latitude/characteristics of the following slide films?

[benji]

Hi,
Going away fron digital catpure for a change, just to keep things interesting!

I've bought the following slide films (all daylight):
- Fuji Velvia 100
- Fuji Provia 100
- Fuji Sensia 100

What are their different characteristics? (i.e. : latitute/tonal range, contrast, colour saturation, colour cast, etc...)

I mainly shoot landscapes and seascapes.
So, in other words, my question is:
Which of these films is better suited to what kind of natural light?

I'm sure some of you avid film users will know the anwer to that easy!!!

Many thanks,

benji

[Benchista]

That's in decreasing order of saturation, and increasing order of latitude. As the sort of nutter that has been known to shoot sunset seascapes with tungsten-balanced film, I'll leave the rest to others...

[beejaybee]

That's in decreasing order of saturation, and increasing order of latitude.

I've found very little if any difference between Provia 100F and Sensia 100, as processed by the Fuji service.

Velvia 50 & Velvia 100 are similar but far more saturated and with less latitude than Velvia 100F, which is again more saturated & more contrasty than Provia/Sensia. Astia is more natural (less saturated) than Provia/Sensia and has more latitude. It's great for documentary photography (wild flowers etc) but rather understated for modern tastes, which seem to demand overstatement in contrast & saturation.

The Velvias are also rather warm, like having a 81B or at least an 81A stuck on the lens.

[benji]

Thanks guys for the replies,
this is very helpful.

Would you recommend a good website ref: comparisons of various E-6 films (there's just so many answers when googling it... I thought somebody might be able to give me a shortcut. Any suggestion?). Then I could a bit further in my own time.

Thanks again,
Benji

[Manofolympus]

Once upon a time most photo mags did annual film review/comparison articles giving some idea of contrast, granularity etc. Sadly now film is regarded as old hat, and the release of new emulsions virtually stagnant, nobody seems to bother any longer. I certainly havn't found a site drawing it together, and your left trawling through various sites from manufacturerss etc.

[benji]

Then I could a bit further in my own time.

Thanks again,
Benji

That was supposed to be "Then I can read a bit further in my own time"
Benji

[Wheelu]

Suggest that you sample some Kodak Ektar. It has a wider latitude than any slide film and is both fine grained and sharp.

Further advantages are that it is relatively easy to home process, or can be processed by many high street labs, while it also scans well.

Not sure if it is available in 120 in the UK as yet, but I have been well pleased with 35mm. It's a bit keen on reds, but you can tone those down in PP.

It may provide the quality that you want with considerably less hassle.

[beejaybee]

Suggest that you sample some Kodak Ektar. It has a wider latitude than any slide film and is both fine grained and sharp.

Further advantages are that it is relatively easy to home process, or can be processed by many high street labs, while it also scans well.

Maybe, but its projection qualities are somewhat less than stellar.

Anyway I've always found considerable difficulty getting an acceptable colour balance, let alone an accurate one, from scanning colour negative films - the orange layer is a nuisance & is certainly not uniform between films, even identical films from the same production batch processed at different times.

[Benchista]

Must say that I actually find colour neg in general very easy to scan with my current scanner, although I've not tried the new Ektar. My previous one was an absolute swine with colour neg, which put me off trying for ages.

[Wheelu]

Must say that I actually find colour neg in general very easy to scan with my current scanner, although I've not tried the new Ektar. My previous one was an absolute swine with colour neg, which put me off trying for ages.

My experience too Nick, my present scanner was a revelation to me in that regard and has caused me to go back to using colour negative film.

I also have to concede that the colour balance remains a bit of a problem, but then I have similar difficulties with the Fuji slide films.

[Zou]

Anyone tried Rollei Digibase? Colour neg with no orange mask. I seem to remember reading a good feature on it (possibly linked through Silverprint) but I haven't used it personally nor seen any reviews from my usual mags.

[nimbus]

You may also like to sample Kodak Ektachrome EBX (Extra Colour). Saturated, with less tendency to run to magenta than Fuji, but slightly grainier than Provia 100. It is also cheaper than Fuji, well locally anyway.