This is my favorite song quote from the 1975 Diana Ross film Mahogany. It says a lot about my current situation.
As you can see I’m still using a walker. And as it turns out, I will soon be having surgery on my right knee; a total knee replacement. Hopefully my recent fall on my left knee will not require additional surgery.
Sorry that I missed my August posting, I’ve been very distracted due to my continuing health issues. I also have an update on my vision. I am now legally blind, but with my husband’s help I am able to continue to blog. The proton beam radiation treatment for my tumor has damaged my optic nerves, leaving partial degraded vision in the right side and no vision in the left. As you can guess, this has made photography challenging, but not impossible. I persevere! I have even heard of blind photographers. I will have to investigate their work.
While I was at the Mayo Clinic last Fall, some of my neighbors decided that I needed a more accessible Front Entrance:
At first I thought how wonderful my neighbors are! But I felt that perhaps my mom-in-law and my neighbor from across the street (whose husband designed and organized the Project) might need it more that me, But with recent snows that we had I learned to appreciate my hsnd rsils. Sometimes other people know what you need before you recognize what you need!
Continuing with the Showdown that I started a few days ago. I’ve been using E100 over a year. I’m midway in a film showdown between Kodak E100 vs Fuji Velvia 50. I had always preferred Kodak in the past, however, after some 35 mm experiences last year I had doubts. I had always used E100GX, a warm toned film of the old generation. The new film was based on a colder version E100G. But to be fair, I decided to do some formal color test comparison. This is Part, I am comparing four images of the Owl Mural made with four different films: E100, Velvia 50, Portra 400 and Lomo 800. For the direct comparison of the E-6 films I used my Mamiya-7’s; the Portra was exposed using a Mamiya-6; and the Lomo 800 was exposed using a Diana F+, for the Frugal Film Project.
First I’ll show them in pairs, then break down my critique of each one. Naturally I have selected my personal favorite for the Header image above.
Lomo 800
Portra 400
Left: Lomo 800; Right: Portra 400. I made no adjustments for tone or contrast; only cropping to make them comparable in size. All of the image were exposed on overcast days. The first comment I can make is that both C-41 films are truer to the actual mural colors. The Portra 400 has a richer color tone which I would expect for the lower ISO film. But you have to admit that the Lomo 800 is very good, especially since it was exposed using a plastic camera. The winner here is Kodak Portra 400:
Portra 400
Now for the main event, E100 (left) vs Velvia 50 (right):
Kodak E100
Fuji Velvia 50
As one would expect, the E-6 films have a more saturated color. Not quite a natural representation. But in my lifetime experience with film (going back to childhood) I’ve mostly shot E-6. As a field scientist back in the pre-PowerPoint days, I needed to show my information in slide presentations. So that meant E-6 films. In my earlier professional days I used ECN films. When that was discontinued I switched to Kodak E100GX.
If you read my earlier experiences with E100, you’ll be able to decide which one I prefer. I simply find the E100 too cold. So the Winner here is, Fuji Velvia 50. I enjoy the richer and brighter blues and purples……
Fuji Velvia 50
So these are my two favorites. I can accept either one depending on what I am trying to demonstrate. Which one do you prefer?
Portra 400
Fuji Velvia 50
Stay tuned, right now I am continuing the side-by-side testing of these films as my Mamiya 645’s take a tour of my flower and vegetable gardens. I’m going to give E100 every possible chance to show me something that I’ll like.
And I may do a follow-up Road-Trip landscape comparison. In that case, I’ll see if a warming filter makes me feel better about the new Kodak E100.
But I like the Light Space and Time Gallery………I think that they are Fair, so I’ll Keep supporting them. Check it out and consider sending something in.
