Tag Archives: Kodak E100 Film

Kodak ColorPlus 200 comparison to Kodak E100 in the Cactus Garden

I decided to use Kodak Color Plus 200 for my Frugal Film Project.  However, I didn’t have the camera that I planned to use with me in Arizona.  So I did a preliminary film test using my Minolta X-700.  Here I present side by side color rendering examples from both films:

For all of these examples, Kodak E100 (@EI 125) is on the left and Kodak ColorPlus 200 is on the right.

Here I don’t think I’m showing precisely the same orange cactus flower; but it gives you an idea.

As with my previous experience all of the E100 is colder. And we know I prefer the warmer colors…………

My Kodak E100 Experience: Hot or Cold?

I waited with baited breath, as they say, for results from early E100 Film Testing.  Always reliable, I delved into the EMULSIVE Review, which compared various exposures, by processing at EI 100, 200, 400 800.  At first glance I like the EI200 images, so I started by comparing EI 100 vs EI 200.  The Cameras, my nearly identical Minolta X-700 with Tamron 28-200 zoom lens, which I’ve used for a number of side by side film tests:

 

Two_X-700

I took a second look at the EMULSIVE results after reviewing my own tests, and can’t believe that I didn’t see the EI 200 images were colder.  Also, the example scenes were not typical subjects that I would have photographed (the exception being flowers).  I had fears about the new E100 because I new that it was based on E100G, which I had always found to be too cold.  I always used a warming filter with the old E100G.  The long gone warm tone balanced E100GX had been my favorite.

So my results, E100 @ EI 125 (following Galen Rowell’s recommendation) on the top and EI 200 on the bottom.  All of the photos are the original raw scans with no adjustments of brightness, contrast or levels and no warming filter:

E100_125_MeteredE100_200_Pushed

The Cathedral Rocks in Arizona,  I tried to get the same perspective, but there is a slight difference. Below viewed from a distance:

E100_125_Metered2E100_200_Pushed2

And zoomed in:

E100_125_Metered3E100_200_Pushed3

Note the color of the Red Rocks and the Soil.  Since I frequently shoot Red Rocks, I’d like them to have the truer Red of the EI 125 images.  Below I’m showing the EI 125 exposed a +1 stop.  It probably offers a truer color rendition:

E100_125_TrueColor

It’s probably time for me to test E100 with a warming Filter vs. Portra 400.  I’ve found Portra 400 to be an acceptable color film for my current use.  I’ve also been spoiled by the wide latitude of exposures that a C-41 film allows.  Since I mostly shoot B&W now, I’m not sure that E100 has enough zip to bring me back to E-6.  But I’ll wait on a final E100 choice after the 120 is available.  I’ll test that vs Portra 400.

Film Expertise?

I have posted this on Twitter.  But I wanted to give my followers here a chance at answering this question too.  In the future I will write an ‘article’ here on my feelings and the results of my survey.  Here it is:

How many films is it really possible to be an expert at using?

While here in Arizona, I’ve been testing various films that I hadn’t used before (e.g. Silberra, Ilford FP4, the new Kodak E100),  In most cases for B&W I use Kodak T-MAX 400 and Ilford SFX-200; for color I’ve settled on Kodak Portra 400 (pending my results for E100).  I know these films well, and I usually get the expected results.  When I experiment with new films, the results are up in the air.  Yes with my ‘expert’ films I made early mistakes but worked through it. Now I wonder if it is worth the the time to learn about MORE films or stick with what works?  So let me restate the question:

What films do you use and how many do you feel it is possible to be an expert with?  Please leave a comment or vote on Twitter @AnalogPhotoBug, and look for the future article.

Kodak T-MAX 400:

KEJohnson_Convent
The Symbol of My Journey

Kodak Portra 400:

Carhenge2

Ilford SFX-200:

CragsView2

Final Camera Kit

I love all of the cameras described here.  But it was totally unrealistic to think that I could use them all, even in three months time.  So these are the ones that made the journey………

 

 

The Mamiya 7 with 45, 50, 80 and 150 mm lenses.  The Minolta X-700 with 28-200 Tamron Adaptall lens and 50 mm macro lens.  I’ll mostly be using the 35 mm to test my Kodak E100 film.