"New" Ektar 100 test, Late 2000s
NOTE: Flickr makes a .jpg of uploaded files. The Jpeg process reduces actuance. The original scan has more detail than the .jpg file and in turn the original scan has less detail than is on the film. The film probably has 4 to 9 times (2 squared to 3 squared) the detail as you can see if made with a cracker jack lens and top rated film.
The Pictures...
These recently uploaded pictures have no artistic value. They were just uploaded to be representative of color picture recording during about 75+ years that I was able to take color pictures, mostly slides at first. Unlike in today’s digital world it took time, money and effort to make a color slide. We took fewer pictures back then, trying to stretch resources, but some sere still frivolous.
I'm 97. In between health downturns, I fear this will be my last chance to post much. The ratio of today’s digital pictures that are kept for any length of time and/or printed is much less than the film photos taken in days past. History will be lost. Meanwhile you get to be bored by some old Kodachromes, Anscochromes, a Dufaycolor and perhaps an old black & white or so.
The Camera: Contax RX
This shot was taken with a Contax RX attached to a Contax/Ziess 50mm, F:1.4 at about F:8. This combo produced consistently sharp, well exposed slides. Popular Photo Magazine did a 50mm shootout type of test some years back. Both their results and the film cut they showed proved the lens to be a clear winner.
Kodak Ektar 100, late issue:
In the late 2000s Kodak announced a new professional negative color film that was supposed to have the finest grain of any color film ever made. This new product only came in 100 ASA speed and was named Ektar after a previous well thought of, but discontinued film. Several knowledgeable people from another photo site tested it against Kodachrome 25 and old batches of discontinued Ektar 25 and found the claim to be true. Ektar had a little more resolution but larger grain. The smaller grain but faster film was a true step forward for Kodak film making. I think it was Kodak’s last hurrah.
The Scanner, a Nikon IV ED:
The Nikon IV ED was rated by the manufacture to scan at 2900 PPI. Unlike most other scanners testing with a glass plate USAF 1951 with the resolution chart metal deposited on it, showed both vertical and horizontal resolution to be very close to that figure. When scanning a chart at maximum resolution one has to be concerned with registration between the lines on the chart and the pixel placement of the sensor. Exact registration is a hit and miss, re-trial exercise. With film the scanned bits of silver and dye clumps are randomly scattered without the need to have perfect alignment. I’d rate the IV ED at or very near 2900 PPI on film. Most scanners are over rated by 50-100%
"New" Ektar 100 test, Late 2000s
NOTE: Flickr makes a .jpg of uploaded files. The Jpeg process reduces actuance. The original scan has more detail than the .jpg file and in turn the original scan has less detail than is on the film. The film probably has 4 to 9 times (2 squared to 3 squared) the detail as you can see if made with a cracker jack lens and top rated film.
The Pictures...
These recently uploaded pictures have no artistic value. They were just uploaded to be representative of color picture recording during about 75+ years that I was able to take color pictures, mostly slides at first. Unlike in today’s digital world it took time, money and effort to make a color slide. We took fewer pictures back then, trying to stretch resources, but some sere still frivolous.
I'm 97. In between health downturns, I fear this will be my last chance to post much. The ratio of today’s digital pictures that are kept for any length of time and/or printed is much less than the film photos taken in days past. History will be lost. Meanwhile you get to be bored by some old Kodachromes, Anscochromes, a Dufaycolor and perhaps an old black & white or so.
The Camera: Contax RX
This shot was taken with a Contax RX attached to a Contax/Ziess 50mm, F:1.4 at about F:8. This combo produced consistently sharp, well exposed slides. Popular Photo Magazine did a 50mm shootout type of test some years back. Both their results and the film cut they showed proved the lens to be a clear winner.
Kodak Ektar 100, late issue:
In the late 2000s Kodak announced a new professional negative color film that was supposed to have the finest grain of any color film ever made. This new product only came in 100 ASA speed and was named Ektar after a previous well thought of, but discontinued film. Several knowledgeable people from another photo site tested it against Kodachrome 25 and old batches of discontinued Ektar 25 and found the claim to be true. Ektar had a little more resolution but larger grain. The smaller grain but faster film was a true step forward for Kodak film making. I think it was Kodak’s last hurrah.
The Scanner, a Nikon IV ED:
The Nikon IV ED was rated by the manufacture to scan at 2900 PPI. Unlike most other scanners testing with a glass plate USAF 1951 with the resolution chart metal deposited on it, showed both vertical and horizontal resolution to be very close to that figure. When scanning a chart at maximum resolution one has to be concerned with registration between the lines on the chart and the pixel placement of the sensor. Exact registration is a hit and miss, re-trial exercise. With film the scanned bits of silver and dye clumps are randomly scattered without the need to have perfect alignment. I’d rate the IV ED at or very near 2900 PPI on film. Most scanners are over rated by 50-100%