Topic: Color films - availability, options

[mpmrtagh]

My go to film is Portra 400 and have used it pretty consistently for sometime. I do enjoy Portra 800 but haven't had a lot of luck with availability where I'm located(Taiwan).

A couple questions

What color films do you prefer?

For those located in Asia any options for buying online relatively cheaply? In Seoul I remember 800 being available.

[KevinAllan]

My favourites are Portra 160 and 400. I may use a little more Ektar in the future.

Can't help with the availability issue as I'm in the UK

[Ezzie]

I really like the new Portra 400, very natural. The 160 is not bad either. But Fuji Pro 400H for lovely pastels, that comes a close second. Ektar if you want punchy colours (need sunlight really).

[02Pilot]

I can't speak to the availability issue, but my standard choices for serious color work are Portra 160 in 35mm and Ektar in 120. Not sure why, but where the palette of the Portra works for me in the smaller format, it seems too subdued in 120. Ektar is definitely more saturated, and it is also less forgiving of exposure errors, whereas Portra has incredible tolerance, especially for overexposure.

I also shoot a fair bit of consumer-grade stuff, mostly Kodak Gold 200, with some Gold 400 and Fuji Superia 200 on occasion, when I'm just messing around. None of it is really bad, though I prefer Kodak's colors, but none of them have the same quality as the professional-grade films.

[Late Developer]

Print: Portra 400 and 160
Slide: Provia 100f and Velvia (50 or 100 and only for landscapes with a lot of blue and/or green)

That said, I've just run a couple of rolls of Sensia 400 through the Hasselblad XPan (see Photo Essey on Aldeburgh for examples) and I still really like it.

[Francois]

Somehow, I always feel that Kodak Gold is way under appreciated. It's cheap and quite nice.
Ektar is just WOW.

[Peter84]

I find that shots taken with ektar look almost more real then the subject you shot in the first place.... uh 
Ever held a print next to the actual subject it is of... I find the colors stunningly real, keeps amazing me every time
I picked up 4 rolls of "old" ektar 125 the other day, can't wait to see what they're like

[02Pilot]

Somehow, I always feel that Kodak Gold is way under appreciated. It's cheap and quite nice.
Ektar is just WOW.

I've been quite happy with the Gold 200 - fairly tolerant with a palette similar to Ektar, but the grain is more prominent. I've never been able to get the 400 to produce colors I was happy with consistently.

[Albo]

I'll echo some earlier replays, Portra 160 and Ektar 100 that's more than enough for all my color needs. Love the rendition of reads and greens on the Ektar film

[Ezzie]

Adding another film, can be bought in bulk, or get someone like FPP to roll it for you. Kodak 2846 Hawkeye Traffic Surveillance film. T-grained colour film, 400 ASA (I shoot it at 200 ASA). And I must say it can compete with Ektar on colours, and very nearly on grain and certainly sharpness. 135 only though.

FPP write up: https://filmphotographyproject.com/store/35mm-color-kodak-hawkeye-super-color-5-pack

Some of my shots with the film: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ezzie0304/tags/2486/

[moominsean]

Ektar for the most part, with some Portra 160 thrown in. They seem to respond better to home developing than other color films. I was very disappointed in the Rollei digibase stuff...ugly colors and grainy, at least through a Unicolor kit.

[mcduff]

I love Portra 160 NC (in expired but well-stored condition) when I can get the chance. It is my favorite -- tho I am finding that photos of snow seem to have a magenta cast when scanned... I am guessing shooting snow may not be as much of an issue in Taiwan as in Canada 

[Hungry Mike]

I'll second Ezzie on the HTS. Very similar to Ektar. Generally I shoot it 100 or 200 but I've found it somewhat forgiving when I've pushed it a little to the 300 to 400 range. I've found it doesn't really work beyond that.  Sadly, I have not seen the bulk rolls on eBay of late so maybe tough to find.  And of course 35mm only.

Re: Digibase Rollei film - I thought I read somewhere that it required a special developer? In anycase, I shot one roll of it in the fall and I thought it looked ok. Very modern looking film to my eyes.

Hey mpmrtagh you could always post a request for the Ektar in the Share the Film thread. There must be some film in Taiwan that is difficult to find over here that someone might be interested in trading for.