I've been curious about all the hoorah on which films folks use.. Besides
it being a purely personal choice as to what film suits what type of
photography and photographer, there are a couple of things I've noticed..
but this is strickly my view..
I use Kodak Kodachrome 64 for 900f my work. Reasons? Well, all the E-6
films have to be developed correctly by conscientious labs to have even a
chance at longetivity. If the developer isn't fresh that is not
approaching the end of the number of rolls that should be put through it,
or if it has been "refreshed" several times rather than completely changed,
or the same thing for the fix; or the temperature is slightly off during
development, or any number of other variables the E-6 films will fade. In
the temperate climates it isn't as rapid.. but in more humid, tropical
climates it is exceedingly fast. In less than 6 months you have lost your
work! When I run my own E-6 line and I'm a real stickler for following
specs.. I have much better luck with my slides.. but after several years
they will still fade.
I've got Kodachrome shot 25 years ago, never kept in ideal conditions, that
looks like it was shot yesterday. I haven't seen Agfa, Fuji, Ektachrome,
or anything else that has lasted the test of time. I might prefer the
colors, or range, or ASA of other films, but for archival quality I'll
shoot Kodachrome every time. Course, this may not matter for the majority
of the folks on this List, but it is my primary consideration. There's no
way I'm going through what I had to the first time to redo my work!
If I get a call for fast work.. well, it has to be another type of film.
The days of my turning Kodachrome into a lab and getting it back in one day
(Panama had a Kodak lab), are gone. So, I pick the best for the situation
and shoot accordingly.
I wonder, though. When I purchase all my film (usually from B&H) before a
trip and shoot in Australia or Europe, I get varying slight differences in
color balance. If I purchase Kodachrome in Australia or Europe to shoot
there, It is more the same balance as the film I buy and shoot in Florida.
Are films formulated differently for different parts of the world?
Kerry
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Kerry Dressler Email: bio-photo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Bio-Photo Services, Inc. http://www.bio-photo.com
21305 NW 86th Ave TEL: (352)466-4215
Micanopy, FL 32667 FAX: (352)466-3151
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