Viva la Revolution- Stephen

Please click on the images below to see larger versions of each.

Indian Hill Imageworks Interior Kodak Portra 160

Eve- Kodak Professional Portra 160- 50" x 71.65" Print!

16" x 20" Crop from a 50" x 71.65" File. WOW!!!

5" x 7" crop from a 50" x 71.65" file... amazing tonality and detail!

First click on the link below and read the article and look at the examples…

http://www.twinlenslife.com/2011/01/digital-vs-film-canon-5d-mark-ii-vs.html

Now here are my thoughts…

1. The film looks fantastic! The latitude is much better and I like the feeling of the film file much more.

2. The test was very good. It would have been even better if the film scan was done on a higher resolution scanner like say an Imacon. This would have also leveled the field a bit as the RAW processing done to the digital file corrects a lot (but apparently not enough) and the film image was stuck with a relatively middle of the road scan on a Fuji Frontier SP-2500. It is a shame that the scanned image had to be upsampled (due to the scanner resolution limitation) as this film has a lot of subtle detail that a higher quality scanner could have showed optically.

3. I would also like to hear their thoughts regarding a side by side print analysis say at 2 or 3 different sizes… the proof is in the print!

4. The digital wins in the high speed test but the film is still quite good.

In the end will this article sway any true blooded digital shooter to consider film…? I don’t think so, as there will be a myriad of excuses on the RAW conversion technique or other BS that really does not matter. It is a good solid test and it confirms once again the many strengths that film and the hybrid workflow provide for the working creative photographer

Viva la Revolution- Stephen

Voigtlander Ultron 40mm f/2.0 SL-II and Nikon 45mm F2.8P

New Kodak Portra 400

Click on the audio play button to listen to my final thoughts on this new film offering by Kodak.

Viva la Revolution- Stephen

Bow Not Included

After reviewing all comments regarding my previous post:

Test Drive Kodak Ektar 4×5 Now!

The box of 4×5 Kodak Ektar goes to: Leland Smith of Euless TX! I chose him for a few reasons:

1. He has experience with 4×5 film and view camera systems.

2. He has shot other 4×5 color negative material and as a result will have a good frame of reference for comparisions.

3. And at 81 years of age there has to be some wisdom to pass along…

If you want to read all comments be sure to look under both Kodak Ektar 4×5 posts as some readers posted under the first article and not the second.

Also, for clarification I do not know Mr. Smith and have never met him and my decision to “award” him this film is my choice and my choice alone.

Viva la Revolution- Stephen

• In 50 words or less in the comment section of this post tell me why you would like this box of Kodak Ektar 4” x 5” film… if you have a web project you would like me to look at for examples just post that in the comment section as well.
• On Sunday March 28, 2010 at 6PM EST I will close the “contest” and I will read all posts and decided which lucky photographer will get this box of Kodak Ektar 4” x 5” film.
• I will contact the “winner” on Sunday night to get your postal mailing address… I will pay the postage USPS Priority Mail. This contest is available to any photographer world-wide who shoots 4” x 5”.
• Once you have shot the film and processed it (afraid you have to pay for this part) all I ask is that you send in to FR a scan or two of your favorite images with a brief summary of your thoughts and I will post them here on FR!

Just for clarification… I have no relationship with Kodak and this “contest” is entirely my idea. If your photographs suck with this film I am not responsible for their suckiness. No animals, reptiles, or small household appliances were injured in the making of this “contest.” Please only send images that can be posted on FR without a mandatory visit from the FBI to my door.

I hope in the future to make this a regular thing here on FR where, once a review is completed, I can share the balance of materials for further valuable input from comrades here on FR.

Viva la Revolution- Stephen

My thanks to Don Ross in helping make this article possible.

Test image: Full size 24″ x 30″… crop represents a 4″ x 4″ section from the full size print.

Kodak Ektar 4x5 Sheet Film Test

Kodak Ektar 4x5 Detail Crop

LINK TO PART 1: Scanners The Achilles Heel

PS-Two great methods to let your voice be heard on this important topic:

Kodak CMO Jeffery Hayzlett on Twitter: @JeffreyHayzlett

Kodak Scanner Email Contact: kprodigital@kodak.com

If you can, do both!…let your voice be heard!… remember it is our medium! Please reference this article and the $500 dedicated film scanner in both your tweets and in your emails… pass this along to as many photographers as you know…if you get it as a tweet… retweet it and pass it on!

Click on the audio logo to listen to a rant on the future of film scanners. As mentioned in the audio, contact Kodak and let them know you want your $500 dedicated film scanner now!

Two great methods to let your voice be heard on this important topic:

Kodak CMO Jeffery Hayzlett on Twitter: @JeffreyHayzlett

Kodak Scanner Email Contact: kprodigital@kodak.com

If you can, do both!…let your voice be heard!… remember it is our medium! Please reference this article and the $500 dedicated film scanner in both your tweets and in your emails… pass this along to as many photographers as you know…if you get it as a tweet… retweet it and pass it on!

After reading this post remember that it is always 5 o’clock somewhere so have a stiff drink ready…

I have yet to get the “official” release from Fuji but from what I gather the following is true:

Discontinued:

Velvia 50 4×5 quickload
Velvia 100 4×5 quickload
Velvia 100F 4×5 quickload
Provia 100F 4×5 quickload
Color 160s and 160c: 35, 120, 220, 4×5, 8×10, and 4×5 quickload
Color 800z: 35mm 5pack, 120 and 220
T64 in all formats
Neopan 400 in 120

Not gone only new packaging:

Provia 100F 4×5 and 8×10 now in 20 sheet boxes
Provia 100F 120 now in 5-packs
Arcos 100 120 now in 5-packs
Arcos 100 4×5 now in 20 sheet boxes.
Velvia 50, 100, 100F 4×5 and 8×10 now in 20 sheet boxes
Velvia 50, 100, 100F now in 5-packs

From what I gather this is effective immediately. So what does this mean?… 1. get a freezer and buy a lot of what you love and 2. Support companies like Kodak as they are quickly becoming the best option for the future of film…. did I mention they just released Ektar 4×5  and 8×10 sheet film? Fuji still has many amazing films so don’t despair…

One final thought… discontinuing of certain films may be ok in the long run as I mentioned in a recent interview with Scott Sheppard
Executive Producer/Anchor of Inside Analog Radio … as there are currently too many films offered for the existing size of the film-shooting market… I suspect that this attrition process will continue until we have hit a point at which each company produces their “best” films only and  in a quanity that can be sustained financially by film-shooting photographers.

If anyone has additional info please share…