Best Color Slide Film for B&W Conversion

[Andy_5440]

I'm using fuji quickloads and would like opinions on the best color slide film (Velvia 100, Provia 100F, etc.) if I also want to scan and convert to B&W with Photoshop. Which film would give the better contrast, sharpness, etc. Thanks.

Andy

[Jack Flesher]

I like Fuji Pro 160 (neg). I expose it at ISO 100 and get excellent density. It has broader latitude, scans very well and is sharper than the E6 films, and while it has more grain than Astia, it is exceptionally fine-grained for color neg emulsions. The broad latitude is a benefit IMO since it's easier to increase contrast in a wide tonal image than it is to stretch tonality in a high contrast image.

Cheers,

[roteague]

Why not just shoot B&W and be done with it?

[Andy_5440]

Because this way I can have both a color slide and a B&W print. Why limit myself to only B&W?

Andy

[roteague]

Because this way I can have both a color slide and a B&W print. Why limit myself to only B&W?

Andy


Why not buy yourself a Ferrari and put a Prius engine in it while you are at it?

Since you are shooting QuickLoads, just get some Velvia for the transparencies and some Fuji Acros for the B&W.

[Bruce Watson]

Because this way I can have both a color slide and a B&W print. Why limit myself to only B&W?

Because it will make you a better photographer. If you can't decide when you are composing the image whether or not it's a color image or a B&W image, you don't really know what you want to accomplish IMHO.

Make a choice. Then make a print. If it doesn't work, analyze it and find out why it doesn't work and what you can do next time to make it better. If you aren't doing this, how are you going to improve?

[roteague]

Because it will make you a better photographer. If you can't decide when you are composing the image whether or not it's a color image or a B&W image, you don't really know what you want to accomplish IMHO.

Great point. I think very differently when I'm shooting B&W than when I am shooting color, and there is almost no way I would take an image with both types of film, on the same composition.

[Frank Petronio]

I respectivefully disagree -- with a digtial workflow I would be happy to shoot Porta 400NC exclusively forever, except that I like to save a few bucks and shoot HP-5 when I know I'm only going to B&W. But having to "know" and buy only one type of film is the ideal (for me.) I do a lot of work in Photoshop so I doubt anyone could identify which film the original images started from anyway.

[Eric Leppanen]

Because this way I can have both a color slide and a B&W print. Why limit myself to only B&W?

AndyRon Flickinger (www.flickinger.com) is one landscape photographer who occasionally converts some of his color chromes into B&W as you propose. But this approach can incur significant compromises as you can see here:

http://www.ronflickinger.com/photo/002/600/00263-600.jpg

The Velvia 100F film used in this example is very contrasty, and as a result he has lost most of his shadow detail in the dark areas. If you like an extremely contrasty look then this might be OK, but traditionally B&W photography takes advantage of the wide exposure latitude and contrast controls available with B&W film to render exquisite tonal separation and open, visible shadow areas.

To minimize this problem, most folks I know who shoot color film for subsequent B&W conversion use color neg film (I also like Pro 160S), which has significantly greater exposure latitude than chrome. Use of color film for B&W images does have the advantage of permitting channel mixing in Photoshop (enables simulation of various B&W color filters without actually using these filters in the field); and color neg film arguably allows you the best of both worlds: channel mixing capability with reasonably wide exposure latitude.

If you use chrome film only in low contrast situations (the "golden hour" within an hour of sunrise or sunset; overcast; etc.), then you can stay within that film's exposure latitude and produce excellent results. However, if you wish to shoot during the middle of the day, then chrome film will often produce excessively (in most folks' opinion) contrasty results, as you will have the unpleasant choice of either allowing the shadows to go black (to hold onto the highlights) or blowing out the highlights (to open up the shadows). In such cases you are much better off shooting color neg. Many color photographers carry both chrome and color neg film specifically for this purpose. Of course, if you accept carrying multiple film stocks then this raises the question again as to why you don't carry B&W film and be done with it.

If you are determined to exclusively shoot chromes, then your best bet for B&W conversion is to shoot Astia due to its relatively low contrast. However, Astia lacks the color saturation of Velvia/E100VS/etc., which you may not like, plus it is still relatively contrasty compared to color neg and B&W films. Like many things in photography, you have to pick your compromises.

[Jack Flesher]

If you are determined to exclusively shoot chromes, then your best bet for B&W conversion is to shoot Astia due to its relatively low contrast. However, Astia lacks the color saturation of Velvia/E100VS/etc., which you may not like, plus it is still relatively contrasty compared to color neg and B&W films. Like many things in photography, you have to pick your compromises.

Well said. The only saving grace of Astia (if you still insist on shooting chromes) is that you can pretty easily pump saturation in post if you need to.

Good luck,

[naturephoto1]

Well said. The only saving grace of Astia (if you still insist on shooting chromes) is that you can pretty easily pump saturation in post if you need to.

Good luck,

Astia is/was developed and intended for Portrait Photography due to its more neutral color pallet and good skin tones. When I first was testing Astia for 35mm (some of it for bird photography) soon after its introduction, my friends at Fuji Film USA suggested using the film when I needed fine grain, very sharp images under contrasty conditions where the detail and color would not block up.

Rich

[Kirk Gittings]

Is there some reason this thread is posted twice?