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05-30-2012, 07:29 AM   #7036
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QuoteOriginally posted by womble Quote
Pentax ESII, Kodak Ektar 100, not sure which S-M-C Tak, either the 50/1.4 or the 28/3.5.

Sunset over Lake McConaughy, Nebraska.



K.
I recently started shooting some film which I really enjoy and what got me to get back into it were some photos I saw on flickr taken with Kodak Ektar 100, so I bought a few rolls. Let me tell you, my shots are horrible compared to what I was hoping for. The colors are mostly dull where I expected them to be bright and I'm wondering if part of my problem is that I'm dropping the film off at a local CVS (pharmacy) to get developed? I don't have any experience developing my own photos and maybe their cookie cutter machine just won't produce great results? I should grab some of the photos and post them here to show what I mean. The camera I was using was either a P30 or ZX-7 and the lenses I was using was anywhere from my Pentax-M 35mm or Pentax-M 50mm f/1.4 or my FA 100mm macro. I don't think any of these are really poor lenses, but maybe I'm wrong?

05-30-2012, 07:37 AM   #7037
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QuoteOriginally posted by kcobain1992 Quote
Oh come on, you're picky! These are all nice photos, scans pretty decent too. I love the second one.
What camera?
These were taken on a P30. The smaller size here looks ok, but zooming in the scans are really, really over-sharpened. I suppose I didn't decide to try 35mm film for the IQ.
05-30-2012, 01:31 PM   #7038
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As I have said elsewhere I have always got good results from Ektar 100 but I do send it to an expensive "pro" lab. I get the impression from what I have read on the web (that wonderful source of boundless misinformation) that Ektar is fussy about development and your disappointing results may well be poor developing or possibly poor scanning.

If you have a look through my flickr photostream you'll see quite a few images shot on Ektar.

Best wishes, Kris.
05-30-2012, 01:51 PM   #7039
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QuoteOriginally posted by womble Quote
If you have a look through my flickr photostream
Well, I did, and I like the results you're getting from film. I think where I'm doing it wrong is actually the scanning part. I shouldn't be that much of a cheapskate and actually spend some money on lab scans.
I also saw some pictures you took on Orwo 125 film. I also happened to shoot an expired roll of this thing a couple months ago, but I have absolutely no idea how to develop it. (or how to develop film in general, for that matter) I may ask you for some help when I have some free time to get around to do it.

And since I did a lot of talk lately and no picture posting, here's one from 1 year ago, taken on Agfa Precisa 100. It's incredible that slide film is the only medium that records the 50mm Takumar's yellowing in all its beauty


And another one from the same period of time, but Fuji C200 this time and Helios 44M.




Last edited by vladimiroltean; 05-30-2012 at 02:26 PM.
05-30-2012, 02:45 PM   #7040
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As I understand it, Ektar has to be properly exposed or the colors go a little haywire. Heavy blue/magenta cast is from incorrect exposure, so I hear, but I also have had lab guys tell me they have to "take a lot of magenta out" of Ektar when it is processed. And then yeah, scanning is a whole other monster. I think Ektar can go wrong at any of those points, but when you get it right, it's a nice film. It's also the cheapest pro level color negative film in my area, and by a few bucks a roll.
05-31-2012, 08:01 AM   #7041
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QuoteOriginally posted by womble Quote
As I have said elsewhere I have always got good results from Ektar 100 but I do send it to an expensive "pro" lab. I get the impression from what I have read on the web (that wonderful source of boundless misinformation) that Ektar is fussy about development and your disappointing results may well be poor developing or possibly poor scanning.

If you have a look through my flickr photostream you'll see quite a few images shot on Ektar.

Best wishes, Kris.
if you don't mind sharing, could you tell me what "pro" lab you use? I might look into seeing how that may change the results as compared to the local drugstore. Thanks!
05-31-2012, 10:22 AM   #7042
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Bought a roll of Ektar 100 today! I'm really excited to go out and see what it's all about. But I'm so undecided what camera to load it in, my black SP or the chrome SPII? (the advantage of the chrome being that I can also use flash)

05-31-2012, 12:06 PM   #7043
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well I got scans of one of my rolls of Ektar 100 and they actually came out a little better than the prints. Maybe that is typical, but the prints seemed darker. here are a few of the shots:














05-31-2012, 12:16 PM   #7044
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Ok at what exposure index should I shoot it at? I've never had problems with Sunny 16 with the other negatives I've used, but if this is more like slide film, then I should be more careful I guess. ISO 80 maybe, to get a little less contrast and better shadow detail?
05-31-2012, 01:25 PM   #7045
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QuoteOriginally posted by irishwhite Quote
if you don't mind sharing, could you tell me what "pro" lab you use? I might look into seeing how that may change the results as compared to the local drugstore. Thanks!
I use "the Darkroom UK" which gives me good service most of the time.

I find with my lab the prints are often better than the scans... go figure. Mainly, they aren't so fussy at setting the black point to black so I end up stretching the histogram a little to get the best contrast.

As to exposure index, I just use ISO 100, but am careful not to let bright skies cause under-exposure.

Best wishes, Kris.
05-31-2012, 07:23 PM   #7046
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QuoteOriginally posted by irishwhite Quote
part of my problem is that I'm dropping the film off at a local CVS (pharmacy) to get developed?
I sent my first dozen rolls to Costco for processing and scan and finally quit after three rolls in a row with off colors and excessive grain.

Since then I have used a local pro lab (same price, BTW) and started doing my own scans. I don't think I have had a bad roll since.


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05-31-2012, 07:25 PM   #7047
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QuoteOriginally posted by pentaxk1000denver Quote
I also have had lab guys tell me they have to "take a lot of magenta out" of Ektar when it is processed.
...and how do they do that? I can understand doing that during printing/scanning, but I don't believe that is something they can do in the soup.


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05-31-2012, 07:29 PM   #7048
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QuoteOriginally posted by kcobain1992 Quote
Ok at what exposure index should I shoot it at? I've never had problems with Sunny 16 with the other negatives I've used, but if this is more like slide film, then I should be more careful I guess. ISO 80 maybe, to get a little less contrast and better shadow detail?
Box speed or a little lower.

I posted an exposure series a few years back when Ektar was still new. What was clear was that weird reds and magenta cast are quite possibly part of the mix with poor exposure.


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06-01-2012, 01:28 PM   #7049
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This was shot using my Pentax 67 with my 90/2.8 leaf shutter lens mounted in reverse directly to the body via the 67mm reverse adapter. Film used was original expired Fujichrome Velvia RVP and exposure was 15 seconds at f/16 IIRC.


06-01-2012, 02:32 PM   #7050
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QuoteOriginally posted by Swift1 Quote
This was shot using my Pentax 67 with my 90/2.8 leaf shutter lens mounted in reverse directly to the body via the 67mm reverse adapter. Film used was original expired Fujichrome Velvia RVP and exposure was 15 seconds at f/16 IIRC.
Glorious. I assume the leaf shutter doesn't work back-to-front. I must save up for a 67...

K.
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