Steven Seward Loc: Cleveland, Ohio

Does anybody know what is the best transparency film to use for shooting flat artwork? I used to use Kodak E100G but they no longer make it. I want a film that is fine-grained and neutral in color. I do not want "enhanced" color like is found on many Fuji Films. I just want to make accurate archival copies in both 35 millimeter and 4 X 5 film formats.

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

I don't have an answer for the film, but why would you not make digital copies? Why transparencies? Thanks.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Fujichrome Provia and Velvia are just about it, these days.

AgfaPhoto CTprecisa 100 Color Transparency Film is another film you might try. It's supposed to have "faithful, natural color reproduction", whatever that means.

Check out B&H's stock ( http://www.bhphotovideo.com ).

I feel your pain. I was a multi-image (high tech slide show) producer in the 1980s. I shot tens of thousands of slides on Kodachrome 64, Ektachrome 64 (both Daylight and 3200K), Ektachrome 400, Ektachrome 5071 and SO-366 duplicating films, Kodalith, and the Fujifilm stocks listed above.

Unfortunately, digital imaging processes have long since surpassed film in almost every respect. I still have all my film cameras, but haven't loaded a roll of film in any of them since January, 2005.

Most people copying flat art in museums, schools, and industry use digital cameras, and print archivally on Epson printers, using Ultrachrome inks and fine art papers.

With proper color management, digital copying results are astoundingly close to the original... certainly better than I ever got with film, and I had the best equipment available when I was doing copy work.

There is almost no variability from day to day, week to week, month to month, in such a digital process. With E-6 processing, you're at the mercy of the lab's precision in maintaining process control on any given day (heck, okay, from batch to batch!). A digital file printed on the same printer a month from now, using the same inks and paper stock, will be virtually indistinguishable from a print made today.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

I recommend Fuji Provia 100F, it does a fine job. Neutrality of color will also depend upon the quality of your lenses as well.

Steven Seward Loc: Cleveland, Ohio

I am new to digital photography, and I shoot digital copies also. I still like to keep hard film copies after reading about all the uncertainties of digital storage mediums. I also like the super fine grain achieved with 4 X 5 or 8 X 10 film. I haven't seen a comparable resolution yet with digital, although I'm sure there is something out there in the high-end.

Steven Seward Loc: Cleveland, Ohio

Thank you for the recommendations and information! I'm trying to manage in both digital and film worlds at the same time. I am now relying on my fifth(!) lab for E-6 processing after a succession of closures in the last ten years. I realize the many advantages of digital, but I still like having some hard copies of my artwork.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

E6 isn't a hard process, just an exacting one. Dry to hanging wet film takes around 32 minutes.

Back in the '80s, when I was doing AV productions, we had a tempered sink line with nitrogen burst agitation at work, with both roll and sheet film tanks (2.5 gallons). It supported a duplication lab that made enlargements of slides on sheet film (so we could make color separations for school yearbook pages on an 8x10 enlarger). I would process 20 rolls of 135 size film in one batch after hours, sometimes three times a week. NOTHING touched my film while it was wet, except clean chemicals.

I always ran a control strip, and we practiced statistical process control to keep the chemistry fresh and properly replenished. I would look at the primary operator's SPC graphs before running my film, to make sure I would have no surprises!

Souping my own 'chromes was a luxury, in so many ways... No scratches from chemical crystals on the rollers of a roller transport processor was one. Knowing the process was not going to affect my color balance was another.

I did my own work after our local pro lab got cheap and failed to clean out their Hope roller transport machine on a timely basis. We would see bad color shifts, scratched film bases, bits of tar stuck in the emulsion... The guy went out of business a couple of years later. His lead technician opened a better lab soon after. It lasted another decade and folded soon after digital imaging got hot.

Steven Seward Loc: Cleveland, Ohio

Wow, very interesting processes. I know nothing about the developing of film, other than to watch my father do black & white developing and printing in our basement darkroom years ago. I only know how to compare the results I get from different labs. Fortunately, the current lab I am using (Praus Productions in Rochester N.Y.) has extremely consistent and high quality results. I suppose they are as meticulous as you were during the process.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

I assisted at Hallmark (Cards) for a bit. They processed in-house in an automated "dip & dunk" machine (no rollers).
They were picky enough to tell the techs to only put the film in "top of rack". Slightly different process time depending on where the film was.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Consistency counts. There were eight steps in the sink line process:

Developer
Reversal Bath
Wash
Color Developer
Bleach
Fixer
Wash
Stabilizer

...all conducted at 100.4°F, ± .3°

The agitation interval and type varied, depending on the chemical. The first three steps were in the dark. You could turn on the lights after the first minute in the color developer.

jeryh Loc: Oxfordshire UK

Try Agfa 100 Transparency film- pretty good, readily available

drmarty Loc: Pine City, NY

:thumbup: :thumbup:

Steven Seward Loc: Cleveland, Ohio

Thanks! :D

bennydnut Loc: Phila, Pa.

How many time you scratch your nose while in the dark, lol, yes I remember those good old days, from black & white to color, develop & printing.

BBurns Loc: South Bay, California

I still shoot transparencies from time to time.
For whatever it is worth, there is still one ‘Q’ Lab in Southern California.

http://www.iconla.com/ ; E-6 processing - http://online.iconla.com/efilm/index.php?show=pricing


The other one I know of is:
Dwayne's Photo
415 S 32nd St
Parsons, KS 67357
Phone: 620-421-3940
Toll-free: 800-522-3940
http://www.dwaynesphoto.com/


For High end B&W plus Fine Art work there is:
Weldon Color Lab
8945 Exposition Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90034
http://www.weldoncolorlab.com/