analog photography

Another Kodak Portra 400 Review

by EveNSteve

This review was passed on to me this morning and thought it would be of value to readers here on FR… his tests confirm what my posts here on FR did but he also tested the new Kodak Portra 400 at 6400 and 12,000 with very usable results… check it out:

www.twinlenslife.com

Links to articles on the New Kodak Portra 400 here on FR:

New Kodak Porta 400 Review Part 1

Kodak New Portra 400 Review Part 2: Skin Tones

Kodak New Portra 400 Review Part 3: Usable EI Range

Kodak New Portra 400 Review Part 3a: 3200!

New Kodak Portra 400 Review Part 4: Conclusion.

I have also heard that pushing the film in development for the 6400 is also quite amazing but of course requires special processing which is not available at my film processing lab… CVS or Rite Aid!

Viva la Revolution- Stephen

Something for the Holidays

by EveNSteve

The Focal Encyclopedia of Photography, Fourth Edition is a must-have for every serious photographer… period.  An earlier edition was a constant resource for me while at RIT and now this newer edition is my Xmas gift to myself this year… it is expensive but well worth it. It is quite thick and full of very useful content on just about every photographic topic imaginable from film to digital and beyond… and if the heat bills get too high this winter I can burn it to stay warm… or my wife could throw it at me to knock some sense into me or perhaps I could learn something about this wonderful medium we all love… either way it will be my constant companion for the dark winter months here in VT. Be sure to add this gem to your holiday wish-list today!

Viva la Revolution- Stephen

LINK to Amazon

New Kodak Portra 400 Review Part 4: Conclusion.

by EveNSteve

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

Kodak New Portra 400 Review Part 3a: 3200!

by EveNSteve

The last vote… each of these 400 speed films at 3200! The only light in the room is the 40 watt compact florescent in the lamp behind Eve… talk about crappy light!

All negatives were scanned on an Imacon Scanner as a 3F linear file with no sharpening… essentially a RAW scan.

All images were processed exactly the same in Photoshop. All images were captured with my Nikon FM3a and a 50mm f1.2 AI lens… in this case at F 1.2… bit slow on the shutter speed… hand held. Both files were made so the film edge would read black.

Tell every photographer you know to vote on this as the results will be very informative for our Figital community and will be covered in my fourth and final post on this review on Novemember 23, 2010… vote now!!

Vote Now!!!!

Kodak New Portra 400 Review Part 3: Usable EI Range

by EveNSteve

How low can you go!

As promised here are example images of the new Kodak Portra 400 film with a bit of a twist… you get to vote… again! There are two different films shown, both films are a 400 speed color negative material… one of them is the new Kodak Portra 400. Which do you like? These scans represent the outer edge for a 400 speed film… EI 25 and 50 as well as 1600! In the last post here on FR you are voting on EI 100 and box speed 400- if you have not voted in that post yet please do now:

https://figitalrevolution.com/2010/11/17/kodak-new-portra-400-review-part-2-skin-tones/

I will use the information gathered from both of these posts and your votes along with additional testing I am running for my final thoughts in Part 4 which will be next week.

All negatives were scanned on an Imacon Scanner as a 3F linear file with no sharpening… essentially a RAW scan.

All images were processed exactly the same in Photoshop. All images were captured with my Nikon FM3a and a 50mm f1.2 AI lens.

Tell every photographer you know to vote on this as the results will be very informative for our Figital community and will be covered in my fourth and final post on this review on Novemember 23, 2010… vote now!!

Be sure to Vote now!!!!


Kodak New Portra 400 Review Part 2: Skin Tones

by EveNSteve

As promised here are example images of the new Kodak Portra 400 film with a bit of a twist… you get to vote! There are two different films shown, both films are a 400 speed color negative material… one of them is the new Kodak Portra 400. Which do you like? Both films have two examples images provided- one at box speed and one using a popular 2 stop overexposure. I have also provided a crop detail of each image at both the 100 and 400 speed settings.

All negatives were scanned on an Imacon Scanner as a 3F linear file with no sharpening… essentially a RAW scan.

All images were processed exactly the same in Photoshop. All images were captured with my Nikon FM3a and a 50mm f1.2 AI lens.

Tell every photographer you know to vote on this as the results will be very informative for our Figital community and will be covered in my fourth and final post on this review on Novemember 23, 2010… vote now!!

So which do you like??!! Vote Now!!

New Kodak Porta 400 Review Part 1

by EveNSteve

As promised my review of the NEW Kodak Portra 400 speed film. Click on the audio button to listen to Part 1.

Technical Info on sample images below:

  • New Kodak Portra 400, 35mm.
  • Scanned on an Imacon Scanner, no sharpening applied
  • Photoshop adjustments basic to include levels and spotting.
New Kodak Portra 400, EI 400. Click for a larger image.
New Kodak Porta 400, EI 400. Click for a larger image.
New Kodak Porta 400, EI 400. 5"x 5" crop from 20" x 30".

Also here is a recent artwork of mine made using the Kodak Porta 400 and the Overlapping Frame Panoramic Technique I outlined here some time ago… but now with a tweak!… Print size up to 32″ x 90″!

Cape Cod, 2010. Copyright Stephen Schaub 2010

Viva la Revolution- Stephen

PhotoPlus 2010 Review and Why I Shoot Film Part 2

by EveNSteve

Click on the Audio link to listen to a review of PhotoPlus Expo 2010 as well as Part 2 in my series Why I Shoot Film!

Viva la Revolution- Stephen

Stuff On Display at Expo…

PhotoPlus Expo 2010... Models??
Listening to the Photo Evangelists

Why Shoot Film – Part 1

by EveNSteve

Click on the link above to listen to a 6:41 minute discussion on Why Shoot Film, Part 1.

Digital Test-Image
Film Test-Image

Please note that the test files are kinda big so if you have a slow internet connection just be patient. Also note that the different composition is due to the different aspect ratio but I tried to get at least the top and bottom about the same.

Viva la Revolution- Stephen

Scanners The Achilles Heel Part 2

by EveNSteve

Click on the audio logo to listen to a brief rant on the future of film scanners… Part 2!! As mentioned in the audio, contact Kodak and let them know you want your $500 dedicated film scanner now! Also, if you went to a photographic institution- such as RIT (Rochester Institue of Technology) or SCAD (Savannah School of Art and Design)- please send this information to them as well… this directly effects the choices their students will have as working photographers.

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!