Fujichrome Provia F ISO 100 Professional Slide Film

Slide shooters have always been the most demanding consumers in the imaging world. That’s why (even though slide shooters comprise only about ten per cent of U. S. film buyers) more money is spent by film manufacturers on slide film research and development than for all other types of film combined. Consequently, slide shooters have a wider variety of film choices than photographers who shoot color print or B&W film. Choosing a general use slide film can be very difficult because of this plethora of choices.

Slide films from each of the major manufacturers tend to share a unique “look”, a sort of visual family identity. Fujichrome Provia F ISO100 Professional is an excellent primary slide film because it mimics the classic look and versatile performance of Fujichrome 50, the emulsion replaced by Velvia. With its fine grain, gorgeous color, reasonable exposure latitude (typically 1/2 stop over to 1 stop under), and superb resolution Fujichrome Provia F ISO100 Professional slide film is a great choice for just about anything shot outdoors.

Fujichrome Provia F ISO 100 Professional Slide Film is formulated for exposure under natural light (daylight) or with electronic flash. Because of its medium contrast and slightly enhanced color saturation Provia can be easily “pushed” (exposed at a higher ISO setting) if a faster shutter speed or smaller f-stop is needed, allowing users to adjust rapidly to changing light. Provia exposed at ISO 200 (and processed accordingly) is virtually indistinguishable from Provia exposed at ISO 100. RDP III can be also used with photolamps (3400 K) or tungsten (3200 K) lighting (with appropriate filters) making it a good choice for studio photography. Provia slides translate beautifully into custom prints and while custom prints are expensive, they display greater presence, improved contrast and depth, better color, and sharper resolution that easily justify the higher cost.

Color Slide Film

Transparency films are available in pro and consumer versions. Pro slide films are manufactured under tighter tolerances, shipped when they have aged to their maximum performance potential and then stored under refrigeration until they are sold. Pro slide films generally offer marginally better performance than consumer films, but at a slightly higher price. In order to achieve their maximum potential pro slide films should be developed (as soon after exposure as possible) by a custom processor. Custom processing is usually more expensive than mass market processing.

Consumer slide films are virtually identical to pro slide films, except that they are manufactured under slightly looser tolerances, are cheaper, more widely available, do not require refrigeration, and age gradually (with little change in performance during the aging process). Consumer slide films can be left in the camera for long periods of time without suffering ill effects. For most photographers, consumer and professional versions of the similar slide films show very little difference. An excellent example of this is Fujichrome Velvia, which is handled as a “pro” film in the U. S. (where less than ten per cent of photographers opt to shoot slide film). In Europe (where more than half of all shooters shoot slide film) Velvia is sold across the counter as a consumer film.

Why shoot slides?

Professional photographers and serious amateurs like slides because they are able to exert more control in-camera, in other words, with a little transparency exposure experience what you see is what you’ll get. Images from color print film (prints) offer more post exposure image manipulation options, but they are also more susceptible (especially with mass-market processing) to sloppy and inaccurate development and printing. Storing and retrieving slides is relatively easy (much easier than storing and retrieving prints and negatives) especially if you index your slides and keep them in archival slide pages in hanging files or binders. Slides can be used to make color prints, enlargements, duplicate slides, inter-negatives, photo CDs, and slides scan beautifully for digital applications.

Technical Specifications

Fujichrome Provia F Professional Slide Film
Type: 35mm Color Transparency (Reversal) Film
Sizes Available: 35mm and 120/220
Process: E6
ISO Rating: 100
Designation: RDP III (Professional)
Resolution: Very High
Grain: Fine
Color Saturation: Slightly Enhanced
Contrast: Medium
Balanced For: Daylight/Electronic Flash
Color Palette: Accurate
Exposure Latitude: Moderate (typically 1/2 stop over to 1 stop under)
Primary Applications: general use
Subjective Look: Classic
Archivability: 50 years plus (with dark storage)
Street Price Range (36 exp) $5.95 to $11.95
Processing Price range: (36 exp-- mounted) Standard $6.00-$8.00--- Custom $7.00-$12.00

IN THE FIELD/HANDLING & OPERATION

An old friend and I spent a recent weekend shooting seven (36 exposure) rolls of Fujichrome Provia F Professional ISO100 Slide Film with two Nikon SLR’s and a selection of Nikkor lenses. We spent Saturday at Thunder Over Louisville an annual all day air show and the largest fireworks display in North America. We had absolutely gorgeous weather with blue skies and a temperature in the low eighties. We joined about 750,000 other folks on Louisville’s Ohio River waterfront and shot mostly candids, environmental portraits, and street images of the huge crowd on the Great Lawn. Outdoor subjects and natural lighting are perfect for showcasing Provia’s classic look.

The fireworks show is a photographer’s dream because as soon as it gets dark, more than 50,000 fireworks shells keep the sky above the Ohio River lit up constantly during the non-stop 30 minute show. There’s no better venue in the country if you want stunning fireworks shots. The half mile wide Ohio River dramatically reflects both the high-rise buildings along the riverfront and the fireworks and the sky overhead is constantly alight with spectacular multiple fireworks bursts. Provia does an excellent job in night/low light shooting situations and with moderately long exposures.

My friend and I got together again Sunday morning (a beautiful spring day with azure blue skies, patchy white clouds, and a temperature was in the high seventies) and headed for Jeffersontown and the Blackacre State Nature Preserve. After spending Saturday rubbing shoulders with three quarters of a million revelers, watching U. S Air Force combat jets scream over the riverfront, and seeing the night sky lit up by fifty thousand exploding fireworks shells, Blackacre was an oasis of calm and serenity, almost like a trip back in time to simpler (and much) quieter era. The fields, woods, ponds, and streams that make up the Blackacre State Nature Preserve surround one of Kentucky’s early pioneer settlements (called the Tyler Settlement Rural Historic District) a gravel road runs through the village and the preserve has two hiking trails. The area is used for environmental and historical education by Jefferson County’s public schools.
My friend and I had the place pretty much to ourselves. Blackacre shelters a thriving collection of old growth trees, native bushes, and prairie grasses that are home to 145 kinds of wildflowers, 61 butterfly species, 19 different mammals, and 81 bird varieties. We used a Nikon N75 and a Nikon F4S to shoot slides in the historic settlement and along the hiking trails. I used the N75’s close up mode and pop up flash to shoot macro images (with a 105/2.8D AF Micro-Nikkor) of Virginia Bluebells, Dutchman's breeches, spring beauties, trout lily, and cut-leafed toothwort.

Image Quality

Fujichrome Provia F Professional ISO 100 slide film consistently produced vibrant colors, superb gradation, no visible grain, tack sharp resolution, and balanced contrast. In my opinion it is probably today's best choice general use ISO 100 slide film. Provia slides sparkle even in difficult settings like open shade because RDP III’s medium contrast, moderate exposure latitude, and enhanced color saturation produce consistently excellent images, even under adverse light conditions. Provia can be pushed one stop (ISO 200) with virtually no difference in color saturation, only slightly increased contrast, and very little increase in grain.

When we looked at the slides from our two weekend outings on a color corrected light table with a 6X Schneider loupe, the street shots had a great “natural”look and the fireworks shots were absolutely spectacular with bright explosions of color against the dark sky and rich pastel reflections in the river. Our landscape shots and macro/close-up shots of spring wildflowers at Blackacre were consistently well exposed and sharp as a tack with great color and excellent contrast. Provia reliably produced slides that were easily capable of professional quality 8x10 enlargements.

The slides were so good that we set up a Kodak Ektagraphic III projector (with an outstanding old Schneider f3.5/80-140 zoom) and screen and projected one carousel of the best images. It is hard to describe the satisfaction that comes from viewing a really good slide projected in glowing color on a large screen. Projected Provia slides are so vibrant and realistic they look as if they are ready to leap off the screen.

Conclusion

Obviously, no single film can cover all photographic eventualities, but Fujichrome Provia F Professional ISO100 Slide Film (because of its reasonable exposure latitude, moderate contrast, accurate colors, and excellent rendition of subtle shade and depth gradations) is one of the best general use choices available. I shoot a wide variety of photographic genres including “street” images, macro, scenics, environmental portraits, travel, and landscapes and I’ve used Provia in diverse exposure situations ranging from the colorful Halloween Celebrations in New Orleans French Quarter to macro shots of butterflies and it is one of the most useful and versatile slide film alternatives currently available.

Provia offers consistently exceptional performance across a broad spectrum of lighting situations including bright open light, overcast, back lighting, open shade, low light, and scenes with flat lighting or dull colors. Try a couple of rolls and you’ll see why many pros and serious amateur photographers love this film.

A few tips for beginning slide shooters

If possible, always shoot duplicate exposures and always bracket, if the image is worth shooting---- it’s worth having a couple of back-up slides. In camera “dupes”are always better than post exposure duplicates (sending a slide for duplication risks loss or damage--- and post exposure duplicates---even custom duplicates--- are never exact copies—each will vary subtly from the original). If you want to publish your slides virtually all print sources (magazines, books, etc) will insist on an original slide---you can send them one of your in-camera duplicates and you’ll never have to risk the loss or damage of your archived copy.

Edit ruthlessly Buy a good color corrected portable light table and the best loupe you can afford and immediately check your slides when they are returned from the processor. View your slides critically---pretend you are the photo editor for “Chasseurs d’Image” American Photo, or Aperture and discard slides that exhibit any fault whatever (unless you happen to capture Bigfoot or the Loch Ness monster on film) choose the best examples (exposure, color, focus, framing, etc) and immediately store them in archival slide pages.

Develop a system for marking the slide mount of each archived slide so that it can be quickly and efficiently retrieved later (you’ll understand how important this is once you have 2,000-3,0000 slides archived)----if you make it a practice right from the start to separate your very best slides, you’ll avoid the frustration of spending a week looking for a specific slide. Keep your stored slides in a cool, dry, dark place. If you want to project your slides (each projection causes slight fading) use one of your in camera dupes for slide shows to avoid fading your original archived slide.

A Final Note

Contrary to popular belief digital photography is not going to replace traditional silver based imaging anytime soon. Digital images lack the color and contrast nuances available with color slide film. Digital images don’t have the depth and lack the subjective pop of slides. Digital images do compete fairly well with color print film images, however digital archivability is a major concern for many photographers. If image quality (and permanence) is your primary concern, then 35mm color slide (or fine grain B&W) films provide the most comprehensive imaging options for the foreseeable future.

Equipment Used For This Slide Film Review

Cameras
Nikon F4S
Nikon N75

Lenses
Nikkor AF-S 17-35mm f/2.8D ED-IF AF Nikkor Zoom
Nikon 28-80mm f/3.3-5.6G AF Zoom-Nikkor
Nikon 105/f2.8D AF Micro-Nikkor
Nikon 18-35/f3.5-45D IF-ED AF Nikkor Zoom

If you enjoyed reading this 35mm slide film review, you may find my other 35mm slide film reviews informative.

Kodak Ektachrome 64 Professional Slide Film
http://www.epinions.com/content_59963051652

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