My first try at Ektar

[k100d]

Originally Posted by filmamigo

Jgredline, I wouldn't judge Ektar by the ugly orange taxi cab in my last picture. Perhaps someone from Toronto can chime in, but it seems pretty accurate to me. The cabs in Toronto really are that ugly and garish.

i honestly was going to say that but i wanted you to have first dibs

[jgredline]

Originally Posted by k100d

i honestly was going to say that but i wanted you to have first dibs

I stand corrected.

[stevebrot]

Originally Posted by filmamigo

Jgredline, I wouldn't judge Ektar by the ugly orange taxi cab in my last picture. Perhaps someone from Toronto can chime in, but it seems pretty accurate to me. The cabs in Toronto really are that ugly and garish.

There are two sides to accurate color rendition. Ugly comes through nicely as well.

Steve

[FotoPete]

haha yea the cabs here in toronto are pretty standard. I don't know who chose orange but it seems a number of firms have that colour scheme.
irc, there's a few others less common with silver and black, probably airport taxis/limos.

[troyz]

Originally Posted by jgredline

Steve, By far and away, you have put out the best ektar 100 images I have ever seen. Somehow you even managed to control that crazy red channel. Impressed I am to say the least. I need to get some more and go at it again.

I ran into crazy reds on my first roll of Ektar -- insanely red car tail lights, red berries against green leaves with no detail in the berries, for example. I don't think it was a development or scanning problem (good lab, Nikon scan) -- just overexposure of the red layer.

In any case, check the negatives (look for crazy cyans) and try using -1/3 to -2/3 EV compensation (i.e. rate the film as ISO125 or ISO160) to get the reds under control.

[stevebrot]

Originally Posted by troyz

I ran into crazy reds on my first roll of Ektar -- insanely red car tail lights, red berries against green leaves with no detail in the berries, for example. I don't think it was a development or scanning problem (good lab, Nikon scan) -- just overexposure of the red layer.

In any case, check the negatives (look for crazy cyans) and try using -1/3 to -2/3 EV compensation (i.e. rate the film as ISO125 or ISO160) to get the reds under control.

Good point regarding the ISO. My first roll that had weird colors was exposed at ISO 60. This last roll at ISO 100. I suppose I could waste a few frames and do some test shots at various ISO settings on my next roll.

Steve

[Vertex Ninja]

Wouldn't under exposure cause more intense saturation in reds, not to mention other colors?

My limited experience with the new Ektar shows that underexposed shots look HORRIBLE, but that slightly over exposed or properly exposed direct sunlight shots look very natural with nice saturation.

It could have also just been a metering problem with the camera(or user error ). I used a Nikon F100 with a 50mm 1.8D. By accident the camera was set to ISO 200 for the first few shots and everyone looks like lobsters. Once I changed it to 100 the shots looked significantly better. We then finished off the roll inside and all of those shots came out significantly underexposed... I'd say 1.5-2 stops.

From my admittedly very limited use of it, I'd set it at iso 50 on overcast or shady days, ISO 64 in good sunlight or studio lighting, and ISO 25 with indoor tungsten lighting. All dependent on how the camera meters though.

Originally Posted by troyz

I ran into crazy reds on my first roll of Ektar -- insanely red car tail lights, red berries against green leaves with no detail in the berries, for example. I don't think it was a development or scanning problem (good lab, Nikon scan) -- just overexposure of the red layer.

In any case, check the negatives (look for crazy cyans) and try using -1/3 to -2/3 EV compensation (i.e. rate the film as ISO125 or ISO160) to get the reds under control.

[stevebrot]

I may sacrifice the last couple of exposures on my current roll to do a controlled test at several ISO settings. I need to find some good subjects first. I was thinking:

• White washcloth
• Black or navy blue velour
• Some bright red begonias
• Bright blue toy or cloth swatch
• Bright yellow flowers
• Green bell peppers

Ideally I should test in full shade, full sun, and bright overcast at say ISO 25, 50, 100, 200.

Steve

(Please, let someone else volunteer to do this task...hate to waste the film...)

[ChrisPlatt]

I always overexpose C-41 films by up to one stop.

Chris

[jgredline]

Originally Posted by ChrisPlatt

I always overexpose C-41 films by up to one stop.

Chris

What have you found by doing this? I have been wondering about this.

[troyz]

Originally Posted by Vertex Ninja

My limited experience with the new Ektar shows that underexposed shots look HORRIBLE, but that slightly over exposed or properly exposed direct sunlight shots look very natural with nice saturation.

Just to be clear, I'm recommending -1/3 to -2/3 EV for Ektar 100 only for scenes with highly saturated reds (and perhaps other highly saturated colors). Otherwise I've had excellent results (for everything but light skin tones) by exposing as rated.

[ChrisPlatt]

C41 films (and all negative films in general) are far more tolerant (i.e. have a greater latitude) for overexposure rather than underexposure.
It is easier to print an image from a too-dense negative than from a thin negative - you can't print what's not there.
As mentioned underexposure will also lead to noticeable color shifts, too.

Chris

[stevebrot]

Originally Posted by ChrisPlatt

C41 films (and all negative films in general) are far more tolerant (i.e. have a greater latitude) for overexposure rather than underexposure.
It is easier to print an image from a too-dense negative than from a thin negative - you can't print what's not there.
As mentioned underexposure will also lead to noticeable color shifts, too.

Chris

That is the conventional wisdom to be sure. What some of the earlier posters have been saying is that there appears to be less latitude for overexposure in one or more layers. Whether this is loss of reciprocity, localized exhaustion of developer, or an interaction with the dye binders is anyone's guess. A little bit of controlled testing is probably called for here.

Steve

(My thinking at this point is that we are seeing a localized exhaustion of developer during processing...helpful in B&W work, probably not as desirable with color.)

[ChrisPlatt]

Originally Posted by stevebrot

A little bit of controlled testing is probably called for here.

Has anyone come across any good evaluations of Ektar on The Web?
If so please post some links here.

Chris

[stevebrot]

Originally Posted by ChrisPlatt

Has anyone come across any good evaluations of Ektar on The Web?
If so please post some links here.

Chris

Here are a few links:

• Adorama Learning Center - Product Review Kodak Ektar 100 120 Roll Film Test
• A Dark Topography: Ektar 100: The DarkTopo Film Test!

Steve