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05-07-2010, 01:35 AM   #1
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No love for Kodak Gold

I've shot a few rolls of Gold 200 recently, which were quite sharp with fine grain, though the colors were a bit warm and oversaturated (easily corrected in scanning). I've tended to go mostly for the more upscale stuff, since the price I usually see for Gold around here is maybe a dollar or so off the pro films or Reala, which seems to have a pro film caché.

I'm stocking up for a trip, and I see from Adorama's film listings that they sell the Gold now for around $2 a roll. That's substantially less than I see for most store brand film.

Why do I seldom see anyone around here shooting the 35mm Kodak consumer films? What is everyone feel they are getting for 2-3 times the price?

05-07-2010, 02:02 AM   #2
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My miniscule experience with films tell that one of the things might be consistency.

Supermarkets handles film like plain cardboard box - it gets in cold trucks, hot sun, moist warehouses and with the currently low demand for film, it most likely is near expiration.

Places where you might find photographic equipment and specialized films on otherhand either work with small ammounts, ar might at least have one refridgerator, to store film.

For example, the film/camera shop in my town usually is out of stock, but they can tell you specific days, when new stuff arrives. So it's always fresh, they dont overstock in large quantities.

Correctly preserved film will be a lot more reliable. With 3 fuji superia iso200 rolls purchased in different places and at different times, i got very different results. Processed and scanned at the same place and time i got a roll of nice, sharp and saturated pictures. Other one was pale, washed out and grainy like a hell, and the third one was something in between.
On the other hand, a roll of ektar 100 purchased at photo store, had expiration date only after few years and produced results better than my DSLR.

This can become even more important, if you shoot film very rarely and a roll might sit in camera for several month. If the film is near expiration already at purchase, it wont deliver good results.
05-07-2010, 06:06 AM   #3
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Thank you for the input. I can see that for film purchased in the supermarket consistency would be an issue. However, Adorama is one of the largest sellers of film to photographers. On the other hand, one also wonders how they can sell this film for about 40% of its price at Walgreens.

Back in my purely film days, Ektar did not exist at all or was a brand new concept, and not the film of today. If I shot negatives at all (I shot mostly slides in the SLR), it was usually Kodacolor. I will probably try this old friend again, but I was just curious why few others seem to.
05-07-2010, 06:08 AM   #4
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With color print film, often it is the care in scanning that's more important than the provenance of the film itself. I for one love Gold 200, and when it is on sale I pick some up. To my eyes the main issues with a lot of color film is their hyped up contrast/saturation - Fuji consumer being a main offender there - but Kodak consumer film tends to be OK.

But then, I'm getting a stash of Ferrania 200 and 400

05-07-2010, 10:42 AM   #5
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Here is an interesting tech pub from Kodak on the differences between Professional and Consumer films.

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/e6/e6.pdf

Phil.
05-07-2010, 11:05 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by gofour3 Quote
Here is an interesting tech pub from Kodak on the differences between Professional and Consumer films.

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/e6/e6.pdf

Phil.
Thanks. I refrigerate all my color film anyway, except for that which does occasionally get left in the camera. That pub in one form or another has been around for a long time. One would expect that there is some other difference besides color stability, since they have different ISO ratings.
05-07-2010, 11:43 AM   #7
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Gene, I don't have a whole lotta love for Kodak Gold 200. Shot maybe 8 rolls of it (two 4 packs from CVS on sale) early on in my film renaissance and the results left me kind of cold; it wasn't great and it wasn't lousy - it just "was". Haven't shot a roll since. Other films I've shot have immediately fostered a strong love or hate reaction in terms of saturation, contrast, and grain. Gold 200 came in as middle of the road - neither pleasing nor offensive. I most likely will not shoot it again.

I liked Javier's 99 cent film better, so it's not a question of money <g>.

Best,
Kevin


Last edited by KJon; 05-07-2010 at 11:44 AM. Reason: Because I can (and needed to).
05-07-2010, 11:49 AM   #8
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It’s been years since I shot Kodak Gold, probably the 90’s? I mostly shoot slides, but if I go with colour negative film I get Portra or Ektar.

Kodak Gold 200 is available at my local drug store for around $8.50CND (36exp), so the Adorama's price is very good.

Phil.
05-07-2010, 11:52 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by KJon Quote
Gene, I don't have a whole lotta love for Kodak Gold 200. Shot maybe 8 rolls of it (two 4 packs from CVS on sale) early on in my film renaissance and the results left me kind of cold; it wasn't great and it wasn't lousy - it just "was". Haven't shot a roll since. Other films I've shot have immediately fostered a strong love or hate reaction in terms of saturation, contrast, and grain. Gold 200 came in as middle of the road - neither pleasing nor offensive. I most likely will not shoot it again.

I liked Javier's 99 cent film better, so it's not a question of money <g>.

Best,
Kevin
Yeah, Javier's cheap film was terrific for the purpose for which he was using it. I don't think I'd use it for my travel photos of buildings and cityscapes, though. I may talk myself into dropping the bucks for some Ektar in 135 after all.
05-07-2010, 11:59 AM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by gofour3 Quote
It’s been years since I shot Kodak Gold, probably the 90’s? I mostly shoot slides, but if I go with colour negative film I get Portra or Ektar.

Kodak Gold 200 is available at my local drug store for around $8.50CND (36exp), so the Adorama's price is very good.

Phil.
In February, I shot my first roll of it in many years. It did quite nicely. I do like the 160 pro films better (both Portra and Fuji160s), but that Adorama price really grabbed me. How much better do I like those films?

The price on Gold at my local drug store is similar, $5 for 24 exp. At that price, opting instead for the pro-stuff or Ektar is almost a no-brainer.
05-07-2010, 01:48 PM   #11
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You guys are getting raped on film - I can get 4 packs of the stuff at Walmart for $7.99. Can it possibly be that in the most expensive state in the union I'm actually getting a deal?

Best,
Kevin
05-07-2010, 05:00 PM   #12
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I have seen others get very good results with Gold 200, but I never have.
I have had much better luck using Gold 100. I like Kodak Ultramax 400 too.

Chris
05-07-2010, 05:05 PM   #13
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keep in mind that with a good scanner and post processing, some of the inconsistencies of film can be ruled out

but imagine the old days printing in a dark room, you didnt have the luxury of tweaking the red's by +2% and filling in the darks a bit...

so a cheap film may very well be used with better results in the digital age.
05-07-2010, 06:41 PM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by KJon Quote
You guys are getting raped on film - I can get 4 packs of the stuff at Walmart for $7.99. Can it possibly be that in the most expensive state in the union I'm actually getting a deal?

Best,
Kevin
They also sell the 3 pack Kodak Gold 200 (24exp) for $11.00CDN. Still way more than what you are paying. Yes film is more costly here, that’s why I mostly get a big order from Freestyle or B&H once a year. The only good deals for me in Vancouver are if you buy slide film from a lab that includes processing/mounting.

Phil.
05-07-2010, 09:25 PM   #15
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I'll be glad of my good fortune and just shut up.

@Chris Platt - I've been pleasantly surprised with Ultramax 400. I've done pretty well by it.

Best to all,
Kevin
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