Author Topic: Slide Film Usage (Read 16093 times)

Late Developer · « **on:** August 17, 2015, 12:51:51 PM »

For as long as I've been taking photos (which is 40+ years), I've always loved slide film. Okay, it's much more critical when exposing - especially if you want to project the slides. That said, scanners and post-processing software allows us to correct most things, so long as the detail's still there.

However, although I shot about 10 rolls of slide film on a holiday a couple of years ago, I can't remember using any since and I still have plenty in my fridge. I know some of us struggle to get E6 processed locally and I doubt that many of us process it ourselves. Then there's the question of whether we get out the projector and screen to look at them.....

So, is slide film usage alive and kicking in the FW community? Would it be worth doing a "slide film only" collaboration at some point to encourage us all to use some of this beautiful medium?

Francois · « **Reply #1 on:** August 17, 2015, 02:12:45 PM »

I haven't shot slide in years...

jharr · « **Reply #2 on:** August 17, 2015, 03:28:52 PM »

I shoot it frequently, but always expired and cross processed. You seem to be more interested in shooting it as straight transparency, which I haven't done for maybe 5 years.

hookstrapped · « **Reply #3 on:** August 17, 2015, 03:30:09 PM »

Only to cross-process.

charles binns · « **Reply #4 on:** August 17, 2015, 03:33:35 PM »

I used to use nothing but slide film (Provia 100F) for colour but then the price of Provia went through the roof, I got bored of E6 and I discovered Portra.

I went through a phase of cross processing expired slide film when I first got my holga but I don't like the unpredictability of the xpro so I stopped and now only use Portra for colour work.

That being said I have some expired Ektachrome 64T that has sat in my freezer for 5 years. I decided to put the lot on Ebay but kept one roll back and shot some dead roses with my Kiev 60 and extension tube on Saturday.

Xpro'd it with a batch of Portra and the results were stunning so I may have to pull the other 7 rolls off Ebay.

However, I can't see myself going back to shooting with slide film in the future for general work.

Kayos · « **Reply #5 on:** August 17, 2015, 03:52:47 PM »

I stopped shooting slide a while ago, but now I'm developing everything at home I want to give E6 a go

I also want to process a roll of C41 in the chems just to see what it looked like

Indofunk · « **Reply #6 on:** August 17, 2015, 03:55:48 PM »

Like James, expired and xpro only. That said, I just shot a roll of Velvia that I want to bring to the pro lab for E6 processing, just because I haven't E6'd in a while and I don't particularly love Velvia's xpro look.

Urban Hafner · « **Reply #7 on:** August 17, 2015, 03:56:12 PM »

I only shoot slide film for color these days. Especially in medium format the slides are gorgeous to look at and I have no problems scanning it. Unlike color neg which I find a huge pain!

Bryan · « **Reply #8 on:** August 17, 2015, 04:33:59 PM »

I shoot it in my View-Master camera all the time, that camera is always loaded. We view them with a 3D projector and in the handheld viewers. I also shoot color reversal in Super 8 and regular 8mm and view that on the projector. I have only shot a few rolls of slide film otherwise and have not viewed them with a projector. I do like the colors of slide film but I find that I can get something similar with Ektar.

Kai-san · « **Reply #9 on:** August 17, 2015, 06:40:06 PM »

I use slide film regularly, both 135 and 120. It's mainly Fuji these days, but I have some expired Agfachrome in the fridge. In Norway there's only one lab left that can process E6. Until last year there was two, the other was in the town where I live. When they closed down I got around twenty rolls of Fujichrome RTPII 64 ISO tungsten 120 film for free. I've started testing them out in daylight with an 85B filter, have not handed them to the lab yet.

Indofunk · « **Reply #10 on:** August 17, 2015, 07:07:27 PM »

Wow, one lab in all of Norway that can process E6

I'm very spoiled here in NYC, my pro lab is a 45-minute subway ride from my apartment

Speaking of which, gotta leave now, meeting Peter there in 45min...

Late Developer · « **Reply #11 on:** August 17, 2015, 08:05:28 PM »

Quote from: jharr on August 17, 2015, 03:28:52 PM

I shoot it frequently, but always expired and cross processed. You seem to be more interested in shooting it as straight transparency, which I haven't done for maybe 5 years.

Well call me an old "stick-in-the-mud" but I love the crispness and depth that a well-exposed slide provides and I still have projectors that will get great results out of 35mm and 120 (6x6).

To be fair, I haven't tried cross processing but neither have I tried redscale - mainly because neither floats my boat. I'm not saying I'm right or that people shouldn't but there's just something about a woodland shot taken on Velvia, just as it stands. Here's a couple I shot in the USA on Route 66. One was in a market adjacent to the Adobe House in Los Angeles and the other was taken as we waited at traffic signals on our tour bus on Santa Monica Boulevard a couple of years ago. Maybe I could get these colours with Ektar or Portra - but I just like them as they are:

Nikon FE, Nikkor AI 35mm / f2 (I think) and Fuji Velvia 100F (for definite). Incidentally, only a little post-processing once scanned on V750.

jharr · « **Reply #12 on:** August 17, 2015, 08:10:44 PM »

Quote from: Late Developer on August 17, 2015, 08:05:28 PM

Well call me an old "stick-in-the-mud" but I love the crispness and depth that a well-exposed slide provides and I still have projectors that will get great results out of 35mm and 120 (6x6).

Not at all. I agree that there is a unique look to transparency film dev'd in E6. I love it too, but the expense is usually over my threshold.

This was shot on Velvia with my Voigtländer Bessa 6x9. I have never seen it projected, but just looking at it is pretty amazing.

vegas in-n-out by James Harr, on Flickr

AJShepherd · « **Reply #13 on:** August 17, 2015, 08:45:35 PM »

Shot slides a lot in the late seventies when I first got really into photography, then stopped in the early eighties, not to take up slides again until the mid noughties when I shot some Kodachrome for a few years up to just before Dwayne's stopped processing it.

Keep meaning to try E6 some time, maybe next year? I still have my old Hanimex slide projector!

Francois · « **Reply #14 on:** August 17, 2015, 10:35:31 PM »

I must admit that a projected slide is still something no screen can match.
I have a Kodak Caroussel with the stack loader and a beautiful wide angle projection lens... Making wall sized projections with this thing is just a breeze!

Peter84 · « **Reply #15 on:** August 18, 2015, 07:53:30 AM »

I just recently handed two rolls of slide film (velvia 120 and CT precisia 35mm) over to a prof lab and I pretty much like the result that much that I decided to source 10 rolls of 120 velvia and 200ft of Agfa RSXII 100.
Before I just cross processed every slide film I ever shot like Fuji 64T, ektachrome 100vs, provia 400x, but having seen it done the proper way I'll probably go for E6 more often now. Btw in general it seems when cross processing slide film, under expose a bit for better colors, anyone experienced this aswell? I normally do this by setting the iso one step higher

Late Developer · « **Reply #16 on:** August 18, 2015, 08:36:10 AM »

Hi Peter84 - nice one!

Nothing wrong, of course, in x-processing any film but it's also good to see what the film was designed to do. Exposure is more critical with slide than with negative. I suppose it can vary from film to film but my "rule of thumb" was to under-expose slide by half a stop from what the camera's meter told me (that's assuming I wasn't shooting contre-jour or with a lot of reflections / highlights that would fool the meter and produce silhouettes).

Terry · « **Reply #17 on:** August 18, 2015, 02:00:25 PM »

I shot tons of slides in the 70s when I was doing mostly theatre shooting. Ektachrome 160T was the fastest color stock I could get that was tungsten balanced, and I could push it to 320 without any appreciable loss of detail. I never fussed about exposure--set it at 1/30 and f/4 and braced as best I could or used a tripod and the images always worked. Maybe the credit goes to K+L labs--sadly gone of course.

My ex kindly sent me about 300 slides from 40 years+ ago. Been sorting through and scanning; here's one of those 160T shots. Back then I used a Nikon F.

img767 par Terry B, on ipernity

Indofunk · « **Reply #18 on:** August 18, 2015, 04:53:54 PM »

Great shot, Terry!

zapsnaps · « **Reply #19 on:** August 18, 2015, 05:37:05 PM »

E6? Ummm I would certainly use it if I was going to, say, Andalucia. Perhaps in October.

hookstrapped · « **Reply #20 on:** August 18, 2015, 08:59:27 PM »

I'm pretty sure this guy

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/photography/11691627/Harry-Gruyaert-I-discovered-how-to-see.html

who I posted about in another thread used slide film. It inspired me to seek out some for straight E6 processing. Saving my Ektachrome for xpro, and not being a fan of Provia and looking to shoot people so Velvia is also not something I want to use, I found this and ordered a few rolls

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/812305-Rollei-Digibase-CR200-Pro-(E-6-Process)-120-Size

Terry · « **Reply #21 on:** August 18, 2015, 09:56:58 PM »

I've been tempted to buy some Fuji slide film in 8x10. Go ahead, encourage me...

Indofunk · « **Reply #22 on:** August 18, 2015, 10:12:03 PM »

Quote from: Terry on August 18, 2015, 09:56:58 PM

I've been tempted to buy some Fuji slide film in 8x10. Go ahead, encourage me...

DO IT!!!!!!

Just don't bring it to CRC

scapevision · « **Reply #23 on:** August 19, 2015, 02:20:17 PM »

I shot only one roll of slide in 6x9, right before the last local lab stopped processing e-6.

Terry · « **Reply #24 on:** August 19, 2015, 02:31:03 PM »

I was just looking at Freestyle's E-6 kit: other than requiring a bit longer in development, it doesn't look to be any more complicated than C-41.

SLVR · « **Reply #25 on:** August 19, 2015, 03:08:27 PM »

I have a bunch of rolls I need to send for processing. Looking to get one more done before I send it off.

I still have a bunch of ektachrome 64T also.

Ken, do you remember how much you sold yours for? Might be worth selling off as I'll likely never shoot the stuff.

kentish cob · « **Reply #26 on:** August 21, 2015, 10:33:04 AM »

Probably like most camera users of the time, I started with colour print film because it was widely available, convenient and forgiving.
Getting more serious, and reading all the photographic mags I could get my hands on, I started playing with black and white.
The photo press was always saying "... if you're serious, you've gotta shoot slide..." but in those early days I didn't have the confidence in my technique.

Long story short... I traded up to a Nikon F4, learned a lot about metering and exposure, grew in confidence and started shooting slides. Still do. Both 35mm and 120, although I think I'm probably 80% b&w now.
The first time I looked at a well exposed and sharp 6x6 slide through a loupe on a light box, I thought I'd been poked in the eye with a kaleidoscope..!

The kids use it, but I don't think I've shot colour neg for over a decade now, although that may change soon as I fancy doing some big "Hockneyesque" joiner type things with 6x4 prints.

charles binns · « **Reply #27 on:** August 21, 2015, 11:04:06 AM »

This might be controversial and I am hiding under my bed as I write this, but actually slide film is the closest that analogue gets to digital and so if you want a clear, crisp image with bright saturated colours then why not just dig out your DSLR?

Before I went to Africa I spent a lot of time thinking about what cameras to take and I initially thought that slide film would give me the results I wanted - ie high quality, sharp, bright images of the wildlife. But actually I realised that digital does this best these days and so I upgraded my DSLR, and looking at the results I got, I made the right decision (after having spent God knows how much reinvesting in Nikon SLRs and lenses).

The reason I like colour negative film is that it looks like film and that's what I want most of the time.

There, I said it. Heresy I know and don't get me wrong, I used to love Provia. But I just feel that slide film has become too expensive and to be honest digital just does it better.

Sorry.

Late Developer · « **Reply #28 on:** August 21, 2015, 12:08:12 PM »

Charles, I hear what you're saying but I think the fim stock is the key.

If you're are looking for "perfection" (colour rendition / sharpness) then the latest digital sensors gets closest, quickest.

Provia 100 - stunning film and about as neutral as it gets. Probably the nearest to what digital can deliver and, in fact, the "standard" set up on my Fuji X-Pro is based on Provia - probably for that reason. However, there are / were some great and very different slide films out there that digital can't (currently) replace.

I always found the Ektachrome I used had a pronounced blue cast to it (I can't remember which version it was - and I may have been using tungsten balanced in daylight!)

Kodachrome (25 and 64) had their own look and they were beautiful (in my eyes). Perutz looked like you were shooting through a fine, green, algae.

Of what's available now, Velvia has a pallette that no digital simulator can really replicate 100% and, IMO, is perfect for when blue / green / purple hues are there - though not my cup of tea for portraits. It's also anything but neutral - but that's sort of the point. I also love the Provia 400X.

At night or twilight, a pushed and slightly grainy slide film looks beautiful and better than any digi stuff I've seen so far.

kentish cob · « **Reply #29 on:** August 21, 2015, 12:23:09 PM »

Quote from: charles binns on August 21, 2015, 11:04:06 AM

...why not just dig out your DSLR?

'Cos I don't have one to dig out..!

Your post makes a lot of sense, Charles, as does LDs, and maybe I'm just digging my heels in and holding out against the inevetable... I do use a fairly high quality digi compact (Nikon P7000) but at this point in time I have neither the money nor the desire to use a DSLR.

charles binns · « **Reply #30 on:** August 21, 2015, 12:40:55 PM »

Quote from: Late Developer on August 21, 2015, 12:08:12 PM

At night or twilight, a pushed and slightly grainy slide film looks beautiful and better than any digi stuff I've seen so far.

I agree with you there. I took some sunset shots with the DSLR and even though they are nice, they just can't match film - same with the landscape shots, not a patch on the pictures I took with the Holga. Loaded with negative film of course as I'm not sure Chinese plastic can cope with the exacting standards of slide film, unless you are going to cross process it.

Late Developer · « **Reply #31 on:** August 21, 2015, 02:49:42 PM »

Quote from: charles binns on August 21, 2015, 12:40:55 PM

Quote from: Late Developer on August 21, 2015, 12:08:12 PM
At night or twilight, a pushed and slightly grainy slide film looks beautiful and better than any digi stuff I've seen so far.

I agree with you there. I took some sunset shots with the DSLR and even though they are nice, they just can't match film - same with the landscape shots, not a patch on the pictures I took with the Holga. Loaded with negative film of course as I'm not sure Chinese plastic can cope with the exacting standards of slide film, unless you are going to cross process it.

Oh I don't know; twilight focused through a boiled sweet onto some Provia 400X up-rated to 800 could probably be a lovely effect

Kayos · « **Reply #32 on:** August 21, 2015, 02:57:47 PM »

I agree digital has a place, like the upcoming trip to Legoland (if i had a developing problem then Mrs Kayos would not be happy)

But for colour and saturation, slide film wins hands down

charles binns · « **Reply #33 on:** August 21, 2015, 03:18:31 PM »

Quote from: Late Developer on August 21, 2015, 02:49:42 PM

Quote from: charles binns on August 21, 2015, 12:40:55 PM
Quote from: Late Developer on August 21, 2015, 12:08:12 PM
At night or twilight, a pushed and slightly grainy slide film looks beautiful and better than any digi stuff I've seen so far.

I agree with you there. I took some sunset shots with the DSLR and even though they are nice, they just can't match film - same with the landscape shots, not a patch on the pictures I took with the Holga. Loaded with negative film of course as I'm not sure Chinese plastic can cope with the exacting standards of slide film, unless you are going to cross process it.

Oh I don't know; twilight focused through a boiled sweet onto some Provia 400X up-rated to 800 could probably be a lovely effect

Are you comparing a holga with a boiled sweet? Now you really are being controversial!

Late Developer · « **Reply #34 on:** August 21, 2015, 04:11:19 PM »

Quote from: charles binns on August 21, 2015, 03:18:31 PM

Quote from: Late Developer on August 21, 2015, 02:49:42 PM
Quote from: charles binns on August 21, 2015, 12:40:55 PM
Quote from: Late Developer on August 21, 2015, 12:08:12 PM
At night or twilight, a pushed and slightly grainy slide film looks beautiful and better than any digi stuff I've seen so far.

I agree with you there. I took some sunset shots with the DSLR and even though they are nice, they just can't match film - same with the landscape shots, not a patch on the pictures I took with the Holga. Loaded with negative film of course as I'm not sure Chinese plastic can cope with the exacting standards of slide film, unless you are going to cross process it.

Oh I don't know; twilight focused through a boiled sweet onto some Provia 400X up-rated to 800 could probably be a lovely effect

Are you comparing a holga with a boiled sweet? Now you really are being controversial!

More specifically, I'm comparing the plastic lens on a Holga with a boiled sweet

charles binns · « **Reply #35 on:** August 21, 2015, 04:57:59 PM »

Quote from: Late Developer on August 21, 2015, 04:11:19 PM

Quote from: charles binns on August 21, 2015, 03:18:31 PM
Quote from: Late Developer on August 21, 2015, 02:49:42 PM
Quote from: charles binns on August 21, 2015, 12:40:55 PM
Quote from: Late Developer on August 21, 2015, 12:08:12 PM
At night or twilight, a pushed and slightly grainy slide film looks beautiful and better than any digi stuff I've seen so far.

I agree with you there. I took some sunset shots with the DSLR and even though they are nice, they just can't match film - same with the landscape shots, not a patch on the pictures I took with the Holga. Loaded with negative film of course as I'm not sure Chinese plastic can cope with the exacting standards of slide film, unless you are going to cross process it.

Oh I don't know; twilight focused through a boiled sweet onto some Provia 400X up-rated to 800 could probably be a lovely effect

Are you comparing a holga with a boiled sweet? Now you really are being controversial!

More specifically, I'm comparing the plastic lens on a Holga with a boiled sweet

How could you!

Sandeha Lynch · « **Reply #36 on:** August 21, 2015, 06:54:16 PM »

Just shaddap you lot.

I shot a roll of slide film today.

I probably won them in a Third Floor Gallery raffle, a couple of rolls of Lomography X-Pro 100, and they've been in the fridge for a year or so. I could cross-process for £2.00 at Boots the chemist locally (Tesco gave up their machine) but I rather want this dev'd as E6 - I'm not crazy about cross-processing, and in any case I don't think it would suit the subject.

So that's £9.50 to shell out at The Darkroom in Cheltenham (including postage). I go there because they're quick and quite clean.

The shots may go on Flickr, or maybe not, it depends. None of them are likely to be 'safe for work'.

And then there's till another roll. I might save it for next year.

SLVR · « **Reply #37 on:** August 21, 2015, 07:20:00 PM »

Ive got a roll of astia loaded in the M4.

Flippy · « **Reply #38 on:** August 22, 2015, 01:52:39 PM »

In 35mm, I've pretty much only been shooting slide film for the past four or five years. I don't really see the point of shooting color print film in that format. I like the colors, I like the contrast, I like the crispness, and I like that I don't have to fiddle with anything. I don't agree that digital looks anything at all like slide film. You can tweak digital to approximate the look, but then you're still using a digital camera and monkeying around with the shot "in post" - the beauty of slide film is just getting it in one go.

The most captivating part of shooting positive film is the aspect of authenticity about it. Because each slide was film that was in the camera, exposed to light that reflected off of the actual subject photographed. There is a direct tangible connection between the slide and the location/subject contained on the slide. That is what makes finding old slides so interesting - because they were there.

ralph · « **Reply #39 on:** September 02, 2015, 02:22:53 AM »

I love shooting slide film. I've been buying long-expired Ektachrome from the FPP and shooting it at box speed with lovely results. I'm fortunate to work in Manhattan within walking distance of a very good lab that can often develop my E6 same day (so long as I get it there when they open at 9). In the summer, I shoot little else in my Rolleiflex. The rest of the year, I'm shooting Tri-X, but during the summer, E6 in 120 is peerless.

Terry · « **Reply #40 on:** September 02, 2015, 12:48:29 PM »

Which lab would that be.....? I've been happily using CRC but my last order had a lot of tiny flecks on part of the negs. (My guess would be dirty chemicals.)

Indofunk · « **Reply #41 on:** September 02, 2015, 03:28:25 PM »

CRC completely ruined my last roll of E6. My guess is old chemicals.

macfred · « **Reply #42 on:** September 04, 2015, 12:33:15 PM »

I shot a lot of slides in the 90's - Kodak Ektachrome Elite 100 (5045) was my favorite film.
There is no adequate replacement this days, that works for me $:-\$
Found some boxes with slides on the attic some times ago -
I did'nt expect too much but I scanned them and they came up quite good for my taste.
Those slides were taken in 1994 at the Tour de France.
Great memories …

Alpe d'Huez (TDF 1994) by Andreas, on Flickr

Richard Virenque - TDF 1994 (Alpe d'Huez) by Andreas, on Flickr

Alpe d'Huez - "Dutch Mountain" by Andreas, on Flickr

Martin with Michelin by Andreas, on Flickr

Konica Hexar AF - Kodak Ektachrome Elite 100

Ken B: eyes, I just do eyes. · « **Reply #43 on:** September 04, 2015, 06:29:53 PM »

Love slide film, shot tones of it professionally and personally over the years.

However shoot Digital now for colour and medium format for B&W

Having said that I am trying to find a link to an Estonian guy and his wife who have been riding a BMW around the world and all he has for a camera is an RB67 and some colour trannie - his shots a bloody astounding.

macfred · « **Reply #44 on:** September 04, 2015, 07:37:16 PM »

@Ken :

Maybe I'm wrong ... I think the guy you are looking for could be Margus Sootla - aka tsiklonaut ?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tsiklonaut/albums/72157644055166361

https://www.flickr.com/photos/tsiklonaut/albums

http://4nalog.blogspot.de/

Peter84 · « **Reply #45 on:** September 04, 2015, 08:49:41 PM »

that is in the Nat Geo league.... seriously

macfred · « **Reply #46 on:** September 04, 2015, 09:04:07 PM »

I found Margus a few years ago, when I was looking for informations, reviews and blog entries about the FUJI GA645 - series ...
Yes, those photographs are remarkable.
I think, this is the photographer Ken is looking for.

gsgary · « **Reply #47 on:** September 05, 2015, 03:52:50 PM »

I know him from a few years back used to be on the same motorbike adventure forum I think he has his own drum scanner another reason they look so good

macfred · « **Reply #48 on:** September 05, 2015, 04:06:53 PM »

Quote from: gsgary on September 05, 2015, 03:52:50 PM

... I think he has his own drum scanner another reason they look so good ...

I rember this ... The beast has arrived http://4nalog.blogspot.de/2013/04/damage-control-maintenance-overhaul.html

gsgary · « **Reply #49 on:** September 05, 2015, 05:17:22 PM »

He used to have the same bike as mine a Kalahari yellow GS
http://www.emmk.ee/tsiklonaut/tsiklonauts_pot/Iran_expedition.html