Topic: Kodak EPT 160

[imagesfrugales]

Hi filmwasters,

I uploaded some pictures shot with the Kodak EPT 160 and uploaded them at flickr. Jojonas wants some more info and here we go.

The Kodak Ektachrome Professional Tungsten 160 was discontinued, the last data sheet I found is from 2007. I got a 10-rolls package of 35 mm film and first tried cross processing in C-41. I have no clue when they expired. The results are grainy as hell and the negs are dark fogged. Of course the color balance at daylight is quite off. Also b/w developed in Caffenol the negs are horribly fogged despite of adding pot. bromide and there is a dark brown kind of mask.

The next film I had lab developed as transparency film, exposed at EI 100. Result is very overexposed with almost blocked lights. Heavy postprocessing by pulling the gradation curve could rescue some "interesting" pics.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/imagesfrugales/sets/72157669792637936

f.e.:


l-DSC04950 by Imagesfrugales, on Flickr


I still have 8 rolls and probably they all will be lab processed as slide film.

[MacArron]

Mmm, I think I have some coming from a gift stored in the fridge, but I still haven't used any of them. I'm not a tungsten shooter

Probably an adequate filter would help with colours, but yes, they are clearly overexposed.

Do you mean that this  film should be exposed at rated ISO? I look forward to reviewing your next film thread

[Francois]

I know that usually you need to underexpose slides to get more color saturation... this is the inverse from negatives.
But since the film is old and has lost sensitivity, I have no idea of what to do.

[jojonas~]

looking at these are really fun! they're way beyond just saturated, it's like another palette entirely. the poping colors and cold shades (from the tungsten balance I guess) and then the yellow skies that make me think of polaroids

I'll be looking forward to seeing more of what you do with these rolls

[MacArron]

I have no idea of what to do.

 

I have looked your photos again in the computer and the colors are weird. There seems to be a yellowish color cast in all of them  Is that the result of the post processing?

As said, you can try to shoot with an orange filter for a daylight balanced colour or to shoot in tungsten light  Or both. Maybe there's someone here with a filter to lend. On the other hand, they are not expensive.

I am willing to use mine, but I need time and a good plan for it. I wouldn't like to be some days on leave and have a tungsten balanced film inside my camera while I'm away... 

[imagesfrugales]

you can try to shoot with an orange filter for a daylight .....

Not what I intend to do ;-) I bought the rolls to get some "weird colors", and I got them, I'm rather happy with the results. Only exposure was way too much, so yes, the next roll will be exposed at boxspeed. Maybe the intense base fog of the first developing step brightens up the final slides, it's reversal film and maybe I have to think upside down.

I didn't do much on the color balance except for enhancing saturation and reducing slightly the blue channel. Therefore the sky is slightly yellow ,but I wanted the original strong yellow color of the painting on the substation to be more intense in the final picture. Otherwise the yellow would have been almost white. I guess less exposure will make things easier.

Thanks everybody for comments and interest.

[Francois]

I know that when I correct for color casts I always adjust the levels and use the highlights eyedropper tool to sample what should be white. This usually does the trick in one click.

[imagesfrugales]

Yes, that's the usual way to adjust color pics.  But having a slide I have already a reference and I wasnt looking for "true"  colors. Additionally I "scan" the slides with a dslr using a slide copying device with a dayllight lamp at daylight white balance and get the colors exactly as they are in the slide without any fiddling. No real need to change anything for me except better exposure of the EPT160.

[MacArron]

A suggestion that came to my mind when thinking on how to "spend" this film: use a bulb torch to illuminate/help to illuminate the main subject in the picture (not valid for buildings) A face, a flower, a... thing illuminated with the torch will get a more or less accurate colour, leaving the background with the 'weird' colours of this film in daylight.

I think I'll try that Will you?

[Francois]

Or if you only have an led torch, tape a piece of color correction filter on the front. The Lee filter sample pack comes to mind.

[imagesfrugales]

I taped a piece of clear orange masked color neg film on the flash of a compact camera. Let's see what comes out with the next film. Might take 2 or 3 weeks.

[MacArron]

I taped a piece of clear orange masked color neg film on the flash of a compact camera. Let's see what comes out with the next film. Might take 2 or 3 weeks.

You may want to separate the subject from the background to avoid the whole image being illuminated by the flash.

Using a piece of developed film is a very good idea. One of my last colour films did come out without images It was a Portra 400 unexpired roll dedicated entirely to shoot a model. And the camera  didn't do its work... Good news is that I have a lot of orange mask

Look forward to seeing the results.