BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Answers

Photography Question 

Marnie Bigelow
 

Where do I get tungsten color balanced fim


Hi, So regaurding tungsten lighting, where do I get tungsten color balanced film? I have called a few local stores and now one seems to carry it. I looked online but all I can find is 100 speed film. Considering my subjects have been mainly kids lately, I've been having a problem with blur. so I figured 400 speed would be the best. Please help. I have shoot coming up in a week and would really like to have this problem fixed by then. Thanks a lot.
Marnie


To love this question, log in above
November 28, 2005

 

Mark Feldstein
  Try B&H photo in New York. http://www.bhphotovideo.com. You can't beat their prices and if it's film, they have it in just about any format. BTW, my preference for tungsten is the Fuji negative films, either in 100 ISO or 400 although I haven't used it in awhile. In my experience the slower speed produces more accurate color rendition under lighting that's about 3600 degrees Kelvin while the higher speed has some color shifting and doesn't look as dead on as the slower one. I don't think Kodak is making a color negative stock in Tungsten any more but check the Kodak web site under professional products.

For transparency film for tungsten light, again my preference is Fuji not the Kodak Ektachrome rated at 160 ISO.
And I know Fuji is still making that in 160.
If push comes to shove, you can always hang a filter on your lens, then shoot 400 speed daylight at 800 and have the lab push it one stop when they process it. Best film I think for that is the Agfa Optima 400.

One last thing Marnie: If you're photographing fast-moving kids, you can shoot with daylight film even under tungsten light and use some fill-flash. How much depends on the situation. With that technique, chances are the daylight produced by the flash will help overcome the yellowing effects of the incandescent light and you won't need either tungsten film or the filter. Nice thing about that trick is the flash will stop their motion, even at very slow shutter speeds. Get the picture?
Mark


To love this comment, log in above
November 28, 2005

 

John P. Sandstedt
  Almost any local photo shop will have ISO 160 film [tungsten]. In fact, I've seen it in some Supermarkeets.

Mark is right on about B&H. You can also go to Adorama, ABe's of Maine, Beach Camera - on the Internet, Ritz Camera [and any of its subsidiaries like Wolf's Camer, etc.]on the Net or in shopping malls.


To love this comment, log in above
December 14, 2005

 
This old forum is now archived. Use improved Forum here

Report this Thread