Kodal Portra 400

[Rob MacKillop]

Tried a roll of Kodak Portra through the Mamiya C330s, but am not at all happy with the rather dull results, despite it being a sunny day.

This is by far the best, most natural looking image of the day:

Old Sailor's Ark, Edinburgh by Rob MacKillop
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Turns out not too bad in b&w...Brian Cox on a bike:

Cyclist by Rob MacKillop

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One mistake - the first shot - when I thought the film wasn't yet at the first frame - turned out to be nice star nebula, with a wolf face in there

Nebula by Rob MacKillop
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But overall it lacked a magical quality for me. Susan thought they were digital shots, and I can see what she means. Hmm...I've got four more rolls of the stuff, one already in the Zeiss Nettar. Oh well...

 

[David Mitchell]

What post process work have you done with them? Might just need a touch of saturation etc

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Yeah, I tried that, but wasn't happy. Just not connecting with this film, which is OK, as there others I have connected with. I just wanted to try a colour C41 film. Got one-hour service from the Kodak shop in Edinburgh.

 

[Dan Cattermole]

The second one is fantastic Rob!

 

[Larry Bolch]

As I recall, it was engineered primarily for portrait studios, optimizing skin tones and being kind to zits. This would make it the diametric opposite to a film with the contrast and vibrancy you would want for architecture or street. It would be just as wrong to use Ektar 100 as a portrait film, unless harsh skin tones and fluorescent zits are the goal.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Ok, Larry. That makes sense. Thanks for the info.

 

[Nihat Iyriboz]

Second second!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

OK, Nihat. It's not so bad, I agree. I was setting up to just shoot the architecture, when this guy appeared. he seemed to want to be photographed, as he stayed there for 20 seconds or so. More than enough time to compose the shot

 

[Larry Bolch]

Portra worked very well for that one. You are shooting into the light, so the very long scale of the low contrast film retained a lot of both shadow and highlight detail that would have been lost with Ektar under those circumstances. While the first shot lacks contrast in both subject and film, the second is of a very high-contrast subject. No problem getting the contrast there since it is provided by the subject.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Good reading, Larry. I understand Portra much better thanks to your two comments. Appreciated!

 

[David Mitchell]

It seems to also have a fine grain which I like especially as its a 400 speed film, I know when I was using some Kentmere 400 black and white it was so grainy!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Good point, David.

 

[Hamish Gill]

It is touted as the finest grain 400iso colour film ... I really like the colours from it