Looking for a really fast film 800 plus.Both for colour and bw.Also looking for as little grain as possible.Your thoughts please.

-- Allen Herbert (allen1@btinternet.com), March 25, 2002

Answers

Provia 400F slide film can be pushed to 1600 quite well - this is pushed two stops (I like the results a lot for a 1600 speed film)... in my opinion this is the best color film above 400, I think it has much less grain then others at these speeds. I digitize my pictures, so i am trying to only shoot color, and then make them B&W in photoshop, thus i would also recommend Provia 400f for B&W if you don't want grain (i sometimes use true B&W film because i want grain).

-- Matthew Geddert (geddert@yahoo.com), March 25, 2002.

Allen,

For color prints, I like Fuji's relatively new NPZ (ISO 800) a whole lot. Nice, snappy colors and tight grain. I haven't tried to push it, shooting only at 800.

-Nick

-- Nicholas Wybolt (nwybolt@earthlink.net), March 25, 2002.

I like Portra 800 when I need something fast in color. I like Delta 3200 exposed at 1600 and developed for 3200 for high-speed B&W, but it is a tad grainy --

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), March 25, 2002.

For colour slide, I use Provia 400F whenever I can. Before the 400F was available, I used Provia 100F exposed at ISO 320 and push-process two stops with great results. I suppose Provia 400F can be satisfactorily pushed to ISO 800, although I have not tried that myself. For colour film, I have used Supra 800 and PJ 800. PJ 800 seems to be slightly better than Supra 800 in terms of grain and exposure latitude. I find Supra 800 has a tendency to become very grainy even when slightly underexposed, but nice and smooth in bright daylight or with adequate flash lighting. For b/w, I stay with TMAX 400 and T400CN, and have not used anything faster.

-- Hoyin Lee (leehoyin@hutchcity.com), March 25, 2002.

Another vote for Fuji NPZ 800. I shoot it rated normally. Tight grain and fast speed. It has replaced my 400 speed films. Now, I just shoot Kodak 160 VC and Fuji 800 NPZ for color (Superia 1600 only when the 800 is really inadequate).

It works great under mixed lighting conditions (I shoot dance and theater shots under a mix of stage lights). Accurate skin tones, vibrant colors but not too saturated.

-- victor (danzfotog@yahoo.com), March 25, 2002.

Fuji NPZ 800 or Supra 800 delivers on many counts for each :) I like the Fuji better personally. If cheapo, use Superia 800.

-- Alfie Wang (leica_phile@hotmail.com), March 26, 2002.