Why Velvia 50 was and is so well liked?

[David_Senesac]

I wonder just how much we would bother looking at photographs which were a truly accurate representation of the scene were the photo was taken. Just how much landscape photography would survive Astia? Just as with painting where you are representing the colours in often exaggerated ways for the purpose of expression, Velvia has done that for photography. A representation of the scene rather than a clinical and emotionless carbon copy of it. Artistic license?

That opinion is and has been dominant since the early 90s though is simply not true. Superb images were captured with straight color film processes usually Kodachrome for many years prior to that and people didn't complain. It was only when audiences were regularly fed a diet of amped up neon images mainly from the photography print media that such changed. Something I as an old timer have grated at and continued to produce reasonably natural images despite the reality that post process bumping up contrast and saturation often does result in a more aesthetic result. With excellent subjects in good light one can capture superb images as one can readily witness in mine and other's work with such an attitude. It is true on the other hand that many soso often muted flat subjects in modest light can be enhanced to much more aesthetic results with films as Velvia. Thus a photographer shooting Velvia has a greater potential to bring back excellent results on a wider range of outings despite weather, subject, and light. ...David Senesac

[Gene McCluney]

That opinion is and has been dominant since the early 90s though is simply not true. Superb images were captured with straight color film processes usually Kodachrome for many years prior to that and people didn't complain. It was only when audiences were regularly fed a diet of amped up neon images mainly from the photography print media that such changed.

I don't think it was so much the photography print media, rather I think it is the public getting accustomed to TELEVISION and overly saturated color therein. Television images have always been overly saturated, as the set comes from the factory. People got used to it, and then react negatively to naturally saturated images. It's just like the exaggerated one-note bass on inexpensive stereos. When you hear this all the time, and are then presented with a balanced full-range reproduction of music, it sounds thin.

[timparkin]

The assumption that any film colour can be simulated by just tweaking sliders and stuff in photoshop is flawed..

I'll give you an example that isn't necessarily true but should illuminate possibilities.

I'm using a film that responds to infrared by adding exposure at the red end of the spectrum. Let's now take a picture taken with a digital camera that doesn't respond to infra-red and see if we can 'simulate it'.. We can't! because the data from the infra red just isn't their..

Now lets posit another idea.. we've shown that light of one 'color' (IR) can influence the result in another colour (red). This could be happening at other colours - I for one see Velvia cutting through haze.. is this because of some strange response with near ultraviolet? Who knows..

The result is that a *lot* of people say that Velvia gives results that you can't get through playing with sliders... My guess is that this is a possible reason why...

Tim

[roteague]

The result is that a *lot* of people say that Velvia gives results that you can't get through playing with sliders... My guess is that this is a possible reason why...

Tim

It comes from those people that "think" Velvia is only about saturation, which it isn't. Velvia has a wonderful way of rendering subtle nuances of color. At the moment I am reading the latest issue of Natures Best Photography and I can tell right off, which are digital and which are Velvia - those who are used to the film can pick it right up.

[timparkin]

It comes from those people that "think" Velvia is only about saturation, which it isn't. Velvia has a wonderful way of rendering subtle nuances of color. At the moment I am reading the latest issue of Natures Best Photography and I can tell right off, which are digital and which are Velvia - those who are used to the film can pick it right up.

Indeed! And it's something I am starting to recognise now that I use both formats!

Tim

[Peter Galuszewski]

Given enough time you can pretty much simulate any color film on the market in PS....

Why take photos... you can simulate those in PS as well... Actually, most of what I see now-a-days is just that...

Velvia is an example of horses for courses. It does some things that no other film can do, so if you are into photography, and not data-processing, you will choose it when that effect is desired. To see said effect, purchase Velvia, decide for self.

Its really frustrating to see a bunch of grown men make sweeping generalizations and pronouncements which all add up to something akin to complaining that you could never get good results with a hammer when your job really required a screw-driver...

[Gary L. Quay]

Why is it that many of you like this film.
Ralph

Pow! Zam! Kerpow! Snap! Crackle! POP!

--Gary

[jetcode]

Why take photos... you can simulate those in PS as well... Actually, most of what I see now-a-days is just that...

Velvia is an example of horses for courses. It does some things that no other film can do, so if you are into photography, and not data-processing, you will choose it when that effect is desired. To see said effect, purchase Velvia, decide for self.

Its really frustrating to see a bunch of grown men make sweeping generalizations and pronouncements which all add up to something akin to complaining that you could never get good results with a hammer when your job really required a screw-driver...

I stand by my assessment no matter how many traditionalists think otherwise - the goal is the final image not the process and for the record PS is far more powerful than any traditional tool available which is why record numbers have made the transition

I've shot nearly every film available so I have a pretty good idea about the differences - Velvia chromes pop but perhaps bleed is a better term - given a neutral color image one can fine tune color and contrast amazingly well in PS

[roteague]

I stand by my assessment no matter how many traditionalists think otherwise - the goal is the final image not the process

Fortunately, that is just your own opinion.

[jetcode]

Fortunately, that is just your own opinion.

fortunately that is just your opinion - closed minds cannot be changed no matter how well a case is presented