot digital).
I do love the medium, though, and would like to to shoot more with transparency film.

I find Fuji Velvia 50 is very good, but a bit slow for what I would like to do next. I've seen tranparency film rated 100 ISO, so I may buy that, but my question is:

What is the highest speed I can (easily enough) find with slide films?
Is there any such a thing as 200ISO too? (400???)

Sorry if this a bit of "newbie" type of question to you all knoledgeable "traditional" shooters!!!

Thanks for the replies.

Benji

[Malcolm_Stewart]

Have a look at the Mailshots web page. It's where I buy my fresh film from. Good service and wide selection.

The ISO is in many of the film names.

[beejaybee]

200ISO too? (400???)

Fuji Provia 400X is highly reccomended, and can be pushed to at least ISO 800 - but don't forget that this will give more grain as well as more contrast and more saturated, but not necessarily more realistic, colours.

Of the ISO 100 films, I personally prefer Fuji Provia 100 to Velvia as it has a more natural colour balance and a bit more latitude. I haven't used Kodak transparency film since they discontinued Kodachrome 25.

[AJUK]

There used to be a 1600 speed slide film Provia 1600, today if you want that speed you have to push Provia 400X 2 stops, Hmm I wonder if anybody has ever done a comparison of Provia 400X pushed to 1600 and Provia 1600.

[benji]

Have a look at the Mailshots web page. It's where I buy my fresh film from. Good service and wide selection.

The ISO is in many of the film names.

Thanks for the link, Malcolm.

I see they provide "processed paid" or "non-processed paid".
What would you recommend?
(up to today, when I used slide film, I left it in the hands of a local photo-shop who would then sent it away for processing).

Also, I have quite a lot of slide mounts at home, so wouldn't necessarily require the lab to do that for me. A lot of shots will be bracketed anyway, so I will have some wastage, which I obviously do not require to have mounted.

On that basis, would you recommend I buy "non processed paid"? Or am I missing something obvious?

Thanks to all for the replies.

[Malcolm_Stewart]

I'd recommend "Non-processed paid" and you can then select your processor, or do it yourself. I'd only recommend doing it yourself if you're getting through a fair quantity, as the chemicals have a limited shelf-life when mixed, or after being opened. You can normally request films to be returned uncut, and that would probably be best from what you've said.

Peak Imaging have a good reputation for E6 processing.

[benji]

Thank you for the replies. Great help.
Benji

[welshwizard645]

There used to be a 1600 speed slide film Provia 1600, today if you want that speed you have to push Provia 400X 2 stops, Hmm I wonder if anybody has ever done a comparison of Provia 400X pushed to 1600 and Provia 1600.

Think Provia 1600 was replaced by MS100/1000, which in turn was replaced by Provia 400F, it was found that 400F could be pushed 2 stops quite easily and come out with more pleasing results...

Prior to Provia 1600 there was Agfachrome 1000RS - grain the size of proper golf balls.... Agfa did some really good films - I actually preferred APX to Ilford.

[TheAllSeeingEye]

There used to be a 1600 speed slide film Provia 1600, today if you want that speed you have to push Provia 400X 2 stops, Hmm I wonder if anybody has ever done a comparison of Provia 400X pushed to 1600 and Provia 1600.

I have personally used both, Provia 400 pushed 2 stops and Provia 1600. The Provia 1600 was really grainy but the exposure latitude was normal for tranparency. The pushed 400 had a very fine grain and colours were no more saturated than Velvia 50 in my opinion but it was a bugger to get any details in the shadows without blowing out the hightlights (lack of exposure latitude thanks to the nature of transparency film and pushing it 2 stops I guess). My personal preference would be to push Provia 400 2 stops every time, I can live with lost detail in the shadows but news print grain on coloured prints looks a bit naff in my opinion.

[Benchista]

Provia 1600 actually was an ISO 400 film designed to be pushed 2 stops. It replaced MS 100/1000, rather than the other way round. 400X is supposed to be much better pushed 2 stops, but I've not tried it.

[Zou]

I've seen some 400X pushed to 1600 on Flickr, but it was shot on 6x6, so whilst the grain really wasn't bad, it may well be on 35mm.

[TimF]

I find Fuji Velvia 50 is very good, but a bit slow for what I would like to do next.

Too slow? I found that many slide films currently available (even ISO 100 emulsions) are sometimes too fast to exploit my nice fast lenses as I'd wish. Bring back K25.