Originally posted by wedge OK, gonna sound like a total noob here, but what do you mean by "neg film" and "reversal film"? While you're at it, can you explain what "slide film" is? I mean, I know it's film designed for creating slides as opposed to prints, but what are the advantages/disadvantages?
Yep...you be a total noob...
Negative film produces a photographic negative when processed. To get a viewable image, that negative must be printed to photographic paper or scanned and reversed to a positive with software.
Reversal (Slide) film produces a positive transparent image when processed. Photos taken with slide film were originally intended for optical projection to a viewing screen.
Conventional wisdom has been that negative film is more forgiving and slide film is more demanding of appropriate exposure. Slide film also has the reputation of having higher contrast and higher color saturation. These generalizations have become somewhat less true with current films. All current moderate speed (ISO 100-200) films, both negative and reversal, have fine grain.
For film noobs, I would recommend Kodak Gold 200 for those first couple of color film outings. It is forgiving, has reasonably fine grain, and good color. Portra 160VC would also be good. I personally shoot Ektar 100, but it is sort of picky about exposure. Slide film is expensive to process and more difficult to scan. Unless you need its "special" characteristics, I would avoid Velvia and other slide films.
Steve