 Christine E. Kesecker |
What film to choose? I am starting to shoot weddings and I was wondering if anybody could tell me what is a good film to use with my Pentax K 1000? Thanks!!
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Jeff S. Kennedy |
I use Portra 160NC and 400VC for my color shots. For b&w I shoot a variety of things depending upon the look I want and the conditions. I will use Portra 400BW, Tri-X, Ilford Delta 3200, and Pan-F to name a few. When I want to do cross processed shots I shoot 100VS and process it in C41. On thing to consider with your color negative film is what paper does you lab print on. If they use Kodak paper then Portra is your best choice. If they use Fuji then you should look at Fuji films. If they use something else.....change labs. ;-)))
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Michael F. Harrington |
You failed to mention what lens(es) you will be using. Zoom lenses? If so, use a professional quality film of 400 ISO. (Most Pro wedding photograpers have gone to 400 now, anyway). 400 ISO will give you sharper photos. Grain problem has been done away with due to new formulations. Fuji is an excellent choice. Kodak's Portra offers lower contrast but is an excellent film also. If you have fast prime lenses, you can use the slower films, but heck, why bother?
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Jeff S. Kennedy |
Hmmm, that's news to me. I try to use the slowest film I can get away with and I use a lot of zooms. Granted they are fast zooms (at least f2.8) but I'm not always shooting wide open. Grain in 400 speed film has been improved but it hasn't been done away with. Use the film that fits the situation. As I mentioned earlier, my film cooler is filled with a variety of film from Portra 160NC to Portra 800. From Ilford PanF (ISO50)to Delta 3200. I even carry slide film for x-processing. Some wedding photographers use IR film. I would never shoot an entire wedding with just one film. Weddings, if nothing else, present you with a wide variety of lighting situations. You need different tools for each situation.
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Michael F. Harrington |
Jeff K, I am afraid you feel my response was a take-away from yours-- it was not. I was not responding to your answer, but to the original question from Christine. She did not mention the types of lenes she was intendeing to shoot with. I wholeheartedly endorse your response to her. (Especially where you mention 400VC film) Anyway, I have seen many of your responses, and deem you a knowlegable photographer.I have no doubt you really know your stuff. The statement that wedding photographers are turning to the new and improved 400 ISO films was not my opinion. It was taken from a report on color films in Popular Photography Magazine, which was news to me then, too. If you like I can refer you to the issue in which it was published.
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Jeff S. Kennedy |
No problem Michael. Just be careful about quoting things out of Popular Photography. That article was probably sponsored by a film company trying to sell it's back stock of ISO 400 film. ;-))) The fact of the matter is that pros who shoot weddings (that haven't gone digital) still use a variety of films and ISO's. That was basically my point. It is true that 400 speed films have gotten better but slower film still has advantages (shorter dof, slower shutter speeds allow for use of flash outdoors, etc.). There is no one film for every situation. Of the color film I shoot it's probably 55% 160NC, 44% 400VC, and 1% 800.
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