Available Chrome Film

I need to document a work of art onto 4x5 transparency film. I used to do this type of work routinely in the 1990's. All artists kept portfolios on 35mm slides and major galleries would use 4x5 transparencies. Kodak 64T EPT has always been my film of choice for such work, but I've just noticed that it is no longer made and that Kodak does not have any transparency film listed in their catalog. Fuji Fujichrome Provia 100F looks like my only choice for doing copy work?

Any advice about how to get correct colors with 'daylight' film? Does Fuji have a definition for daylight? I know that my studio strobes are not accurate enough and that Rosco does not make a 5000k filter. I am looking at CalColor™ Flash Pack from Rosco and testing with a few rolls of 35mm to perform color tests.

Hello from France

If you intend to use 4x5" film, I'm afraid that only Fuji film is still available for color slides in 4x5".
And as far as I know, there is no longer any Fuji slide film balanced for tungsten light, except old outdated stock.
Available today, you have not only Provia 100F but also Velvia 50 and 100, but Velvia is more saturated and might not be suitable for your work.

One Fuji slide film that was well suited for flash use was ASTIA 100 F, providing less constrat than Provia, but again balanced for daylight, and unfortunately, now discontinued.
However if you find some frozen ASTIA film you could probably use it without any problem, it is standard E-6 processing.

Hence if the only 4x5" color film you can find, either fresh or old stock, is daylight balanced, and if you use tungsten illumination, you'll have to use the good old method or color converting filters, namely the WRATTEN series 80; depending on the color temperature of your source, you'll have to use one of those filters;

(quoting wikipedia)

filter# / color / f-stops / use
80A / blue 4 / 2 / 3200 K tungsten-lit scene to appear to be daylight lit, approximately 5500 K. This allows use of a daylight balanced film with tungsten lighting.

80B / blue 3 / 1+2/3 / Similar to 80A; 3400 K to 5500 K.
80C / blue 2 / 1 / Similar to 80A; 3800 K to 5500 K. Typically used so that old-style flashbulbs can be used on a daylight film.
80D / blue 1.5 / 1/3 / Similar to 80A; 4200 K to 5500 K.
(end of quote)


Since fewer and fewer people use those filters nowadays, you can find them at bargain prices when dealers want to get rid of them!

Good luck!


P.S. if you want to use 120 rollfilm, for 6x6, 6x7 or 6x9 images [OFF-TOPIC on this LF forum], the situation in terms of color slide film availability as of 2016-04 is almost the same, only few Fuji films are still available, plus some stock of AGFA aerial film named Aviphot Chrome 200; packaged and sold under the brand ROLLEI CR 200.

In Italy, an enthusiastic group of people is trying to re-live Ferrania slide film: so far only few samples have been delivered, the machinery to re-start fabrication even at a small industrial scale is not yet ready; but if the project is successful, 4x5" color slide film might be available.

provia, that's it. Daylight is almost always 5600 or sometimes 5500k.
Lee, GAM, as well as others make all the lighting gels you could ever want.

In place of photoflood bulbs you could try the high light-quality CFL bulbs (5000 - 5500K) used in continuous light-sources. The smaller ones, as might be used in a copy-stand, often have an ES thread the same as photoflood bulbs. It may be that you were previously using hotlights which weren't photoflood, in which case some new lamp-holders would be needed. That would at least make the copy stand a cooler environment, and reduce the amount of filtration needed.

Alternatively, consider the purpose for which the transparencies are required. It may well be, unfortunately, that film is no longer the top choice for commercial reproduction work compared with a quarter of a century ago. The film would need further handling/scanning/filtering for reproduction so perhaps a negative film would do the job, when you have a colour-chart in shot for balancing the scan. In that case, look at Ektar.

If you're after more of an Astia look than a Provia look then try rating Provia at ISO50 and getting it pull processed.

The current Provia pulls poorly compared to its predecessors; and if you pull too much you'll get highlight crossover. It never will become Astia.

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Originally Posted by MartinP

In place of photoflood bulbs you could try the high light-quality CFL bulbs (5000 - 5500K) used in continuous light-sources. The smaller ones, as might be used in a copy-stand, often have an ES thread the same as photoflood bulbs. It may be that you were previously using hotlights which weren't photoflood, in which case some new lamp-holders would be needed. That would at least make the copy stand a cooler environment, and reduce the amount of filtration needed.

Alternatively, consider the purpose for which the transparencies are required. It may well be, unfortunately, that film is no longer the top choice for commercial reproduction work compared with a quarter of a century ago. The film would need further handling/scanning/filtering for reproduction so perhaps a negative film would do the job, when you have a colour-chart in shot for balancing the scan. In that case, look at Ektar.

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I certainly agree that IMHO it is hard to justify E-6 instead of digital for reproduction this day in age. Yes when printing required color separation negs to be made with large process cameras. You needed immense perfectly exposed 8x10 Ektachrome .

Cinema has always shot negative film, you can do so much more to control. But you can buy DSLRS that are perfect, can adjust to any light temperature on the fly or post production in Raw files. No hot lights, cool led lighting, no flash meters.

I will admit though that from a record standpoint nothing beats film, the most important images digital or film are converted to high definition color separation negatives each color channel preserved as a silver image on a polyester base black and white film for safe keeping..

You are forgetting about fun.

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Originally Posted by EdoNork

You are forgetting about fun.

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Oh fun! You bet. I love shooting E-6. It's so much fun to develop. I still shoot 5 or 6 rolls of 6x6 Fujichrome every fall, mount the good ones and dazzle my wife and friends that are so use to looking at a computer.
You have to know what you are doing, experience counts.
First time I developed Ektachrome, I was determined to be a professional lab man. I was in 9th grade, probably 1970. I wasn't gonna get ripped off with some E-4 hobby kit. So I had a fellow order me E-3 institutional size. I was using 1/2 gallon Mason jars for bottles, with the big screw on lids with rubber gaskets. Had a photoflood for reversal exposure. I'm lucky I didn't gas my self. I will never forget when I took the film off my Paterson reel. Looked all milky and blue, but then I held it up to the light and holy cow the color!

The ascetic of analog photography is a overwhelming blast to the senses especially in the darkroom. The smells, hot and cold, the feel of film and paper, the amazing shades of black and white, the blast of color. And it's so much work and requires so many different skills to pull it off.
Yep, FUN!
Best regards Mike

You might be able to find some of what you used to use frozen somewhere.