astia f for landscapes?

[h2oman]

I am just starting in LF, haven't actually exposed a sheet of film yet! In my gathering of stuff I acquired some expired Fuji Astia 100F, along with some Velvia and Echtachrome 100 VS. In the latter part my 35 mm days I shot Velvia exclusively.

So my question is, are there particular situations in landscape photography for which the Astia F will be better suited? In the next few months I anticipate doing snow scenes, some very green forest scenes, and probably some just more random lanscape stuff near the ocean.

Thanks for any help you can give.

[Gordon Moat]

I have shot some E100VS for some of my beach life images, though sometimes using Astia 100F provides a nicer and more subtle final result. These are basically the only two films I use in 4x5, though I do sometimes load other films in my rollfilm holder to put on the back of my 4x5.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat Photography

[Jim Jirka]

Astia will provide some additional exposure latitude over films such as Velvia. The colors are more truer (less saturated) and the contrast is less.

[Ben Chase]

If color "accuracy" is what you're after in a transparency film, Astia is pretty tough to beat. That said, there may be situations where the effect that a Provia or Velvia gives might be what you're after. If snow scenes are in your sights, I think Astia would be a very good choice.

Like others have said, the exposure latitude of Astia is slightly more forgiving than Provia and certainly more forgiving that Velvia (especially 50 version).

Probably the best thing you could do is shoot the same scene with several different types of film to determine what look you like the best and use that as a baseline for other similar shots you may do in the future.

[Jack Flesher]

I think Astia is an excellent choice, especially if you scan and print digitally. The added latitude is always welcome, and the softer color palette can be pumped up easily in post processing.

[Carsten Wolff]

To see what Astia can do, go to QT Luongs 58 Nat. Park Project: http://www.terragalleria.com/parks/info/faqs.html
I love using Astia (It's my main LF color film in 4x5" and for 6x17 on 120. I'd dearly love to get my hands on 5x7 Astia if it were currently available!)

[Daniel Geiger]

I don't like Astia at all for landscapes here in SoCal. Greens go blue, and reddish soil colors go magenta. Absolutely horrible. When I started out, I shot the same scenes with three different films (Provia, Astia, Velvia), with bracketing 9 sheets, to see for myself. There is a bit of start-up learning curve to do. I have found that what I liked in films in 35 mm I also like in 4x5, though 4x5 gives me the flexibility to change films for each shot, but I only switch between Provia and Velvia. But there certainly is a lot of personal preference.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I generally like Astia with a slight warming filter--81A or KR1.5 with strobes or daylight--since it tends toward the cool side.

[Rory_5244]

Maybe I'm the only person on the planet with this complaint, but I hate Astia F compared to the old Astia. I thought that the original Astia was a wonderful film that leaned slightly to the 'warm' side of neutral. Astia F is definitely cooler, and I do not like how it renders greens. I'd agree with David: a warming filter certainly helps get the effect I used to remember with the old Astia. I guess it makes no difference if you are scanning and printing digitally, though.

[PViapiano]

I find that Provia needs a warming filter as well, even when shooting in full sun!