Velvia 50 vs Velvia 100 vs Velvia 100F

[Valerio Trigari]

Hello Friends,

I've been reading a lot of reviews and technical data about those three reversal films and, in all honesty, I can't decide which one should I try first. I'm tempted by Velvia 100/100F because of the improved reciprocity characteristics, but that's about it.

Can you help me please?

Val

[Dave Tolcher]

One of those lovely simple questions.......

It will come down to personal preference having used them under the circumstances which you shoot. I have tried V50 & V100 but not 100F so I cant comment on it.

For me and for at least one other guy that I shoot with regularly the V100 was a complete non starter because of its red response at first dawn light. It would go completely over the top and produce an unusable and unbalancable scanned slide. For most of the rest of the time there was little difference between V50 & V100. Quite a few guys I shoot with produce excellent results and have no issues with it for their style of photography.

The only way to answer the question is to shoot with all three for a period in the light & subjects you most like to shoot.

[Valerio Trigari]

HI Dave,

thank you very for your answer. I guessed it was not an easy question, but I find it rather difficult to make a choice just by reading the technical specification of the three films...

Val

[dave_whatever]

I'd start with 50 and see how you get on. It is afterall a downright classic emulsion.

What Dave says about 100 cooking the reds is true, but other than that its fine in most situations. 100f is like velvia but with the volume turned down a bit, but still louder than just about anything else with the possible exception of E100VS (and Fortia!). 100f is particularly versatile compared to the other two if you've got skintones in shot.

[Valerio Trigari]

Hi Dave,

thanks for your suggestions as well. Is there actually a way to correct the red response? I remember reading on the tech specs that CC filters should be used with long exposures, but I'm not sure if it applies to that issue as well.

Val

[dave_whatever]

The CC thing is to reduce the supposed green cast on long exposures. I think this must be very subtle though as I've never seen it on long exposures.

[Dave Tolcher]

As Dave (!) says V100 is fine in most situations and produces excellent results except for about 10minutes at dawn/dusk. You wouldnt believe the difference in side by side tests between V50 & V100 and V50 isnt exactly noted for its accuracy under those circumstances CC filters wouldnt correct this particluar response - its more a saturation issue I think rather than a shift.

Two things on 100F - I dont know any landscape photographers who use it (which I take as a bit of a clue) and secondly it is rumoured to be slightly yellow.

[Charles Twist]

Now I don't know if my peers would call me a landscape photographer, but I use V100F for shooting flowers and details. It's very much a sensible version of V100 (it's not just the reds - the blues are quite psychedelic too). If you're learning the ropes, it's an easier film than V50 because it has a wider dynamic range and no reciprocity failure to speak of (in day to day occurences). I suspect that landscape photographers don't have much need to go to it, because V50 does such a good job in all the situations they are commonly faced with. I would argue that for close-ups where magnification leads to longer exposures, the lack of reciprocity failure is an advantage. I agree with all other comments above otherwise.

Apart from that, V100 and V100F are great films for architecture. V100F really works wonders on concrete and other surfaces with muted colours. V100 is good when you need to be aggressive with your colours: a building with primary colours or strongly contrasting colours, V100 will really scream (which is actually quite alright in drab weather). Might be useful to know as you are in London.

Joanna is a great fan of V100 but she doesn't know there is a world before 9am. She'll tell you all about its benefits and her love of the UV filter.

Regards,
Charles

[Joanna Carter]

Joanna is a great fan of V100 but she doesn't know there is a world before 9am. She'll tell you all about its benefits and her love of the UV filter.

Heheheh. Living on the west of the country gives us interesting sunsets and evening lights. Play to your strengths I say

[Valerio Trigari]

Ok, it seems that the choice of film goes down to personal preference, strangely enough I will keep in mind the issue of the red cast at dusk/dawn, and it seems I don't need to worry about CC filters on Velvia 50 with long exposures.

[...]She'll tell you all about its benefits and her love of the UV filter.

What about UV filters? I always have one stuck in front of my lenses, though it's just to protect the glass more than anything else.

Val

[Joanna Carter]

What about UV filters? I always have one stuck in front of my lenses, though it's just to protect the glass more than anything else.

Fuji recommend a 2C filter, which is a very pale yellow, at locations where you are likely to experience high UV levels, such as coastal regions or high elevations.

I have found that such a filter does make a difference to the "shouting" of primary colours at the ends of the day.

[Thingy]

Joanna is a great fan of V100 but she doesn't know there is a world before 9am.

I didn't know there was a world before 10am!

Thanks for the information on the 2C filter, Joanna. PS: Is that lighthouse suffering from Redvia-itis or did the sky really look that colour?

[Joanna Carter]

I didn't know there was a world before 10am!

Ah, a man after my own heart

Is that lighthouse suffering from Redvia-itis or did the sky really look that colour?

Nope, that is as the sky was on the evening in question

[Valerio Trigari]

Fuji recommend a 2C filter, which is a very pale yellow, at locations where you are likely to experience high UV levels, such as coastal regions or high elevations.

I have found that such a filter does make a difference to the "shouting" of primary colours at the ends of the day.

That's good to know, thanks Joanna. Does the filter make the colours less saturated then?

[Valerio Trigari]

By the way, another question just popped un in my head: what's the dynamic range of these films? I expect it to be far shorter than negatives, something in the region of 6 EV I would think.

Cheers