favourite film?

I'm just getting back into photography after an abscence of a few years, I tend to photograph motorsports (mainly classic motorcycle racing), peak district scenery, and family.
Obviously these are broad photographic interests and require different film speeds, but which are the best quality/value these days, which have the best colour tones, and which should a poor underpaid nurse like myself use for the special occasion?
john

Hi John,
M favourite has been Fuji for long time. For print film, I use Reala for any serious work but will use the Superia for point and shoot. Especially when it's a cheap multipackage in Tesco etc!. For slides, I like the Velvia. It has been a bit slow (50ASA) but there is now a 100ASA version. Provia also has a good reputation. I find the biggest difference is in the quality of the processing though. It seems pointless using good film and then using a cheap mail order firm!. I can recommend Lab 35.
Regards
Kim

Hi John!
Like Kim, I tend to use Fuji stock. NPS for the odd wedding, and Provia for slides (lovely stuff). Fuji labs usually have a deal where you get three Provia 36exp and processing for around £20
http://www.fujilab.co.uk/promopage.asp - three Velvia 100F for £23.47.
There's also a "pick-and-mix" so you can try Velvia 50, Provia and Astia.

Have fun!

Matt

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http://www.mattmatic.co.uk
(For gallery, tips and links)

Fuji for me too. Dirt cheap from the Jersey mail order companies (MX2 and Food for Cameras?)

GG

NOTE- The following applies to slide film only.

I also use Fuji, as Kim says you can get a 3 film pack with vouchers for development for around £20 direct from them. The cheapest I've seen decent stuff like velvia and provia sold for is around £3 (from off-shore firms) with dev about £3.50, amounting to around £20 anyway. By buying direct from fuji you get the benefit of genuine UK tax-paid films* plus fuji development which is first rate, great colours, clean and well-mounted. Saying that, I've also used dLab7 in Guernsey and they are very good, the occasional delay and very occasional bit of muck on the slides but otherwise fine. I've also used Kodak ektachrome 64, which comes with a developing voucher as well (I think the dev process is a bit bespoke), and I got some very good results. I used to use sensia (the cheap, consumer fuji slide film) but it's actually cheaper to buy 3 velvia or provia than to buy 3 sensia from fuji. I know not why.

Overall, I'd recommend getting films and development from Fuji.

Hope this helps

Matt


* the reason that Guernsey-based companies sell film so cheaply is that they are exempt from VAT - if you look a the packages they send they will always be valued at (I think) £17.99 as above that VAT becomes payable. The taxman is getting wise to this scheme, 7dayshop have started selling the Canon 300D cheaply (for around £700) but some have apparently been intercepted by customs and the recipients landed with a hefty import levy. This hasn't, to my knowledge, happened to anyone buying film but so many liberties have been taken that customs might start making things difficult. The prices really are pretty cheap though, even more so than could be explained simply by not paying VAT, so even if they do have to pay import taxes they would still present a good cheap source of film.

John

Sorry to hijack the thread slightly, you've started off a train of thought!

I'd be interested to hear how others view the differences between Fuji slide films. I have used sensia extensively, as it (used to be) the cheapest, and have recently tried velvia 50. I found it a bit overpowering and slightly unnatural, does anyone know if velvia 100 is the same? Also, how do Provia 100 and 400 compare? I have heard empirically that they're much more muted and more natural looking, is this a fair assessment? How do the grain sizes compare, particularly Provia 400? Finally (phew, I hear you sigh!) I used to use sensia for pretty much everything, does anyone have any recommendations or comments regarding areas of suitability for any particular film? I only ask as I've noticed a lot of people seem to like velvia for landscapes.

All comments gratefully received

Matt

couldn't see Reala on the website, they have something called Astia, what's this?

try the Fuji website to get the technical details of all their films. Also don't forget Kodak!

My votes for favourite films:

Fuji Velvia 50 and 100
Kodachrome if it's processed properly (debateable these days)

Kodak Tri-X
Kodak Plus-X
Kodak T-Max 100
Kodak High Speed Infra-Red

In the end, sticking with one film will enable you to explore its characteristics and get the most out of it in all situations.

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Best regards, John

Hi John,
Astia is between Sensia and Provia. I have tried it but rather than give you the best of both worlds, it gives you the less favourable characteristics of both. A point to remember with the pro stocks is that they are less stable than the "high street" ones and should be kept in a fridge.

Kim

7 Day Shop in Guernsey easily represents the best value for film purchases. Every purchase I have made from them has specified the actual value of the order on the packaging as opposed to a blanket £17.

Why on earth would I want pay "UK tax" on film purchases? I can buy a roll of Ilford b&w for £1.45 from 7 day shop as opposed to the £3/£4 or whatever they charge in Boots or Jessops. "Rip off Britain" I believe it's called.

My favourite films :

Agfa Optima 100 for architectural/landscape work
Kodak Royal Supra 200 for people work

You actually can't go far wrong with Kodak Gold - which is available anywhere

Just as important is where you go for developing. Try a number of different films and find a developer whose results you like.

"Every purchase I have made from them has specified the actual value of the order on the packaging as opposed to a blanket £17"

Every single purchase I have made hasn't - it has had a pre-printed form quoting the value as £17.99. I still have the packaging (as an aside, very useful for sending film off for developing) and I checked last night. I haven't bought anything from there in a while (I bought a job lot of sensia for about £40ish, still going through that) so they might have changed their packaging in the meantime. As I mentioned, they are getting some pressure from customs as they are/were avoiding paying VAT on certain items which they should definitely be charging. This has been the case for a while, I have spent in excess of £500 over about 3 or 4 years and each package, every single one, was valued at £17.99 - it is actually printed as part of the pro forma, in other words the value cannot be changed for each package as it is forms part of the 'letterhead' of each label.

They also prefer sending many smaller packages, which they claim is to allow the postie to get it through the letterbox. I would suggest (being the cynic I am) that this is to help argue that the contents of each package are not worth much and that each package constitutes 1 order. If they put it all in 1 package (which, logic dictates, would be cheaper for them as there's less effort involved) this would be much harder to argue as being worth less than £18 (the personal import level which is why 7dayshop quote £17.99).

"Why on earth would I want pay "UK tax" on film purchases?"

You might not want to (after all, it's not like we don't pay enough taxes already!), but unfortunately you are/should be legally obliged to. This is the entire point I am making, 7dayshop and others were circumventing legal requirements regarding taxes, and you might also argue they were doing it in a quite deliberate manner. You might be happy to go along with this, as I have been (although I respect the law, I could get a ferry and buy it there so why can't I just order it?), however the taxman isn't. I'm not particularly bothered on anyone's personal take on this, all I am saying is that I have heard of cases where people have been stung with import duty when the taxman has questioned a purchase. I would also suggest that if you are buying only a little bit of film at a time you should be OK, but some larger purchases could cause problems.

This thread gives some details:
http://www.amateurphotographer.com/cgi-bin/wwwthreads/showpost.pl?Board=Lounge&a...

Sorry to harp on, but Ithink this problem is only going to get worse as 7dayshop have expanded into lenes and bodies, which the taxman is going to have a much greater interest in.

I would also reinforce Kim's commnet regarding Fuji slide film, I would recommend getting it straight from Fuji with dev vouchers - it works out around the same price as buying from Geurnsey and having it devved there (£19.99 as opposed to around £21-£22 in Guernsey) but it would be a genuine fuji development.



I would second Marcus' point about finding a good devolper, try a few places and stick with the best - it is very hard to see the effects of things you have tried if there is no consistency from your developer.

Cheers

Matt

Matt, fair points - surely you would agree that 7day shop are essential in providing high quality "pro" film at reasonable everyday prices. If I had to pay high street prices there is no way I would experiment with diferent films as much as I do.

Take also for example CR2 batteries which SWMBO's Espio takes. Argos charge a fiver yet I can get long dated Fuji or Panasonic at 7 day shop for £1.59 each - and they're still making an acceptable margin presumably. What does this tell you about the British high street retailer?

Above posting was mine- forgot to login first

Marcus

I've ordered 20 rolls of fuji superia 200 asa and a 3 pack of 100 asa, from 7day shop, just to be going on with. I had difficulty believing how cheap they were and expected crazy postage charges, but this lot cost less than 24 quid delivered!

Hi Marcus

I agree with you, that high street retailers don't offer value for money as you have to pay for their time, rate and rent when you go in to buy film. However, 7dayshop has been avoiding VAT for a while - I stress that every order above £17.99 is subject to VAT, and they don't correctly value their packages.

I'm OK with this, because I think £18 is a pretty arbitrary level and (as you highlight) the saving are really pretty substantial - partly due to economy of scale and mail order model, but also partly due to not charging VAT. I have heard that 7dayshop have been gettting some heat over this, and hence VAT is now charged on their larger items (such as cameras and lenses, and other items they can't really claim are less than £18!) but not on the smaller orders, even those over £18.

I'm not sure how much longer this will last, but even if they have to charge VAT I would suggest they will remain a lot cheaper than high-street retailers.

Cheers

Matt