slide film

**Saxon Holt sholt@saxonholt.com>**

 > If you are
> > traveling, have to shoot in strong light, can not take a tripod and
> > don't mind the expense of the film, Kodachrome 200 would be my choice.
> > (Yes, it is still made and I think retails for $24.)
> 
> Why Kodachrome 200?  Is Fuji or Ektrachrome 200 not a good substitute?  Can
> you give more details on the differences?

Kodachrome has much better resolution than any E-6 type film.  That goes
for the 200 as well as the 64.  (In fact, I would say Kodachrome 64 is
sharper than Fujichrome Velvia)  The grain structure is smaller, so it
can be enlarged more.  Kodachrome, in general, is much better in
contrasty light because the shadows do not go quite so dead black.

You didn't ask for this comment, but the reason many garden photogs use
Velvia is because the color is unnaturally saturated and favors green -
which almost always needs help in low light.  I resisted shifting to
Velvia for many years and always shot Kodachrome 25 because of its
no-hands-down incomparable sharpness and supposed greater stability 
(lack of fading).  While Kodak does not reveal details, in the late 80's
the emulsion changed, or the processing changed (Kodachrome processing
involves a very caustic, heavy metal process) and the film color started
looking muddy in low light.  I shifted to Velvia and cringed at the
unnaturally saturated color.  But editors love it.  Some photographers
(and I have heard through the grapevine, certain magazines) prefer
Ektachrome 64, especially in the medium format cameras where the value of
genuine color is more important than sharpness.  But in 35mm photography,
which I shoot almost exclusively, sharpness is more important to me. 
When the color goes too saturated, I just grin and bear it.

Saxon holt
_______________________________________________
gardenwriters mailing list
gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters

GWL has searchable archives at:
http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters

If you have photos for GWL, send them to gwlphotos@hort.net and they will
show up at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos