Velvia 100 vs Provia 100F

Thingy · Post by **Thingy** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 3:35 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I know this is a silly question, but could someone tell me the relative merits of each film for landscape work? I am asking as I am wondering whether to buy a box of Provia QL but am not sure if it offers any advantages over Velvia 100 or Velvia 50, for that matter.

Post by **Joanna Carter** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 3:42 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Thingy wrote:I know this is a silly question, but could someone tell me the relative merits of each film for landscape work? I am asking as I am wondering whether to buy a box of Provia QL but am not sure if it offers any advantages over Velvia 100 or Velvia 50, for that matter.

Provia 100F is a good general purpose film with a bit more exposure range than Velvia 100. It doesn't have the same saturation or colour fidelity, being a little warmer, but perfectly acceptable. It's a case of what appearance you want for your transparencies.

Dave Tolcher · Post by **Dave Tolcher** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 4:00 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

A difficult one as what a film can do you for you is largely personal and subjective. However I think the merits of having provia in the bag are clear. My own thought process and rationale is as follows:

I use velvia 50 when I can. I principally use the slide to scan, never print direct. Factors determining - contast range and total ev range (cant grad back in effectively). Three minor factors 1) red dawns where velvia 50 is a 'no' and velvia 100 a 'no no no' due to the bias to red. 2) Reciprocity - if it starts to get silly (>1 min total) then I tend not to use Velvia 50. 3) Colour balance - if I want the provia coolness I will use it. Provia is more forgiving in scanning shadows/dark areas.

2nd choice provia 100. If I cant hold the ev range to 4 stops but can fit in 5. Very red dawns or liklehood of blocked up shadows I will use provia.

3rd choice 160S if I am really desperate for EV range or rarely want what neg film offers in softness.

When Velvia 100 came out I did extensive testing and although it was a great film most of the time when I used it at pre dawn it went horrible pulling the reds out in a way that couldnt be corrected digitally post processing. I have not used it since. I would prefer Astia as an alternative to provia but just as I got to like it you cant buy it easily in the Uk anymore.....

To sum up - there are shots I just couldnt have taken without provia in the bag but it is a <20% film for me. There are shots I couldnt scan unless I used provia. As such I always carry it in the bag.

Thingy · Post by **Thingy** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 4:26 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Thanks Joanna & Dave. Presumably buying some Astia QL film from B&H would be a better bet then?

Post by **Joanna Carter** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 4:35 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

davejt3 wrote:When Velvia 100 came out I did extensive testing and although it was a great film most of the time when I used it at pre dawn it went horrible pulling the reds out in a way that couldnt be corrected digitally post processing

Velvia 100 is renowned for its strong rendition of primary colours; Fuji actually recommend a 2C UV filter to help with that, and I can attest that it does work quite well.

davejt3 wrote:I have not used it since. I would prefer Astia as an alternative to provia but just as I got to like it you cant buy it easily in the Uk anymore.....

Yup, good old Fuji UK, don't know a good thing when they see it; I think I just about cleaned Robert White out when I saw it being discontinued. If we can arrange it, as a group, I'm sure it would be worthwhile getting a full case from Badger Graphic.

Post by **Joanna Carter** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 4:43 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Thingy wrote:Presumably buying some Astia QL film from B&H would be a better bet then?

Steve, Badger are just a tad cheaper and they did tell me that they would be prepared to negotiate on price for a whole case.

Thingy · Post by **Thingy** » Fri Jun 05, 2009 4:49 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Joanna Carter wrote:
Thingy wrote:Presumably buying some Astia QL film from B&H would be a better bet then?
Steve, Badger are just a tad cheaper and they did tell me that they would be prepared to negotiate on price for a whole case.

I would like to buy a couple, possibly 3 boxes... but a case is too much.

timparkin · Post by **timparkin** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 9:22 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Before you do, I took a lot of comparisons between velvia, provia and astia in Northumberland and will be posting a blog entry about it next weekend - here is a sneak preview.. I don't think I'll be buying another batch as I can get better results (or at least more appropriate colours for the results I want) with Provia... This picture was taken in Budle bay and I've upped the curves on the left and bottom to demonstrate the magenta cast in the shadows to complement the yellow/cyan cast in the highlights

Post by **Joanna Carter** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 9:53 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

timparkin wrote:This picture was taken in Budle bay and I've upped the curves on the left and bottom to demonstrate the magenta cast in the shadows to complement the yellow/cyan cast in the highlights

Don't know what you're doing Tim but I don't get such problems. Is this cast on the trannie, or is it only noticeable in the scans?

timparkin · Post by **timparkin** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 3:47 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

They are pretty good represenations of the tranny.. I've got the same result on multiple pictures so if it's not the film then it must be Peak Imaging screwing up..

Have you got any a/b comparisons?

Tim

Post by **Joanna Carter** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 9:13 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

timparkin wrote:They are pretty good represenations of the tranny.. I've got the same result on multiple pictures so if it's not the film then it must be Peak Imaging screwing up..

Have you got any a/b comparisons?

Sounds like the pH of the developer. I'm on my way to France to organise a workshop for the Autumn at the minute, I'll dig something out when I get back.

timparkin · Post by **timparkin** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 9:22 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

I'd be surprised if all of Peak Imaging's results were bad (but not overly surprised). I'll do more tests and send them off to NPS (Joe Cornish's lab) and also to one recommended by you... Who do you think I should use?

Tim

p.s. I've got multiple comparison which all show the same results.. I'd also be slightly surprised if my Astia were developed in different batch than my Velvia being as they all were part of the same set sent off in one go?

Baxter · Post by **Baxter** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 9:36 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Tim - look at the colour of the Fujifilm data in the rebate. I found great inconsistency in this from Peak, from a pale amber to a deep reddish version... Compare the RAP with the RVP and also from previous batches.

As Joanna says, it's all the pH of the colour developer which affects this. I try to get it always the same, varying ±0.03 is fine, approaching ±0.1 and big changes are seen.

Love that shot by the way.

timparkin · Post by **timparkin** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 9:38 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Thanks Baxter... I did have a few suspicions about Peak so I shall try to take less pictures and use a better developer.

Apart from NPS (and yourself!) who would you recommend?

Tim

Baxter · Post by **Baxter** » Mon Jun 08, 2009 9:50 pm Etc/GMT-1+01:00

Well the guys at Photoworks in Bournemouth have shut their E6 processing. What about that outfit that David W uses? I'm sorry, I've rather lost the plot on who does a good job.

Recollect that BPD who do the cibas ship theirs out to someone else, Genesis in London were laughably expensive when I looked. Is there no-one in Leeds with whom you can get a relationship going? Then you can see A sheets, on light table and they will advise individual strength of push/pull etc for B sheet. That's what I did in B'mouth and learned how to get a feel for the strength needed.

What about this company?
http://ccimagingftp.com/cci/prices.html

Who did Roger Longdin use before he started DIYing?[/url]

lf-photo.org.uk

Velvia 100 vs Provia 100F

Velvia 100 vs Provia 100F

Re: Velvia 100 vs Provia 100F