Originally Posted by
Drew Wiley
Simulation is not the same thing at all. The high contrast of Velvia and its specific dye formulation allows capture of certain hue subtleties which no other film can achieve. But the tradeoff is the fact that only works within a relatively narrow exposure range, and at the expense of neutrality in certain other spectral categories. The other problem is that much of its is lost in translation anyway, whether that involves scanning or some printing medium unequal to the task, almost any conventional print medium, in fact. It's kinda like comparing real ice cream to the same alleged flavor of imitation ice milk : it sorta works, and it sorta doesn't.
I did a very successful large print a few weeks ago that began with an 8x10 Velvia original, with some very subtle distinctions of early season green and other hues in it. But I had to jump through some awfully tricky hoops in order to correctly translate all that into a matching optical enlargement. It would have been well nigh impossible to resolve those vital tricky hue distinctions in something like an inkjet print. And it also meant the reproducible range of the hues I needed to precisely bag had to lie inside a third stop either at the top or at the bottom, at the time of exposure. No room for exposure error whatsoever; but the natural lighting itself was just right, at least for a few lucky seconds.
Current Ektachrome is not quite as fussy, and better balanced overall. Much better balanced than Provia. But I've made excellent prints with em all, going clear back to Ektachrome 64, Kodachrome 25, and pre-E6 Afgachrome 50. I love every one of these films, and numerous other chrome options too, but for different reasons. Don't try to beat any of them into submission. Instead, dance with em, and let them lead at their own pace. Each has their own specific personality and color signature.
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