8x10 Transparency Film

[jantman]

Hello. I'm in high school (16) and fairly new to larget format - I've been shooting for a few months. I shoot in 8x10 and up until now have only done black and white because it's all I can handle price-wise and I like to develop my own film (which I can't do for any E-6 yet, let alone 8x10).

Now, autumn is on the way, the colors are going to start changing, and I DO have an apochromatic lens. But not the money.

I was wondering if there's anyone out there who would be willing to sell me a few sheets (maybe 2 or 3) of 8x10 color transparency film, preferrably ISO 100 or 50 (being that I have an unshuttered lens).

Thank You Very Much, Jason Antman

PS - At $100 a box, I could get that 14" Ektar instead.

[Mark Sampson]

Transparency film requires more accurate exposure than b/w, so working without a shutter is a less than ideal method. It will be a great experience to see an 8x10 chrome... but don't be surprised, or discouraged, if the resulsts aren't perfect.

[Ted Harris]

Jason,

You should be able to buy out-of-date but still perfectly good 8x10 transparancy film from Freestyle Photo. last time I looked they had Astia available for something like $15 a box.





If that doesn't work contact me directly and I will see what I can do. I can sell you a box of slightly out of date Agfa RSXII 100 real cheap or give you a couple of sheets.





Good luck,

Ted

[jantman]

I'll check Freestyle, thanks. But $15 a box? That sounds like 4x5 not 8x10.

I know it won't be ideal, but I'd like to try. Plus, I keep exposures around 1-2 sec (yeah, pray for no wind) and it works pretty well.

[tim atherton]

Jason,

the (good) cheap Astia is all gone...

but there is

Fuji 50D - 6.99 for 10 24.99 for 50

Fuji 100D - 7.99 for 10 28.99 for 50

under specials/clearance

You might have to test it for colour shifts (may or may not be a problem) and maybe a slight drop in speed - but at that price it's the porcessing that's going to kill ya....

(I think there was a post on here or photo.net recently about someone trying the 50?)

[Ted Harris]

Tim and Jason,

I would be very careful of the both the 50D and 100D. You should have them check the expiration date before you buy. The last time I was in Freestyle (July) I had them check the dates on their stock of both and it seemed that the dates ranged from 1991 through 1994. Even cold stored you are running a significatn risk of major color shifts and some base level fogging withfilm that old.

Tim ... guess we got the last of the Astia huh?

[jantman]

Well, RTP won't do much good for landscapes. Do you guys thing that if I order over the phone, they'd accomodate me with some new-ish film? I'd probably buy a box of 50 and take my chances with it.

Is there any easy way to compensate for the resulting M shift in the film? Can it be done with filters on the camera pre-exposure (I assume so, I'm drawing a blank at the moment).

If I buy a box of 50, I have nothing wrong with doing some preliminary tests.

This is probably the only way i'll shoot color in 8x10.

[jantman]

Well, RTP won't do much good for landscapes. Do you guys thing that if I order over the phone, they'd accomodate me with some new-ish film? I'd probably buy a box of 50 and take my chances with it.

Is there any easy way to compensate for the resulting M shift

[David A. Goldfarb]

Once you've tested the film, if there is a shift, you can use gelatin filters to compensate at the time of exposure, just like you would use a filter to compensate for color balance issues with lighting. A cheap way to do this is to tape the filters behind the lens or use a clip-on filter holder in front.

When they had the Astia, there were two batches, and I suspect the same is with the older film. If they have more than one batch you can ask them to send you whatever is the most recent.

If you're relying on a lenscap as a shutter, RTP plus an 85A filter (plus any other filter needed to adjust for color shift) might actually not be a bad choice, just to keep the speed low. I wouldn't rule it out.