What Kind Of Camera Should You Use Ektar 100 With

I've always sought to endeavour something new almost every couple of weeks to keep photography interesting. With digital photography, something "new" was usually expensive gear, or a strange technique, or a new lens. When I moved to moving-picture show photography, trying something new each calendar week got a whole lot easier. Anytime I wanted to experience something totally new, I could simply examination a new film stock.

I began my journey with the cheapest film I could find. My local CVS sold 3 packs of Fuji Superia and Kodak Gold, then I was well-outfitted for quite a few weeks. Eventually I found my way to Cinestill, and was hooked on their films' unique qualities for another calendar month or and so. Since those first weeks I've used almost every type of picture beingness produced today, and afterwards all of this time it's hard to cull my favorite film.

Portra 160 is too muted. Portra 400 costs most ten bucks per gyre. At nigh fifteen dollars per curlicue, Cinestill has go prohibitively expensive since I'm such a prolific shooter. I eventually sought an affordable, professional quality film with the characteristics I love – fine grain, saturated colors.

At just under nine dollars a coil, Kodak Ektar 100 is a mid-priced film sitting somewhere between cheap stocks (three to four dollars) and the more than expensive, previously mentioned films. Kodak describes Ektar as having "the Globe'south Finest Grain," and information technology lives up to the hype. I've captured some of the most cute landscapes in ultra fine detail. And then while I'm not positive that it'southward my favorite film, at that place's one matter that I can say – I find myself shooting Kodak Ektar 100 almost ofttimes.

What is Kodak Ektar

The original Kodak Ektar movie was first produced in 1989. This color negative film (C-41 process) was available in 25, 100, 400, and 1000 ISO, and was marketed as a semi-professional person, fine-grain, ultra-saturated color film suitable for product photography, landscapes, and studio piece of work. Notwithstanding, marketplace sectionalization lead to poor sales, and Ektar was discontinued in 1994 (though the 400 ISO version remained available for another few years – likely one-time stock overflow). Ektar's replacement, officially, was the Kodak Regal Gold line (itself discontinued when Kodak released the new Ektar).

The modern Kodak Ektar 100 is a color negative film introduced in 2008 as a successor to the original Ektar. Like that older film, current Kodak Ektar is specialized for applications in which ultra-fine grain and loftier color saturation are desirable traits. It'southward only bachelor as an 100 ISO motion picture (keeps that pesky market unsegmented), but it comes in multiple formats – 35mm, 120 medium format, and in 4×v and 8×10 sheets.

Today, Ektar is commonly regarded every bit the finest grain film for color photography. It's remarkably precipitous and ultra-saturated, traits that seem to be gaining traction in the popular opinion. Within the motion picture photography zeitgeist, I've anecdotally seen a shift from the omni-pop Portra and Cinestill toward Ektar 100. I've no hard data, of course, but information technology seems that Ektar is making a comeback and getting the recognition it deserves. And if I'm right, I see why. After my beginning few rolls of Ektar I immediately fell in dear. It's now my get-to motion picture, especially easy to love, since it costs less than the most popular films (fifty-fifty if merely a little scrap less).

My Experience with Ektar

A few months after Christmas in 2019, I ran out of film and needed a supply of rolls that would occupy me for a few more months. However, I wasn't ready to purchase twelve rolls at the prices that Cinestill demands. This is when I found Kodak Ektar 100. I was immediately drawn to the thought of a pro-level film at a reasonable toll (it's the merely reason I bought it, in fact). And, the rest is history! The commencement time I shot Ektar 100 was for its exact intended purpose – landscape photography. Everything that I read told me that Ektar 100 was truly meant for capturing landscapes. So, I went hiking with a few of my friends.

I packed my solar day bag with Ektar 100 and three different cameras, while my friends packed fruit snacks and granola bars. We traveled to Ralph Stover Country Park, likewise known equally Loftier Rocks. The park was originally meant for rock climbing, and loose carabiners tin can be constitute along multiple trails. Now, the hiking trail has been opened with access to a ravine accompanied by a clean, flowing canal. The park provided countless beauty, certainly up to the task of testing a new film stock.

Antsy, I developed the film as soon as I had a chance. As I watched my negatives dry, I noticed a more than bluish tint compared to the normal brown and red combination that some stocks might requite. I could tell the colors were going to be something I was not used to, only to exist honest, I was prepare for something make new. Something "brand new" was exactly what I got.

I was comfy shooting in color. Before testing much of Kodak'southward motion picture, I started my flick journeying with Cinestill and Fuji. I noticed Fuji'south stocks were loaded with green tones and Cinestill'due south stocks had a pastel wait in the daylight, with bold, warm tones when exposed at night. When I scanned my get-go roll of Ektar, I was pleasantly surprised by the picture show's extreme saturation.

Remembering the hike from days before, the greens of the trees and the yellows of the rocky caverns, I was sure that these were shown in my photos to exist far more vibrant than reality. It's true, what they say, that Kodak Ektar is ultra-saturated. No color is left behind; aught is muted. Ektar scans remind me of my time with digital photography when I would turn the saturation and vibrance punch upwards all the way (just to meet the results).

Subsequently hiking in the woods of Ralph Stover, with its palette of heavy greens and subtle reds, I decided to test my new moving picture in different settings. I took a roll to the coast of Ocean Isle City, New Jersey. Like any shore boondocks, information technology'due south a place loaded with heavy blues and varieties of light pastels, comfort colors. My father and I drove around until we establish something interesting to shoot. We pulled over at the foot of the bridge that connects the shore points of Body of water Isle City and Avalon.

The scene was dominated past shades of blue, speckled with rocks lining the body of water providing yellows and browns. Boats sailing past provided whites that popped amid the surrounding deepness of colour. I was able to etch some pretty decent shots. Locals were line-fishing. Tourists were riding jet-skis. The bridge was lifting for boats passing by.

I was less frantic to develop this roll equally I'd dealt with Ektar earlier, but I should've been frantic then I could see these every bit soon as possible. The manner Ektar treated the blues of the Atlantic was absolutely beautiful. The mode Ektar treated the water's reflection on the clouds was even better. Equally I reviewed the pictures taken farther inland, I noticed Ektar always seems to return the sky beautifully. The shadows inside the clouds were always lifted while the highlights were dragged down. So the shape of the clouds are conspicuously visible to the naked centre with a thorough presentation of blue in the shadows. I was becoming obsessed with Ektar.

Continuing this obsession, I decided to combine the two treatments of yellow and blueish by taking a coil of medium format Ektar to a brick railroad span crossing over the Delaware River. I idea that my compositions of the bridge came out cute, only there was something interesting I noticed with the frames I took while at that location. I was accompanied by the same friend that guided me effectually Ralph Stover. With the limerick we wanted to created, I had him wear a short sleeve hoodie with a bandana and walk along the railroad train tracks. The shots turned out nice. But this is where I learned how Ektar treats lighter skin tones. Turns out, when you turn the saturation and vibrance punch all the style to a hundred, lighter pare tones don't look particularly normal.

Wanting to larn more than about this, I dedicated yet another roll of Ektar 100 to a portrait project I had in mind. They did non turn out well. Although that's not necessarily fair. In a sense they turned out fine. The compositions are really nice. I shot what I intended to shoot. But my subjects' skin was shown either super ruddy, yellowish, or orange depending on the reflections of the surrounding landscapes. The results left me torn. I'd been obsessed with Ektar. Merely, how am I supposed to capture memories of my family and friends if their pare always looks like they've merely finished applying their fourth layer of clown makeup?

I decided to compromise. Yes, Kodak Ektar is a moving-picture show meant for landscape, but that doesn't mean skin tones can't exist fixed. Most of the time pare tones are redder in the highlights, which I call up tin be easily looked over. And then, I continue to use Ektar. The portraits I have don't seem to turn out as "normal" as they would with stocks like Kodak Gold or Portra. But the beauty that this stock draws from the landscapes I capture is besides thousand to steer away just considering I don't like how information technology treats certain skin tones.

Last Thoughts

My concluding thoughts on Kodak Ektar 100? This is a film stock that will always be at the meridian of my list. Next time I plan a trip where I know I'll be shooting motion picture, Ektar volition ever exist packed. If I can, I'll take multiple rolls. I will, withal, always behave along stocks that treat skin politely for when I want to capture memories of friends and family unit that won't brand them wait overly saturated.

Ektar 100 is a special picture. For me, it's made for compositions where the final epitome volition wait dissimilar (a proficient different) from the real world. This stock is something that brings a vibrance to pictures, even to places that seem to have none. For that reason, Ektar 100 will always have a place in my heart.

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