Fuji Velvia or Provia for portraits?

[faberryman]

Who uses slide film for portraiture is probably a refined photographer, a perfectionist, and somebody in love with beauty.

And who doesn't plan on viewing them anywhere other than on a light box.

[erian]

I shot a human being on a slide film about 10 year ago last time. Ektachrome gave good results. Well it is not available anymore (or yet) and what will be produced will be VS (very saturated) version of it.

About modern films, Let There Be Film compares different current films for the portraiture.

Last two are Provia 100F and Velvia 100. These appear much colder than negative films. It might be partially caused by the change in light.

Velvia 100 is looks really weird. Provia 100F brings up the skin texture. Perhaps not the most desired feature.

If I had to choose then I would try Provia with a warming filter and would slightly overexpose perhaps.

[koraks]

Last two are Provia 100F and Velvia 100. These appear much colder than negative films. It might be partially caused by the change in light.

Velvia 100 is looks really weird. Provia 100F brings up the skin texture. Perhaps not the most desired feature.

If you look at the background, it becomes very obvious that the Provia and Velvia shots were made in different lighting conditions compared to the preceding ones. Also see the light on the model's arm. The Provia and Velvia shots were made in overcast weather or, more likely, when the sun had just dropped below the horizon. This makes the comparison entirely worthless for this purpose. Velvia 100 does NOT give a cold color rendition; very much the opposite. The only thing this comparison shows is that the person who set it up didn't care about accuracy of the test in any way.

[Pere Casals]

And who doesn't plan on viewing them anywhere other than on a light box.

Well, sometimes slides are a personal treasure. If it is a Velvia 50 8x10 one may remember very well how it was shot, every detail in the image, and were it is stored. It is something one proudly shows to family and friends.

Also slides can be uploaded and shared: https://www.flickr.com/photos/dkimg/18467890604/sizes/l

But sadly today's monitors are not able to display that beauty.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

In that case a lot of light came from blue sky, so blue histo expansion is due to the effective color temperature...

I've not tested it yet, but I'd like see how the Hoya Portrait filter works.

Attachment 178588

https://hoyafilterusa.com/product/hoya-portrait/

"The Hoya Portrait filter is a subtle didymium filter who’s glass has been formulated to enhance pink and reduces both yellow and orange to make human skin tones more vivid and clear. Combination use with HD3 UV (0) is ideal when shooting under fine blue skies...."

Blue skies can do that, but when it is the least dominant portion of the scene it should not dominate. And when I compare the same scene from my digital camera the blue shift is not there. I have noticed this with negative film as well. It could also be me not getting exposure right as well.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Well, I have both provia 100F and velvia 100 Professional RVP, Portra 160 and Extar 100. Once my filters get here I can shoot a coiple frames of each, 1 without filter and 1 with for comparisons. I am also going to shoot Tmax 100 and Acros 100 as well. See which I prefer for portraits (may be neither). There are a lot of bw films to choose from. Used Ilford D100 seemed soft with little contrast, again, that could be me not getting exposure right.

So wish I could do this full time! Portraits, landscapes, architecture fine art and all the developing and printing etc.

[erian]

I am also going to shoot Tmax 100 and Acros 100 as well.

I hope you do not fall in love with Acros. It is discontinued.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I hope you do not fall in love with Acros. It is discontinued.

I am sure I will. I have 100 sheets and I buy it whenever I find it.

[interneg]

Well, I have both provia 100F and velvia 100 Professional RVP, Portra 160 and Extar 100. Once my filters get here I can shoot a coiple frames of each, 1 without filter and 1 with for comparisons. I am also going to shoot Tmax 100 and Acros 100 as well. See which I prefer for portraits (may be neither). There are a lot of bw films to choose from. Used Ilford D100 seemed soft with little contrast, again, that could be me not getting exposure right.

So wish I could do this full time! Portraits, landscapes, architecture fine art and all the developing and printing etc.

The 'problem' you describe with Delta 100 is operator error. Likely one or a combination of poor exposure, processing or scanning decisions. Making judgements about the suitability of a film off such fundamentally flawed 'tests' is not a good idea. Same with the colour balance issues you describe upthread - are you looking at the transparency film on a daylight balanced lightbox, or just scanning it straight in? Most current colour neg films are pretty neutral in colour balance, & 'wrong' colour is more likely a result of processing (or more likely) bad scanning. Solve these problems & your comparisons will be much more meaningful & useful to you.

[faberryman]

I'd be much more worried about portrait technique than which film to use. If not natural light, what lighting equipment are you considering? Not that film choice is unimportant.