New Kodak Ektar 100 vs Kodak 100 Ultra Color

by EveNSteve

Kodak Ektar 100

This is part 2 of my review of the new Kodak Ektar 100 film- click HERE to read part one. In this test I decided to compare the same scene photographed side by side, one shot with the new Kodak Ektar 100 and one with Kodak 100UC.

Test Specifications:

Camera: 2 Olympus XA cameras both just calibrated and shot at F8, focused at infinity.

Film: Kodak Ektar 100 rated at box speed (100) and Kodak 100UC also rated at box speed (100).

kodak100ucboxScanned on an Imacon scanner (dry) at 3000 PPI so around a 68MB 16 Bit RGB file.

Color Space: sRGB

No sharpening applied in the scan or in Photoshop. All scanner settings were set for Standard RGB Negative with full auto applied.

In Photoshop only AUTO settings were used (levels, contrast and color)- no additional image manipulation was applied. Test files were then down sampled to 8 Bit and reduced to 10″ x 6.5″ for faster download- saved as a JPEG, Level 10.

Please only download the sample files if you have a high speed internet connection as they are around 3MB each compressed.

Kodak Ektar 100 Film TestKodak Ultra Color 100 Film TestMy Thoughts:

The Kodak 100 UC has a better exposure latitude, especially at box speed than Ektar 100 does but the grain is a bit more pronounced and the color is somewhat muted whereas the new Kodak Ektar 100 at box speed is a bit thin but has nice saturated colors and somewhat finer grain. Exposing the new Kodak Ektar at an EI of 50/ 64 will make this film very hard to beat.

Overall both films are quite nice but I tend to like the look of the Ektar best, especially when exposed at an EI of 50/ 64. I find scanning the new Kodak Ektar film quite easy and possible enlargements from a good sharp capture lens and a good quality scanner with a bit of work in Photoshop can produce some amazing quality prints even at sizes up to say 20″ x 30″… remember this is 35mm!

Note: If you want to try this film be sure to rate it at an EI of  50/ 64 otherwise your shadows will be thin and you will not be seeing all that is possible from this new offering. Yes, I like this film!

Please note that the sample files are for personal use only and are Copyright Stephen Schaub, 2009.

Olympus XA vs LOMO LCA and LCA Plus

by EveNSteve

Please watch this video first for a discussion on the pros and cons of the Olympus XA vs the LOMO LCA and LCA+. Please note that the video is of high quality and may take a few seconds to load depending on your connection speed.

Comparison Images:

lca

xaxaschaubprocess

General Info: All test images were shot at F 2.8 on Kodak TX, processed in Diafine Developer, scanned on an Imacon with no sharpening applied, natural light. Please be sure to click on the images to see them larger.

LCA: Notice the general soft focus/ appearance…I shot this image 10 times and this was the sharpest. I changed my lens to subject distance and I changed my zone focus setting but in the end this was the best. It is not real sharp but does have a nice soft visual quality with some subtle vignetting.

XA: Very sharp at the point of focus (glasses)… and this sharpness is at F 2.8!  The XA achieves its best sharpness around F 5.6 – F 8. The OOF (out of focus) quality is nice in the background and general illumination is pretty good edge to edge.

XA+: This is the same negative as the XA sample image above with the addition of a bit of a vignette and a bit of a general surface blur applied in Photoshop…I feel this hits the mark perfectly for my visual needs.

Useful Links:

Olympus XA Info

LOMO LCA Info

Olympus XA Repair/ Service

A New Eden – Artworks by yours truly made on the LCA and XA (the new XA artworks can be found on the home page). This overlapping negative technique is possible with both the XA and the LCA and it the subject of a future post here on the Figital Revolution…stay tuned!

Notes: The Olympus XA came in other later versions such as the XA 1, XA 2, XA 3 and the XA 4 all of which are Zone Focus cameras. My favorite and the most collected and used is the original XA followed by the XA 4.

Final Thoughts: I will be posting additional articles regarding the XA with info on fill flash, long bulb exposures and additional tips and techniques in the coming weeks so again stay tuned!

Viva la Revolution- Stephen

UPDATE: I was wrong on the current price of the Lomo LCA+…it is not $199 US as I state in the video but rather $250 US…the XA is now a real bargain!

Suggestions from the Revolution!

by EveNSteve

I’m planning on adding ocassional posts this next year of books, audio and video which I feel my fellow figital photographers might find useful. Here are my first two suggestions:

Till The Cows Come Home by Dan Nelken

Till The Cows Come Home Cover

I’ve known Dan Nelken for several years both as a photographer and as an artist we represented at Indian Hill Gallery. His new book, Till The Cows Come Home features images from his long-running documentation of the rural American county fair, and is a fantastic and beautiful find in the often uninspiring world of photographic book publishing. One version of this body of work constituted a very popular show held here at Indian Hill Gallery back in 2003-you know, waaaay back when! Eve and I are delighted to see this deserving body of work in print. Congratulations Dan!!

Click to buy on Amazon.

My second selection is (drum roll please): 

How Art Made the World: The Epic Story of How Humans Made Art and Art Made Us Human – NIGEL SPIVEY

hamAn amazing TV series currently running on PBS…a must watch. Each episode is a fascinating look at Art throughout history and its importance to the development of the human being. LIFE=ART, ART=LIFE!

Click here to visit the web site on PBS.

The Figital Revolution 2009!

by EveNSteve

I’m back from a bit of a holiday break and ready for 2009 or to quote the President-elect: Rested and Ready! I am currently working on several articles to be posted in the coming weeks on the following topics:

  • Alternative methods for finishing/ displaying artwork
  • Online artworks sales, what works and what does not!
  • Kodak Ektar Film Test, Part 2.
  • High Resolution Films in Diafine, Part 2.
  • Lomo LCA Part 2
  • Lomo LCA and Olympus XA, which one and why?!
  • Art Museums and the Photographic Filler Show

I’d like to also announce that I will be in Italy (which doesn’t suck) in Feb 09 for 2 weeks for a bit of photography and to finalize a workshop I will teach next fall on Alternative Photographic Techniques. If you live in Rome or near Manciano, which is in Tuscany, send me an email and maybe we could meet for  a cup of espresso and photographic conversation (after all- you can never have too much of either.)

I’d also like to announce that in 2008 the Figital Revolution received over (drumroll please…) 120,000 hits! That is amazing! AND something I hope we can equal or beat in 2009… conversation is very important in these difficult transitional times within our medium.

Cheers and lets hope 2009 is waaaay better than 2008! – Stephen

 

Happy Holidays

by EveNSteve

Just a quick note to wish everyone a safe and peaceful holiday season filled with lots and lots of great photography or at least the best you can do with Aunt Betsy and Uncle Fred! 

My very best and of course, Viva la Revolution!
Stephen

Top 5 Digital Papers for 2008

by EveNSteve

AudioBlog LogoThis audiobog features my thoughts on the best digital printing papers for 2008. Some of these papers have been around for a while but this list gives reasons for why I selected them, thoughts on paper technologies and where should the paper industry go from here. Give a listen!

Diana Camera Film Loading Tip and Technique

by EveNSteve

Have you ever finished shooting a roll of 120mm  film in a Diana F+ Camera only to find the roll very loose (light leaks, anyone?) …I’m all for some light leaks now and then- part of the fun with the Diana- but a loose roll that was NOT intentional can be a real problem! Here is a super quick video blog on how to load 120mm film in a Diana F+ camera and KEEP the film spool tight! This video demonstrates a modification to the film tabs that has proven very successful in over 100+ rolls of 120mm  film pushed through my own Dianas!

Please note the video is high quality so it may take a few seconds to load.

Viva la Revolution- Stephen

Shoot Diana Exposure Calculator

by EveNSteve

shootdianalogo

Shoot Diana on the 35mm back

As many of you know I have been working with the Diana F+ camera for some time now for my new series of artworks, A New Eden. In the course of making these works I have spent considerable time working out what I feel is a fast reliable exposure system for the Diana Camera and I have now decided to share the results…(drumroll please)… may I present the Shoot Diana Exposure Calculator. Each chart is a premium vinyl adhesive sticker that can be attached to your camera back or the top of the Diana flash and provides easy to read information for a vast variety of shooting situations for both ISO 100 and 400 speed films.

The Shoot Diana Exposure Calculator differs from the FREE exposure calculator I posted a few days ago, in that it gives the required number of shutter clicks at “N” (1/60th) on the Diana to make the correct exposure for each situation AND it becomes part of your camera (see photo) so there is no way to lose it or forget to put it in your bag… Oh, and did I forget to mention that it is really cheap? Christmas is coming, people!

For more information please visit www.shootdiana.com

or just click here.