Current Color films for LF night photography

[grafnik]

Thanks again for your input Thomas...it is appreciated. It was also about that time that I had found an Olympus OM-10 at a pawn shop and through some bracketing (though I didn't know it was called that at the time) I nailed a good shot of the comet from my window in Colorado. Two divorces later and I've got no evidence it ever happened other than a memory that still seems to serve me well no matter how many lumps the brain case has had. I'll just say click here and you'll get an idea of the composition I'm looking to get. Since the attention of the viewer will be more focused on the AB, then the motion required (in this shot its the traffic) only need be minimal at best. This project requires us to set a theme of sorts, and since I'm quite unsure about getting up to Norway to get this shot of the AB, then my theme is motion at night. I should also add that I'm trying to keep this project all film...more specifically, all the same film, but as stated before, I will be carrying three cameras with me. My LF, a MF, and my dSLR. All cameras will be used for every location so that I have backups of backups. Obviously, the best image will win the day for each location no matter the format used. All the other locations shouldn't be such a worry for the extended times...its just this AB question that has me doing cartwheels in my head.

[tgtaylor]

I looked but couldn't find anything on shooting the AB in my copy of Wide-Field Astrophotography by Robert Reeves. I did a quick google search and from what I found a 30 second exposure should do it (you will probably get a reading with a spot meter). Provia will handle that with no sweat and I think that it wouldn't be a problem with color negative as well. The advantage of the latter is it's dynamic range and ease and low costs of making prints.

[grafnik]

One of the advantages of being a student at this college is that they do have the facilities to do large prints from scans, so the costs of prints are not being considered too much. It has been a small hope of mine, that since there were no size requirements on the final output, that I could use the developed film as a slide, being backlit by an EL panel. Now the costs of the EL panel will be more than I care to contemplate at the moment, but if needs be, then prints will do.

...Provia will handle that with no sweat...

Just to clarify...this is the Provia 100F (RDP-III)? Having looked through some sites where people have shown examples with the same camera I have, I have to say that the color rendering of the film is something to admire.

Just did another search in Google and there are a few LF images using Provia with 30s exposures, but most had a very fast lens. My lens is f/4.7 and although I think I may be able to get a lens between now and then, its going to play hell with my finances...and my marriage....oh well...the shot must be made.

[tgtaylor]

Instead of purchasing a lens, you may be able to borrow or rent one for the project.

If you will be shooting 120 roll film, Provia is also available in a 400 speed (Provia 400X, RXP) with excellent reciprocity characteristics: zero compensation for exposures up to one minute, 1/2 stop at 2 minutes, and 1 stop at 4 to 8 minutes out. The 100 speed version is 100F, RDPIII.

[Ivan J. Eberle]

Grafnik,

I've got the Wollensak Raptar 135mm f/4.7 equivalent lens to what the you have on your Crown Graphic. It's a Tessar design that only gets well corrected for aberrations at f/22. It's not even close to apochromatic. Wide open or nearly so-- especially with point sources of light like stars-- it won't focus all the colors in the same plane and will have noticeable coma distortions. Stopped down to f/22 will prove handicapping for night photography (complicating greatly reciprocity failure compensation calculations).

You're going to want to find a lens with much better wide-open performance than a Tessar design. If you're patient you might find an excellent 135mm, 150mm or 210mm f/5.6 Plasmat like a Rodenstock Sironar N (also branded as a Caltar IIN) for not too much money. They're common student lenses that frequently come up for sale used with not much abuse or wear.

For auroras, I'd go for the 135mm as it will take in more sky. With auroras dancing across the sky (like with meteors) you can't precisely predict where in the sky you'll get a breakout so you need to frame loosely. Even 135mm is still not very wide, equivalent to a 40mm lens in 35mm format.

[Ivan J. Eberle]

I'll suggest you might also experiment with the new version of Portra 400. The subject brightness range in aurora shots with landscape elements might be extreme and you'll need neg film for that. (Pushing transparency film makes it even contrastier.)

[Noah A]

I haven't shot much night work lately, but a few years ago I did a project involving the light spilling into the sky from cities, shopping malls, etc. I don't have the photos on my website right now but you can see some small ones here:

http://www.jenbekmanprojects.com/art...oah-addis.html

I used Portra 160NC with some 400NC mixed in for good measure (mostly it depended on what I had loaded into holders when I saw something to shoot).

I shot the project on 8x10 with a 240 Apo-Sironar S and I often shot at larger apertures like f/8-11 to keep the shutter speeds manageable. From what I remember they ranged from 10 seconds to about a minute. I didn't have anything in the frame other than the sky, so sharpness and depth of field were not really worth worrying about. I used a DSLR to meter and preview the images.

While you wouldn't want to shoot wide open or at large apertures with some older lenses since they may perform poorly, you also may not need to worry too much about depth of field. So as suggested above, a modern plasmat (which is what my 240 was) should do nicely. Any of the relatively modern 135-210mm lenses should do fine at large apertures depending on the angle of view you need. (Keep in mind that the large apertures I'm talking about for a 4x5 are f/5.6-11). The last thing you want is a superfast lens that needs to be shot at f/22 for decent sharpness.

The negative films have a lot of latitude and might work well if you're not tied to the transparency display idea. You might want to at least shoot a test to see if they work for you.

The new Portra 400 pro might be perfect, though I can't say for sure since I've never tried it for longer exposures. Just shot my first sheets of it today actually.

[grafnik]

I think I've located a few of the lenses mentioned, but tbh I really don't want to have to get a lens that will nearly cost the same amount as this camera...for just one shot. If it were the whole reason for the project, then that would probably be acceptable.

I ordered some film online yesterday and it should arrive later today. I got 25 sheets of Ilford Delta 100 b/w (4x5) to get going with some exposures...assuming my dark slides ever get here, and three rolls of Fuji 120 film. Two slide and one print. Provia 400X, 100F, and Pro 400H respectively. The idea here is to take the college's Bronica ETRSi out and try and understand the film and what sort of output I can get from these extended shots. I had hoped to use my old but very nicely refurbed Voigtlander Bessa 1 in 6x9cm for the MF shots when I go out to do the project....but I think the lens is a Tessar design, and will assume that the inherent issues will be the same. In any case, this has opened my eyes to things I wouldn't have even considered....regarding lens types and such...oh there is so much more to learn...can't wait...Thanks again to Ivan, Thomas and Noah.

[grafnik]

....but I think the lens is a Tessar design, and will assume that the inherent issues will be the same

The Bessa has a Vaskar f/4.5 105mm, and from what I've been able to glean from the searches I've done is that it performs better a few stops in from full open, say f/11 or so. If anyone is familiar with the lens make, then please advise..thank you!

[grafnik]

Just an update to this thread as information has come to me from one of my instructors at college....he recommends that I use (get this....) Tungsten Color Slide film. Says that it doesn't suffer the same issues with RF law. Now...as you probably gathered...where in the world does one get Tungsten film anymore? Has K and F (or any other film manufacturer) got an alternative? I think I've come across a few but in 35mm...but in 4x5....not a chance.

I'm still ok with the Provia...but the new Portra 400 has me curious....has anyone had the opportunity to shoot with this yet?....and hopefully at night...