Ektar 100 color problem?

[Katastrofo]

I've seen some complaints on other forums about bad batches of Ektar
where cerulean blue is more turquoise or aqua-marine in color:





other colors like in this pickup truck seem just fine:

an experiment on clickable thumbnails:

firt 3 pics taken with Ricoh XR-10M/CZJ Flek 4/20, last one with Olympus
Stylus.

Has anyone else experienced a problem with this?

[Nesster]

There seems to be something going on- I've only 1 roll so far, but there seems to be a pull towards pinkish.

Here's a shot of fog to illustrate

[Sevo]

How did you test it? As long as printers and scanners don't have the proper profiles generated and/or installed, it is rather useless to speculate about film batch inconsistencies.

Sevo

[poilu]

superb pic in the clickable thumbnail Bill!

[Orio]

To speak the truth, colour accuracy in negative films is not the main concern of manufacturers. Negative has to be printed and printing labs always calibrate the colours automatically, so any subtlety in the film would be lost anyway - this is why manufacturers don't care much.
Grain and resolution are the main concerns for negative films.

Of course, slide films would be an entirely different story...

[Katastrofo]

Nesster, that is a crackin' shot! A shame about the pink.

Sevo, I have seen inconsistencies where people will paste up photos that
look like Provia slide film using Ektar, and others like myself and Nesster
have experienced problems in getting anything that resemble the correct
colors. Granted, I am using the same algorithm for Ektar that I do for
Fuji, Kodak Gold, Arista, etc, in post-processing, but no problems with any of those films.

Poilu, thanks, that shot was taken with Kodak Gold 200.

Orio, I'm probably going back to Fuji Reala 100, 160S, and Kodak
Portra 160 since I have no problems with colors with those films, and
they have pretty small grain as well. I still have two more rolls of Ektar
and have no hope that things will be better with them, so am a little
irked.

[Orio]

Bill, you should try one huge print from Ektar before giving it up completely.
Colours can be controlled by the labs if you give them instructions about what you want.
Chances are that the Extar will allow for larger quality prints that other films of same ISO. I think this was the main goal for Kodak with this film.
I would gladly try the Ektar myself if I could find it here.

[Katastrofo]

Hell, I'll send you a roll myself to see if you have different results. The
one post at NikonCafe where the guy's pics look like Provia, were done
in full undiffused sunlight vs diffused sun like my pics above. I did like
some of the flower shots using Ektar with my Sonnar/Exakta 500, but
this last batch was a disappointment. Most of the flower pics with the
Flek 4/20 were backlit and specular highlights in the bokeh were very
busy, yep, learning curve.

[Nesster]

It's true - I can adjust out the pink cast and get good color. Plus I haven't yet scanned Ektar myself, so this was strictly a drug store experience.

I still have 2 rolls of Ektar so will keep working at this - I like the ASA100 speed, though I'm not sure of the advantages vs. 160NC. And I don't really feel like shooting the same things with both films... or do I

[Katastrofo]

Nesster, curious to see your results scanning the negs on your Epson
4490. I've shot different films at the same thing to see which I like better,
rather silly since the lighting changes and devalues the comparison.

[Orio]

getting good colours out of negative films can be very tricky.

Whenever I want colour fidelity, I shoot slides (Fuji or Agfa).

[Katastrofo]

Well, I have Provia in both 35 and 120, but am waiting for better spring
weather. Right now it is rainy, windy, and cold.

[lulalake]

Bill,

I think you have a point about the film. Even Kodak's EDUPE color copy film is famous for requiring careful filtering when printing. It has a strong tendency to color shift.

Ektar mey require a bit more care in handling with proper refrigeration, sun exposure ect.

Jules

[bob955i]

The original Ektar was quite fussy to begin with about developing etc. so maybe this new version is similar in this respect.

[Katastrofo]

Well, if it's gonna be this fussy, I'm back to film that is tried and true.
Ektar has given me a glimpse of heaven in some shots, but a pretty long
stare into hell on others...

[F16SUNSHINE]

[shad309]

I spent 12 years working in a print lab and saw this alot. If the correct profile isnt added into the printer, your color will be screwed. The lab you used may not be calibrating their printer regularly or at all.

My advice would be to have them reprint them or try a different lab. When you do, make sure they have the profile for Ektar. As it is a newer film- it's more than likely that they have not loaded the film profiles yet. Very common...

Hope this helps.

[bob955i]

[Katastrofo]

shad309,
I'm scanning the negatives at home, no printing being done.

Bob, it looks as though to get the best results I'd have to send this to
a Kodak processing center somewhere. This really loses its luster for
continuing with it if it needs this kind of esoteric pampering, as I may
as well go with slide when I want popping fresh colors and tight grain.

I mistakenly deleted the first two files off my flickr account which is what
I linked those to, but you aren't missing anything.

Nesster's photo is the best thing to look at in this thread, anyway.

[bob955i]

[Katastrofo]

Bob, until I get it sorted, I'm back to Reala and slide film. I have two
rolls of the new Provia 400X 36-exp, and trying to decide which camera
to use first. I still like Kodak Gold and have no problems with color shift.

I just ordered a dozen rolls of Arista 100 on the advice from a friend who
loves the stuff, will see. Purty cheap, too.