Re: [photo-3d] Re: Gave up on Kodachrome long ago

[Mike Kersenbrock <michaelk@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mark Shields wrote:

> One thing about Kodachrome that isn't often mentioned is
> its high D-max (maximum density)--its blacks are really black.
> With the E-6 films I've tried (and I've tried three or four)
> it's more of a dark brown or dark gray. This doesn't matter

As has been mentioned previously in the Kodachrome list, some
of the Fuji films have a Dmax as high or marginally higher
than Kodachrome.  

Here's a quote of myself on that newsgroup:

  "When comparing to K25, don't forget Velvia:

   http://home.fujifilm.com/products/datasheet/pdf/AF3-960E.pdf

   Where the MTF transfer curve actually looks about the same as K25
   or just a hair higher than K25's.

   Also looking at the densities as you asked me to (again) I come
   to the same conclusion as last time and find the Dmax of the
   two films (Velvia and K25) to be almost identical.  They 
   both have Dmax's that range from about 3.4 to 3.8.  Difference
   is that the "best" and "worst" colors are different colors.
   Other difference is that the "middle" one has a
   higher D-max on Velvia.  Which means that Velvia wins by a hair,
   but overall are pretty much matched."


Note that I personally don't like Velvia because of its
colors which hasn't seemed to be as much
of a problem with Provia 100F that I've noticed.
But it does have great MTF curves and great Dmax.  :-)

The max density for each of the three colors is different
in a  film and they'd all have to be the same to be "black",
so I'd assume each film has a different color total black,
even if none of them are black black.  One's preferences
might come in here, in a peculiar sort of way. A new
twist to the thread of film wars.

:-)

Mike K.


P.S. - Try Provia 100F  (pushed a stop if you want ASA 200).
       I'd been 100% Kodak (and mostly Kodachrome) before trying
       this film.  Although I know grain isn't a problem for you,
       it might be fun for you to see your images grain-free.  I
       don't know how the Dmax changes, but reports have said that
       one can push that film up to about two and a half stops 
       before things start to happen, so one or two stops push
       might be worth trying.