Colour Negative Film and Filters

[iranzi]

Drew, I know you print using additive method, which you claim is responsible for purer hues. Is it not possible that your whole workflow is responsible for the results in prints that you're describing, not just the filtering?

[DREW WILEY]

That's a good observation, Iranzi. Yes, the improvement is cumulative. An additive light source helps,
switching to the newest materials like Ektar and CA Type II paper also helps, and learning correct
filtration helps. But given a level playing field, if I take the first two advantages, but then try printing
an unfiltered neg taken on the same kind of film, the results are not equal. All these seemingly little things add up.

[markbarendt]

Iranzi,

I'd bet it's a given that Drew's whole process contributes.

If you take out all the slop out of the process and each step is done using the best practice everything comes out better.

[brucemuir]

Iranzi,

I'd bet it's a given that Drew's whole process contributes.

If you take out all the slop out of the process and each step is done using the best practice everything comes out better.

It does strike me abit how so many are against a little proper technique.
It makes sense to me at least that Ektar would benefit from tight parameters.

[Ligament]

That's a good observation, Iranzi. Yes, the improvement is cumulative. An additive light source helps,
switching to the newest materials like Ektar and CA Type II paper also helps, and learning correct
filtration helps. But given a level playing field, if I take the first two advantages, but then try printing
an unfiltered neg taken on the same kind of film, the results are not equal. All these seemingly little things add up.

Drew, I find your comments on filtration for color negative films to optimize exposure of the dyes makes sense to me. However, I'd like to read more about it. Can you recommend some links in which this topic is discussed?

Also, how do you choose your filters? Do you carry around a color meter? If not, would that not induce user error that may cause selection of an inappropriate filter that would make the image worse? Is there such a thing as an economical, yet accurate, color meter?