As promised here is a quick review of the new Kodak Ektar film in 120!
Click on image to see crop detail… full size image is 40″ x 40″, crop detail is a 4.5″ x 4.5″ section outlined in the above image as a white box.
Technical Stuff…
- Camera: Rollei TLR “F”
- Exposure: 1/60 at F11
- Film: Kodak Ektar 120, EI 64 (Same as my test for the 35mm version.)
- Scanned on an Imacon Scanner, dry. I did my scan using a color setup I had created for the 35mm version of this film (scanner setting all balanced to a Macbeth Color Chart in direct sun) and found that it matched perfectly when opened in Photoshop.
Color Chart Example.
- Photoshop adjustments limited to levels.
- Full Size File: 600MB at 360 DPI which equals a 40″ x 40″ Print.
- Cropped area equals a 4.5″ x 4.5″ section of the full 40″ x 40″ Print.
Conclusion… as with the 35mm version of this new film from Kodak it is hard to find something not to like… it scans quite easily, has great contrast and color, very fine grain with good sharpness. Again, I feel that it performs better in contrasty light at and EI of 64 than the box speed of 100 but that is just my opinion. Link to First Ektar Article here on FR.
ONE QUESTION… did you see the bent nail in the detail crop?… WOW!
Viva la Revolution-
Stephen
Figital Revolution 
Wow, that’s amazing. Thanks for posting this.
I was going to pick up a few rolls yesterday, but my local camera store doesn’t have it yet. I’m wondering if my Epson 4990 will do it justice.
Love that razor-tight grain.
Is it possible to get some 100% crops..?
The corp provided is a 100% crop… 4.5″ x 4.5″
Wouldn’t the 100% crop be 1620 x 1620 pixels, if I’m not mistaken here? If your scan is 40″ x 360dpi = 14400 pixels square?
1620 x 1620 would be the resolution at 360 dpi for print but for screen resolution 72 dpi… both are 4.5″ x 4.5″. The file size difference for the web is…. 307 K for 72 dpi and 7.51 MB for 360 which is just too large for most users and only valid for print.
Cheers-
Stephen
Can’t wait to use this film in my 645 camera, if i can get the same colours out of it you produce. So for my information i have to set the iso to 64 to get more colour, if i use the lightmeter?
The EI of 64 is more for exposure (shadow information)… the color is just fantastic.
Cheers-
Stephen
Stephen,
How do you create a color set up for the Imacon? Is that a profile you could share? I have a good friend with a Flextight, and I’m just embarking on a project that will be shot on the Ektar.
Thanks in advance,
Parker
You can make one by shooting with the Ektar a color chart (macbeth) and then scanning the film and setting the values to match or what give you the best overall results using the Imacon Tools… it will never be exact but try to keep the neutrality and black point and mid gray value accurate…. the other option is just to scan the neg as an RGB file and invert it in PS…. this is my current method as it is near perfect with a quick CC most of the time.
Cheers-
Stephen
I’ve shot a lot of this film through my Rolleiflex fx and have found it to be great film to use. It is indeed very sharp. I prefer the rendering of skin tones from portra 160 still though. It is surprising how the grain is more pronounced with the portrat film.
Jon Ball
Dear Sirs,
Hi,
How many F stops can you increase in Ektat 100 not compensating when you are developing?
Best regards,
Irfan
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