Fuji or Kodak? Before you buy a brick of either, emulse yourself in the results of this head-to-head evaluation.
Text and photography by Stephen Frink
http://www.stephenfrink.com/sf-tips/filmshootout/
Of the more than 120 different films available for 35mm cameras, most will never see the inside of an underwater camera. Of the handful of proven favorites left over, there are significant and quantifiable differences that every underwater shooter should know about.
For the purposes of this evaluation, we tested five of the most popular slide films for underwater photography. Here is what we found out and how we found it.
Fujichrome Sensia II (RA)
Kodachrome 64 (KR) | Kodak Elite Chrome 200 (ED)
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Pro vs. Consumer Films: A Dirty Little Secret Many photographers are more than willing to shell out the extra $2 or more per roll to buy the pro versions of slide films rather than the lowly consumer versions. The logic is that they are getting better film and they are happy to pay for the best. But here's a dirty little secret: most of those so-called "pro" films come out of the same factory, even the same manufacturing line, as the consumer films. In effect, they are the same films. Fuji's Provia and Sensia II are clones, just as the Kodak Elite Chrome Extracolor 100 is the same as Ektachrome E100VS (for Vivid Saturation). There may be some difference in how the films are stored at your dealer: most pro films are kept refrigerated. And, of course, the controlled aging for the pro Kodachrome may justify buying it as compared to the consumer version. But generally speaking, consumer films from a reliable source that sells only U.S. films is safe, economical, and will offer absolutely no disadvantage to the pro films. |
The most popular place for Americans to practice underwater photography is the Caribbean. While on location recently in Roatan, we chose a typical shallow Caribbean reef (35 feet of water) that allowed both my assistant and me to kneel in the sand three apparent feet away.
The color chart/exposure slate we used features integral wheels used to indicate both shutter speed and aperture. I standardized at 1/60th of a second and used a Nikonos V, 15mm lens, and an SB-104 strobe at 1/4 power manual for a light source. For films of 50, 64 and 100 ISO, I shot brackets of f/4, 5.6, 8, 11, and 16. For the 200 ISO film, I bracketed between f/5.6 and f/22.
One assistant held the slate, a second swam freshly loaded cameras to the test site, while a third assistant changed film aboard the boat. This system allowed us to complete the tests in just 30 minutes, thereby providing for consistency in ambient light levels. Slight variations inevitably occurred with our distance because of movement by either the photographer or model due to surge or buoyancy. We could have better controlled all variables in a swimming pool, but it was our intent to show how the films perform in the ocean under real shooting conditions.
Processing
All the E-6 films were processed in the same film run in the same lab, but the Kodachrome 64 is a K-14 process that must be sent to one of the few custom labs still providing Kodachrome service.
Understanding the Results
This review makes reference to each film's RMS rating. This is a measure of a film's relative "graininess," with each successive number indicating twice as much grain as the preceding. For example, an RMS rating of 11 is considered twice as grainy as one with an RMS of 10.
Important note: Optimal exposure values are unique to this particular strobe-to-subject distance and power setting. Consider them as comparative indices between the films, as well as a rough indicator of true speed as opposed to rated ISO values.
Fujichrome Velvia (RVP)
ISO - 50 | RMS - 9 | Optimal exposure - f/9.5
Velvia is currently the most popular slide film among professional and advanced amateur underwater photographers. It is the film that sets the standard for brilliantly saturated colors and fine grain. With its RMS rating of 9, Velvia beats even the long-reigning king of fine-grain films, Kodachrome 25 (RMS 11). Velvia is the best choice for macro photography, where minimal water separates the camera and subject, thereby allowing the strobe light to accentuate the vibrant and surreal colors of the coral reef. Velvia also works well for wide angle, where the slow speed and consequent wide apertures don't pose a depth-of-field problem. The blue it renders for open-water scenes is quite pleasant.
However, using Velvia with a Nikonos and 35mm lens may be difficult because at the minimum focus distance of 2.75 feet, most strobes give only enough light for an f/8 setting. This is not a very forgiving lens/aperture combination when distances must be accurately estimated in order to take a sharp shot. Velvia's detractors call it "Disneychrome" because the colors may in some cases appear too saturated, but used properly this film is an awesome tool for underwater imaging.
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Why We Use What We Use
The first choice underwater photographers have to make is whether they want to shoot slide or print films. With each there are advantages and disadvantages.
Print Film
Slide Film
Disadvantage: Small exposure latitude. Only about one stop for underexposure and a little more than 1/2 stop for overexposure. Bracketing is far more the norm for those shooting color transparencies. |
Kodak Elite Chrome Extracolor 100 (EBX)
ISO - 100 | RMS - 11 | Optimal exposure - f/13
Elite Chrome Extracolor 100 is the consumer version of the highly anticipated Kodak Ektachrome E100VS (for "Vivid Saturation"). Topside photographers will be impressed that there is no reciprocity compensation required for exposure times from 10 seconds to 1/10,000th of a second, but that particular nicety is lost on underwater photographers, especially Nikonos enthusiasts who are typically restricted to a range of shutter speeds between 1/30th and the strobe synch speed of 1/90th.
What this film does bring to the table is beautifully saturated colors, reasonably fine grain, and sufficient speed for good depth of field. My testing, both topside and under water, suggests that the film is slightly biased toward the red end of the spectrum. Since red is the first color to go away in underwater photography, this makes the film a good choice for available light and over/under applications. When properly exposed, it renders lovely blue-water backgrounds, but when underexposed the red bias of the film adds a noticeably purple tinge to the water.
Early reports claimed the VS in this film stood for "Velvia Stomper," but in terms of resolution and grain, Velvia remains unchallenged. However, this is an excellent 100 ISO film with a pleasing color palette that will undoubtedly gain wide acceptance among underwater photographers.
Fujichrome Sensia II (RA)
ISO - 100 | RMS - 10 | Optimal exposure - f/13
Sensia II and its sister film Provia are popular 100 ISO emulsions, providing highly saturated colors like Velvia, but with another f-stop's speed and slightly lower contrast. My subjective opinion when comparing the Elite Chrome Extracolor and Sensia II side-by-side is that the Fuji film is slightly sharper, an impression borne out by the RMS rating of 10 for Sensia versus 11 for Extracolor. However, the Sensia II also appears to be slightly more contrasty than the Extracolor/100 VS, and as a result I have sometimes had trouble holding highlight detail when shooting into the sun with the Sensia II. My subjective opinion is that the Sensia/Provia is not as "warm" as the new Kodak emulsion. Thus, for wide-angle shots of Caucasian models and most reef scenics, I'd rather use the Extracolor/100VS. For fish photography either film will do a fine job, but neither would be my first choice for macro.
Kodachrome 64 (KR)
ISO - 64 | RMS - 12 | Optimal exposure - f/8
Kodachrome 64 has achieved an almost hallowed position in the pantheon of color slide films, if for no other reason than it has long been the film of choice of National Geographic photographers. Its archival stability is outstanding, and a skilled photographer can learn to use its distinct color rendition to great advantage.
However, not all Kodachromes are the same. When these films first come off the line they have a distinct green color bias, and as the film "ages" it shifts more toward magenta. The film I tested was decidedly green. Theoretically, at some point in this aging process the colors are ideal. Also theoretically, the professional version of Kodachrome (PKR) is released at the optimal point of aging. Serious photographers who shoot Kodachrome should probably buy the pro version in large quantities of the same emulsion batch, test it, and then refrigerate the unused rolls in order to achieve some level of predictability in terms of color.
I also found the speed of my test roll to be less than Velvia, even though it is a 64 ISO film. However, the K-14 Kodachrome process required that I send the film out for processing, and the speed differences may be a function of processing idiosyncrasies.
Kodak Elite Chrome 200 (ED)
ISO - 200 | RMS - 12 | Optimal exposure - f/16
I'll be the first to admit I'm not a big fan of fast films. I prefer fine grain and high resolution, which films with higher ISO emulsions give up in pursuit of speed. Fast films-ISOs of 200 to 1600-are special-use films for recording images in dim light, facilitating the use of faster shutter speeds than would be possible otherwise, and extending depth of field through the use of smaller apertures. However, if you need to shoot fast film under water-deep shipwrecks or ambient light shots of whales or dolphins in low light-Elite Chrome 200 is a terrific film. The skin tones are pleasing, the color palette unbiased, and the grain is a massive improvement over its most recent predecessor, Kodak Elite II 200.
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U.S. vs. Gray Market Films Some mail-order wholesale houses offer excellent prices on gray market films. But are these really "bargains"? I don't think so. Gray-market films (also called "parallel import") have entered the U.S. by some means other than the authorized distribution channel established by the film manufacturer. Through some combination of currency exchange and bulk purchasing, these vendors can buy a quantity of film at a very attractive price and pass on the savings. The problem is that the consumer has no guarantee that the film has been either manufactured to U.S. specifications, or stored and transported in a way that is safe for the film. Heat, humidity, X-rays, etc. can all potentially damage a film, and buying gray market film introduces more variables than most photographers are willing to accept. Your best bet is to buy only from an ethical dealer and specify films made and distributed in the U.S. |
It really depends on your personal taste in terms of color, and your threshold for acceptable grain and resolution. Each film reviewed here has its own characteristics, and the savvy photographer needs to be able to identify those characteristics and predictably use them to advantage.