understanding velvia; metering, contrast and color

[Puma]

I found out that Freestyle has TWO types of chemistry to process RVP 50, so I'm going to get started testing this stuff and figure it out. This is a great thread and I'm thrilled that it's still possible. The only thing that stands in my way is finding a color module for my Leitz V35 and a good book on the process. Should anyone know the whereabouts of one these color modules, I'd be thrilled to hear about it.

Thank you,

Puma

[Ian C]

From #18

You could get Ilfochrome stuff from Freestyle (via special order) and B&H last I checked. Has that changed?

I emailed Freestyle to find out because I hadn't seen it listed under color papers or color chemistry. Here's the response I received:

"Yes, we offer the P 30 2 liter developing kit, and the Ilfochrome papers in standard and moderate contrast. The are drop shipped from the vendor, so please contact us for shipping quotes.

Thank you,

Tori Puente

Telesales Representative

Freestyle Photographic Supplies

800-292-6137 ext. 151

tori@freestylephoto.biz"

So the good news is that we can still get Ilfochrome and the processing chemsitry.

Thus we can still make prints of our color transparencies.

[2F/2F]

From #18




I emailed Freestyle to find out because I hadn't seen it listed under color papers or color chemistry. Here's the response I received:

"Yes, we offer the P 30 2 liter developing kit, and the Ilfochrome papers in standard and moderate contrast. The are drop shipped from the vendor, so please contact us for shipping quotes.

Thank you,

Tori Puente

Telesales Representative

Freestyle Photographic Supplies

800-292-6137 ext. 151

tori@freestylephoto.biz"

So the good news is that we can still get Ilfochrome and the processing chemsitry.

Thus we can still make prints of our color transparencies.

That is good that they have been able to set that up. It is $90 for a 2L kit of the chemistry, last I checked, and a few hundred bucks or so for a box of the printing material, I believe.

So, it's an expensive practice. $400 (a box of 11x14 print material and 4L of chemistry) might get you four 10-print editions, if you aren't wasting a lot of printing material to get to your perfect print. If you don't need so many copies, you'll get more, of course. And don't forget the cost of the masking film, at over a dollar a sheet.

Apparently surfaces other than glossy are still manufactured as well, but they are only sold in large quantities to professional labs, so home users are out of luck.

[hrst]

As to dynamic range I make it 3.67 EV - I will have to check the product guide. As you will know depends on the light how far it is plus and how far it is minus but I have never managed to exceed 3.67 EV.

What?! You seem to have a very own definition for EV -- or dynamic range, for that matter. Are you sure you are not speaking about Dmax, a totally different subject? Though, the Dmax is not 3.67, but nearer to 3.5, but I cannot figure out any other number that is even close to your 3.67. For log H, on the other hand, 3.67 is too much for any slide film for any purpose.

It surprises me every time how difficult it is to learn to read the characteristic curves, found in the datasheets published by the manufacturers. The internet is full of crazy legends and sayings with no understanding which would be extremely easy to obtain.

[Puma]

What's the best book to learn to develop and print slides?

[Ian C]

If you can find one, this book covers Ilfochrome printing. (originally Cibachrome), but doesn’t cover E6 film developing.

Complete Guide to Cibachrome Printing (HP photobooks)

ISBN 10: 0895861763
ISBN 13: 9780895861764
Authors: Peter Krause - Henry Shull

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Guide.../dp/0871650576

[Diapositivo]

What?! You seem to have a very own definition for EV -- or dynamic range, for that matter. Are you sure you are not speaking about Dmax, a totally different subject? Though, the Dmax is not 3.67, but nearer to 3.5, but I cannot figure out any other number that is even close to your 3.67. For log H, on the other hand, 3.67 is too much for any slide film for any purpose.

I think Stevie referred to 3.67 EV above middle gray before burning highlights, that is, you measure your highlights (the brightest part of the frame where you would consider a failure if you had no detail) and you open 3.6 stops at the very most. That's consistent with characteristic curves indicating a (total) dynamic between 6 and 7 stops.

[2F/2F]

The only thing he could mean that would make sense is what Diapositivo said. Stevie Duncan must have been referring to where the loss of texture occurs on either the high or the low side of middle gray (I'm not sure which side he was talking about), but not to the entire dynamic range.

Even so, 3-2/3 stops seems like quite a lot of headroom above middle gray, or below it, with Velvia. I would say that the film (ISO 50 version) "feels" to me like it has perhaps 5-6 stops dynamic range at most. That is an informal judgment, and I may draw the line for the edge of texture in a different spot than others do. But IME, Velvia 50 really is just a stop or so better than Fuji FP100C, which is very narrow-ranged (about 4-5 stops, informally judged by me). Velvia 50 is pretty much the only film I make use of instant prints for, using FP100C. The Fuji instant material gives you a pretty fair idea of how the tones will fall on Velvia 50, though the FP100C is a bit more contrasty.

[Pgeobc]

Well, I will simply report on what I have seen in Kodak's literature. For years, Kodak recommended a scene lighting ratio of 3:1 for transparency work. I beleive that assumes the use of reflectors, lights, strobes, etc., for carefully managed light. I do not know where one would normally find light like that out-of-doors without some serious lighting setup. IIRC, that translates into ~1.6 stops. It probably represents a figure that would allow for just enough shadow to make things interesting without straining transparency film.