Kodak Portra 160 film. Replaced?

[Ti29er]

I have been away all year and I think there has been an evolution in the Portra 160 asa 120 film.
Is there anyone here who has tried this new film (whatever it may be called) and can comment on it: is there any appreciable improvement over the old Portra film?
T

[Cineski]

Yes, they did.  The "New Portra" will do away with the NC and VC versions.  I've not used the old films so I can't comment as a comparison.  I was a 400 Portra nc/vc/uc user.  The new 160 film is very nice but IMO not as nice as the new Portra 400 (right between NC and VC in terms of saturation).  The latitude on the new 400 film is insane and the grain size is not that far from 160.  They also have Ektar now (not sure how long you've been away ;-), another nice 100 speed film.

[mediumcool]

According to all I have read, Ektar 100 is the best neg film ever for scanning (fine grain, sharpness and excellent colour).

[Murray Fredericks]

How does the saturation level of the new Ektar compare with Portra NC and VC and is it available in 8x10?

[mediumcool]

How does the saturation level of the new Ektar compare with Portra NC and VC and is it available in 8x10?

Um, copied and selectively pasted your question.



Try Google; it’s free!

[Murray Fredericks]

Try Google; it’s free!

Thanks for the sarcasm...

Normally a question like that is posted on a forum to engender discussion about the product and to encourage other users to share their experiences which may (and usually do) differ from those advertised by the manufacturer...

Murray

[TMARK]

Murray,

Ektar does come in 8x10, scans REALLY well, really fine grained.  Stunning, really.  I always shot 400NC and 160NC, only going for VC versions of the 160 on certain editorial portraits with strobes.  I really liked 160VC with darker skin tones, it brings out the magenta which makes a subject come alive.  I liked 400NC for its gentle tones and delicate palet.  The new Portra 400 is has lost that delicacy, in my opinion.  Saturated colors come out as garish, especially neons and deep blues.  Skin tones on Caucasians is nice.  Structuraly, it scans as well as Ektar, slightly larger grain structure but nothing you can really see.

Ektar is vibrant, rather than just satrurated.  I think its a little heavy on the reds, but it is never really OVER saturated as compared to the NC films.  As compared to VC films, Ekrar is more balanced, if that makes any sense, less, in a word, gimmicky than the VC Portras which I only used in limited circumstances.


Try it out.  I think you will dig it. 

[mediumcool]

Thanks for the sarcasm...

Normally a question like that is posted on a forum to engender discussion about the product and to encourage other users to share their experiences which may (and usually do) differ from those advertised by the manufacturer...

Murray

Smells like laziness to me.

[Murray Fredericks]

Thanks Tmark, I shot the 160 and 400 NC for years, loved the low saturation for working with landscapes and keeping tones balanced and natural...I always found the VC way too 'strong' to the point where the colour itself could end up dominating the subject (if that makes sense)...

I will give EKTAR a go on an upcoming project.

M

[Murray Fredericks]

I have received a PM about EKTAR acting more like a chrome film than a typical neg film and after a quick look around the web this seems to be the case...

To any regular users of EKTAR out there, I'm wondering how 'forgiving' it will be. Is there a typical neg shoulder into the top and bottom or does it just drop out? Do you have the 'latitude' of typical neg or does it act more like a chrome film if the exposure is a bit out ?

Murray

 

[Wseaton]

If Ektar 'behaves' like a slide film then I assume it no longer has the annoying orange mask and also matches the density range of slide film (not). If it behaves like slide film then it can be safely under exposed a stop and saturation improves and the shadows don't grain up (not). If it behaves like slide film it doesn't get smoother and more saturated when it's over exposed a stop (not.)

Safe to assume the above isn't true. RG-25 and it's close cousin PRN (Pro-100) were the last two print film films I worked that kinda behaved like slide film in terms of color-density range. RG-25 in 120 format once blew the voltage trims on my Kodak PVAC back in 94' or so because of it's high color saturation. Only reversal films could hit those levels prior.

You cannot have long density range and dynamic range along with an orange mask in a color emulsion. Something has to give. Also, what most of you are seeing as 'saturation' is nothing more than increased contrast. The Portra NC/VC twins were originally created so analog based labs could print all four films on a single channel and hence stop the flood to Fuji materials based on lab pressure to their clients. Even Kodak will tell you there is no saturation difference in the materials along with Portra papers. Same color - different contrast slope.

While they are great materials, and are the offspring of the monolithic Vericolor films, lets be honest in that their primary purpose is weddings and portraiture. The new Ektar is using a lot of technology from the remarkable UC 400 which came about half a decade too late.

[KevinA]

If Ektar 'behaves' like a slide film then I assume it no longer has the annoying orange mask and also matches the density range of slide film (not). If it behaves like slide film then it can be safely under exposed a stop and saturation improves and the shadows don't grain up (not). If it behaves like slide film it doesn't get smoother and more saturated when it's over exposed a stop (not.)

Safe to assume the above isn't true. RG-25 and it's close cousin PRN (Pro-100) were the last two print film films I worked that kinda behaved like slide film in terms of color-density range. RG-25 in 120 format once blew the voltage trims on my Kodak PVAC back in 94' or so because of it's high color saturation. Only reversal films could hit those levels prior.

You cannot have long density range and dynamic range along with an orange mask in a color emulsion. Something has to give. Also, what most of you are seeing as 'saturation' is nothing more than increased contrast. The Portra NC/VC twins were originally created so analog based labs could print all four films on a single channel and hence stop the flood to Fuji materials based on lab pressure to their clients. Even Kodak will tell you there is no saturation difference in the materials along with Portra papers. Same color - different contrast slope.

While they are great materials, and are the offspring of the monolithic Vericolor films, lets be honest in that their primary purpose is weddings and portraiture. The new Ektar is using a lot of technology from the remarkable UC 400 which came about half a decade too late.

You can't have long DR with an orange mask? The Portra 160 I am shooting has a DR which is jaw dropingly long. I use colour neg because it does not behave like slide film, if I wanted a film to have the properties of a slide film I would use a slide film. These new colour neg films are wonderful and I am glad I have a choice between Velvia/Provia etc and these new beautiful colour neg emulsions.

Kevin.
www.treewithoutabird.com

[Alan Klein]

I've started to get back into shooting medium format with a Mamiya RB67.   I'll be scanning on an Epson V600 flat bed and adjusting in PS Elements 8.  I'm shooting mainly landscapes.  What are the advantages of one film over another since you can adjust contrast and saturation levels in post?  WHich would you use and why?  Tks  Alan.

[KevinA]

I've started to get back into shooting medium format with a Mamiya RB67.   I'll be scanning on an Epson V600 flat bed and adjusting in PS Elements 8.  I'm shooting mainly landscapes.  What are the advantages of one film over another since you can adjust contrast and saturation levels in post?  WHich would you use and why?  Tks  Alan.

I am still trying to decide between Portra 160 and Ektar. Ektar sometimes looks a bit bright on the reds which needs further toning down. I just need to shoot a lot more rolls of each to get a better idea. I think I am favouring Portra for twilight and Ektar for the sunny punchy scenes. But I might change my mind down the line.

Kevin.

www.treewithoutabird.com

[Murray Fredericks]

I find that each different film has it's own palette that tends to stick with the image through the scanning process. Of course you can always tweak the tones and saturation levels but always at the expense of something else.

The reason I choose to shoot film sometimes over the digital back is that it guides you into a certain aesthetic and the palette of the film is very much a part of that...

[KevinA]

I am finding Ektar is enthusiastic with the reds. Any problems I think I might see with the film I think is more camera related. My Pentax 67's with their focal plane shutter which I use at high speed sometimes looks to not give an even exposure, not much different but that and vignetting are enough to shift colour balance in areas of the image. My Rolleiflex's do not do this and their images need much less work. Portra is more forgiving, my impressions after only a few rolls of each, time will tell more.

Kevin.

www.treewithoutabird.com

[DeeJay]

I love the Portra films of old. Seems a shame to have them replaced with a 'new' version.

I hope it retains it's colour and contrast qualities.