New to color sheet film - which should I choose for my trip?

[andrewch59]

I'm not panicking yet, but we are planning an amazing trip from Australia to Canada to capture some of the most amazing landscapes on the planet. I have only ever used xray film for large format photography, and love the stuff, but for this trip I am going to have to enter uncharted waters and use colour film to capture some of those amazing colours of summer and autumn.
Does anyone have any advice on what make of 4x5 sheet film would be most suitable?
I will be using a Shen Hao with a super angulon 90mm f8, a topcor 210mm f5.6 and a Nikon nikkor 150mm f5.6, all proven to be excellent performers for xray. I will of course be taking nd, polarizing and uv filters with me.
Thankyou in advance for any advice on film choice

[Fred L]

As well as colour film, depending on where you're visiting, pick up some black and white film while you're here. I presume you'll be here in Sept/ Oct since you mention fall colours. Have u decided between negative or reversal ? I don't shoot much colour in LF but I'd be using Ektar for its saturation. If you need recommendations on labs for processing your film while here, we can help out with that as well.

Do you have an idea how long will you be here and where you'll be visiting ? Late summer and fall is a beautiful time to visit. Enjoy your trip and if it's as wonderful as my trip to Kangaroo Island, you won't want to go home

[andrewch59]

Hi Fred L and thankyou for your prompt response, we have two years of planning but we are lying here with laptops open already entranced by the amazing scenery. It looks like it could be a motorhome start at Vancouver to whistler then on to Banff and then train it to Ontario for Niagara falls.
I have no idea what the difference is between negative and reversal, sorry. I wanted a challenge when I started on LF so I used xray as it is cheap and have not ventured to use anything else.

[Ted R]

Hi Fred L and thankyou for your prompt response, we have two years of planning but we are lying here with laptops open already entranced by the amazing scenery. It looks like it could be a motorhome start at Vancouver to whistler then on to Banff and then train it to Ontario for Niagara falls.
I have no idea what the difference is between negative and reversal, sorry. I wanted a challenge when I started on LF so I used xray as it is cheap and have not ventured to use anything else.

Forgive me if you know this already but the difference is rather important. Color negative film produces negatives that are then turned into color prints either by scanning and digital printing, or by optical printing (darkroom). Reversal is another word for transparency film, positive film or color slides, the image is a positive and can be held up to the light and seen directly. Prints are made from slide film either by scanning and digital printing, or by optical printing. Slide film (positive film) has less exposure latitude than negative films, it is very unforgiving of exposure errors, it is easy to get results with empty black shadows and empty blown out highlights, whereas a color negative of the same scene is able to hold more of the highlight detail and shadow detail which are recovered in the print by image manipulation (dodging and burning or photoshop).

Before you stock up on color film give some thought to how you want to view the results (slide projection, small hardcopy prints, large hard copy prints, online etc) and how you are going to achieve these steps. Also give consideration to the matter of exposure latitude and the choice of slide (poor) or negative (better) film for your camera.

[biedron]

Hi Fred L and thankyou for your prompt response, we have two years of planning but we are lying here with laptops open already entranced by the amazing scenery. It looks like it could be a motorhome start at Vancouver to whistler then on to Banff and then train it to Ontario for Niagara falls.
I have no idea what the difference is between negative and reversal, sorry. I wanted a challenge when I started on LF so I used xray as it is cheap and have not ventured to use anything else.

If I interpret this correctly, your trip will not start for two more years? If so, you have plenty of time to learn how to shoot both color transparency and color negative film, and have fun in the process! It's not rocket science. My personal preference for landscapes is transparency film, and specifically Velvia 50, but you've got time to decide for yourself. Properly exposed Velvia 50 on a light table is a real joy. For transparency film, you'll need a spot meter, and ideally set of neutral density grad filters.

Someone else suggested you don't go on the trip without knowing how to use your film and equipment, and that is extremely sound advice.

Bob

[andrewch59]

Thank you Locutus, Ektar seems to be the choice so far with 100% score rate from both of you. Yes on a trip like this you cannot go back for a second shot, so a fairly forgiving film is required for me.

[MultiFormat Shooter]

Does anyone have any advice on what make of 4x5 sheet film would be most suitable?

Personally, I like Velvia for landscapes. If you "know how to use it," it is an amazing landscape film. Alan Brock did a video on 4x5 landscape films. He covers Velvia 50, but Velvia 100 is easier to get (at least in the USA) and is a great landscape film, as well.

[chassis]

You can't go wrong with Kodak Ektar 100 and Kodak Portra in either 160 or 400 speeds. I like the renditions of these three emulsions. These films, and C-41 color negative processing are easy to find.

[locutus]

I dont have experience with these stocks in large format, but i suppose its valid across sizes.

Ektar is absolutely great for landscape work, sharp, lowgrain and great colours while still fairly realistic.

Velvia is ofcourse incredible ifyou love super saturated high contrast look but exposing for it can be really hard with its narrow latitude, if you haven't shot much of it before and these are irreplacable shots i would not go for it.

Ektar has a very large dynamic range which allows for far more leeway in exposures and gives room for 'fix in post' if needed.

Bottom line; Ektar, recommended! :-)

[vinny]

any that you can find.
I shoot velvia mostly but I'd avoid it for a trip like this as shooting it leaves very little room for exposure error and isn't well suited for most sunny day work.