Re: colour trans.


Kevin O'Brien (kob@paradise.net.nz)
Sat, 08 May 1999 17:23:57 +1200


Colour trans film is not the optimal choice to start with. Any of the
positive films are inherently more contrasty and as development to
completion is required in the first developer compensation there is not an
option. Limiting one's subject matter to flatly lit scenes is somewhat
limiting.
An alternative is to use high speed negative film such as HP5/Tri-X and
reversal process that. The high speed films can produce trans similar in
character to a long scale negative; low Dmax for slide projection so the
process is not recommended for those films, but it works well. They can be
subsequently bleached and re-developed or sepia toned for further contrast
control. A further advantage is that such trans don't require pan films to
enlarge onto;receiving films like Aristatone are available in bigger sizes
also.
If colour trans must be used shadow and highlight separation can be enhanced
by the classical masking technique. Where tonal compression is a must as in
the printing industry that is still the way, although it is now being done
digitally.
The preferred way for tonal control is neg-> pos->neg with masking as a
refinement. Mathias's work is a good example of that. Compensating
development is also a choice then too. For roll film users It's still hard
to beat a film like RB21 developed in Acutol. With roll film the best way I
have found is to set the exposure for the highlights by measuring the
incident light and letting the shadows take care of themselves. A flat
subject can always be expanded at the print stage but lost highlight detail
shows terribly. High speed colour negative film too, exposed for the
highlights, gives a very long scale equivalent with excellent shadow detail.
The new films are making new opportunities for available light work; the
sharpness and saturation have to be seen as bonuses, they can always be
reduced.

Kevin O'Brien

----- Original Message -----
From: Julian Smart <planetzed@btinternet.com>
To: <alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca>
Sent: Saturday, 8 May 1999 05:42
Subject: colour trans.

>
> Tom Ferguson wrote:
>
> >"My experience shooting color slides for enlarged negs for alt
> > processes......... only use it to shoot mid to flat scenes!"
> >
>
> Tom, I have to agree on that one!!
>
> Thinking about it, it occurred to me that it should be possible to expand
> the tonal range of almost any E6 col.tran. film simply by substituting the
> standard first developer for a softer working one (contrast could even be
> increased like this-water bath, extended development etc) and altering the
> time/temp/sg of the col. dev. bath. Results would probably be horrible as
> colour trans, but for internegging......
>
> The current crop of new, high tech films has, ironically, made matters
much
> worse for the alt-printer, giving as they do, extra colour saturation and
> edge sharpness to the detriment of a longer tonal range. Older, lower
tech.
> films such as Ektachrome 100, 64 etc. were able to hold much better detail
> in the highlights, even at 1.5 stops over a zone 5 reading. They just got
> paler, but retained detail. Results, I found were (comparatively) horrible
> as colour trans, but for internegging.......!!
>
> Julian.
>



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