Provia 400x compared to Velvia 50 or 100

[waynecrider]

I haven't shot Provia or Velvia in a long time and I would like to shoot some slide film again, but I need a higher saturated film. So I'm wondering how Velvia 50 compares to the higher ISO Provia 400 and Velvia 100. The tradeoff for me would be that a higher ISO film would work better.

 

[frdrx]

Velvia 50 is a lot mode saturated than Provia 400X, has noticeably smaller grain and can look extremely sharp. Velvia 100 is very similar with the advantage of being one stop faster. Provia 400X is a spectacular film nonetheless with plenty of saturation and unobtrusive grain, so if a higher ISO film works better for your purpose, I would recommend that you stick with it. Try Velvia with subjects that don't benefit from a 400 ISO emulsion. By the way, also give Astia and Provia 100F a try. Kodak slide films are very nice and worth considering, too.

 

[benjiboy]

In my experience the most saturated is Velvia 50, but I find it too slow for general photography especially with long or zoom lenses in England except in the height of Summer, I generally try and use whenever I can Velvia 100 which is also plenty saturated, Provia 400 X is also a superb slide film with good saturation and very fine grain and sharpness, but you can't rely on other peoples experience I suggest you try them at the boxed speed which I find accurate and form your own conclusions.

 

[DanielStone]

Wayne(OP):

what format are you intending on using? 400x is available in 35mm or 120, so you can use it in a MF camera no problem. RVP50 is available in 35mm-8x10, so if you're planning on using a tripod, you have many options.

here's how I've found Fuji's slide films to work for me:

Velvia 50(35mm-8x10): great film, too saturated(IMO) for shooting people, can accentuate certain colors(blues and GREENS) more than others.
Velvia 100(35mm-8x10): "..." a tad less saturated than the 50, but a stop faster. I generally have rated it @80 to keep shadows from blocking up completely
Velvia 100F(35mm-8x10): less saturated, less contrasty than 50 or 100 versions, better for a boost in saturation, but not "over the top". Works nicely with skintones IMO as well.
Astia 100F: personally, my favorite of Fuji's pro emulsions. 35mm-8x10 sizes available, has a warmer tone standard. Works perfect(IMO) for just about everything, less contrast, great for skintones.
Provia 100F(35mm-8x10): my 2nd choice personally(35mm-8x10), super sharp, super fine-grained, beautiful film. Shadows go blue quickly, but a slight warming filter(81c) helps to tame that for open shade shooting.
Sensia 200(35mm only): nice film, a little warmer than Astia. This is only in 35mm that I know of, getting harder to find than the pro emulsions. Nice film, similar(IMO) in warmth to Kodachrome 64(especially in late-day shooting).
Provia 400x(35mm, 120): The only 400 speed emulsion left in chrome. There's E200 from Kodak(35mm only now though), and that can be pushe to 800 perfectly fine(E200). 400x is great b/c its available in 120 as well. Not super fine grained, but its the only game in town. I like to rate it @ 320 for a tad overexposure. Handles skintones nicely, even in failing light. I've pushed it to 800 before and it worked great!.

there's also Kodak's offerings, and they're actually my 1st go-to's when I can get them while in stock at my local stores.

E100g(35mm-8x10): Probably the best slide film IMO I've ever shot, not as good as Fuji for reciprocity(up to 10s no change in time or filter factor). Comes in 120(my primary format), if you use filters(LEE, Cokin), this film can pretty much do anything you want color-wise. Not TOTALLY neutral, but NATURAL color balance. Works great IMO even if pushed 2 stops to 400(more grain, contrast however of course). I rate it @ iso 80.
E100vs(35mm-4x5): Super great film, similar to Velvia 50 in terms of amount of saturation, but more NATURAL saturation, not just "lets slide it WAY more" like Velvia(again, IMO). Nice film, works ok for skintones too.
Elitechrome 100/200(35mm only): nice films, haven't shot too much of either, but they work well. Cheap compared to pro emulsions, some drug stores carry it !. Pushes 1/2-1 stop MAX!!! Any more and I've gotten crossover of color. This is my experience however. Others maybe not.

-Dan

 

[2F/2F]

You'll likely be just fine with the grain and sharpness of the 400X, but it does not exaggerate saturation as do the Velvia films. It is incredibly realistic; perhaps the most realistic color transparency film I have used, when it comes to faithfully capturing the mood of a scene. In the same way, Fuji Superia 800 is the most realistic color neg film in this way that I have used. (When it comes to analyzing a color chart, I find Reala and EPN to have been the most technically accurate, however Superia 800 and Provia 400 are more pliable than either. If you count tungsten-balanced films, I've never liked anything better than T64 for accuracy.) My point is that if you want exaggeration of saturation, Provia 400X is not your film. You can do things to make it saturate colors more, but it is not naturally a high-saturation film.

 

[Slixtiesix]

I shot a Pro-Pack of Provia 400X during the last year but was never really satisfied. I found the greens to be blueish and the latitude too narrow.
I will stay with Velvia 100 and Astia 100F. Though Velvia´s latitude is not broader, it has nicer and cleaner colours to my taste. When I need realistic colours, I use Astia, which has an incredible latitude for a slide film. The only benefit of Provia 400X is in my opinion that it is Iso 400. If you don´t need the speed, I would recommend Velvia.

Best Regards, Benjamin

 

[waynecrider]

OK thanks everyone.

I'm shooting 35mm but plan on shooting more 120, and thanks Daniel for your detailed descriptions. In 120 I need to have more DOF, so if I can lower the shutter speed and pickup a higher f stop, yet retain enough speed to stop action that will be perfect. Maybe in 35mm 100VS for shots with people. For general landscapes and many times with water in them I'll probably shoot with at least 100 speed Velvia. Forest stuff probably Velvia 50. I'll try a couple of rolls of 400x in another 35mm camera to compare.

 

[DanielStone]

wayne,

you can do whatever you want, but getting to know 3 or 4 films can be very nerve-wracking, and expensive. If you can settle on 1 or 2 films, then it can make your life much easier.

like astia for general shooting, and velvia 100 for the special, more saturated things.

just an idea

-Dan

 

[Iceberg]

Provia 400X is remarkable achievement for a slide film. At 400 ISO, there is so much shadow detail that it can probably be safely pushed to 1000 ISO or higher (which I plan to in my next roll). Grain under the loupe looks as fine grained as the old Astia.

Still, in 35mm, I see two drawbacks: (1) colors are muted and warm in a very brownish way (2) grain doesn't react well to digital sharpening. The first can be tweaked in post. The second cannot. But at 400 ISO (and potentially higher), you are already getting so much that these are minor quibbles.

Interestingly enough, I don't see either of the above drawbacks in medium format 400X. Colors are warmer in a more pleasing reddish way (perhaps the property of the glass) and grain holds up superbly. So different from 35mm 400X that it is almost a different film (paradoxical but true).

 

[waynecrider]

Interestingly enough, I don't see either of the above drawbacks in medium format 400X.

Thanks; I have two rolls of 400x in 35mm, and now knowing that there seems to be a difference I'll not make any quick judgments till after trying the 120.

 

[Iceberg]

Thanks; I have two rolls of 400x in 35mm, and now knowing that there seems to be a difference I'll not make any quick judgments till after trying the 120.

Would love to know your experience as well after you are done with the 120.

 

[Slixtiesix]

After I have taken a look on my slides from last year I must admit that I was a bit unfair on Provia 400X. The colours are far better than I had remembered. I also had the film pushed to Iso 800 one time with nice results. My opinion in the previous post was mainly based on a roll I shot last spring which came out very dull in direct comparison to Velvia. Don´t know what went wrong that day. My older slides were more vivid. I will order another pack to give Provia 400X a second chance...

 

[Tim Gray]

I've only shot a roll of 400x and none of the Velvias. That being said I found 400x to be a very nice film. Very easy to shoot (I'm not a slide shooter) with nice colors. It didn't look overly saturated though. I wouldn't call it muted, but the stuff I shot didn't scream 'saturated' to me. I won't speak to it's accuracy, but the results looked very natural to me. Very nice film in my opinion.

 

[benjiboy]

Thanks; I have two rolls of 400x in 35mm, and now knowing that there seems to be a difference I'll not make any quick judgments till after trying the 120.

I find that all the colour films I use give more saturated results on 120 film I noticed this many years ago when I got my first medium format camera shooting Ektachrome in both 35mm and 120 at the same time, try it sometimes and compare the results.