More on K25 vs. Velvia

[P3D Gregory J. Wageman <gjw@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Bob Howard wrote:

>RE the Kodachrome 25 grain..I don't think it is visble..I wonder if
>what is being seen is specular reflector or in old Kodachrome
>wrinkles in the protective varnish..which I don't think is used
>anymore?

Nope, it's definitely grain.  The best description I can think of at
the moment is a slight scintillation in areas of uniform color, like
looking at a CRT with dust on the screen...  In a stereo viewer, the
grain often appears to "float" in front of the image (no doubt due to
random binocular disparity between the grain in the two chips).

I have since made a side-by-side comparson of some KM25 work with
some recent Velvia work, and I have revised my opinion.  I would rate
KM25 and Velvia about equal in the grain department.  Definitely the
finest-grained films I've used.  (I'd love to compare with Ektachrome
Elite II EA50, but my photo store doesn't carry it, for some reason.)

Jamie Drouin has one of my KM25 slides.  Jamie, can you see the grain
in the sky of Altamont Pass?  Don't use one of those $3 viewers to check,
though. :-)

	-Greg W.


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