 Remember when “clean, natural, and realistic color” were compliments for films? If you do, you were probably shooting before the advent of Fuji Velvia. A revolution in a can, Velvia proves that, for many subjects, saturated isn’t enough—super saturated is the ticket. Even under dull, overcast skies, slide films like Velvia and Kodak’s Ektachrome VS deliver blow-out color that sizzles.
The problem with these E-6 films? They leave print film shooters out in the drearily drab. No red-hot reds, vivid violets, or bodacious blues for you negative shooters, especially if you’re making pictures under cloudy skies.
In an attempt to do right by print film fans, Agfa and Kodak have recently unveiled two new negative films that promise above-and-beyond color. Ironically, both emulsions share the designation “Ultra Color.” Kodak’s 400UC (UC=Ultra Color) belongs to the Portra family of professional portrait films; and Agfa’s Ultra Color 100 joins the Optima (for pros) and Vista (for the rest of us) general purpose C-41 films suitable for places as well as faces. Do these colorful newcomers make good on their claims for ultra, ultra saturation? Here’s what we found.
With the new 400UC, Kodak’s family of Portra films expands to six siblings at three speed points. The ISO 400 contingent includes, in increasing order of saturation: NC (for Normal Color), VC (Vivid Color), and UC (Ultra Color). The entire Portra range is aimed at wedding photographers and location portraitists who demand films that are fast, fine-grained, and relatively low in contrast. Low contrast is a must for wedding photographers because it minimizes wrinkles and blemishes, while reproducing excellent detail in black tuxes and white gowns.
Both Portra NC and UC have extremely fine grain for ISO 400-speed films. Both films also render Caucasian skin tones with the same pleasing and natural set of hues. Finally, both Portra films do a roughly equal job of rendering subtle tonal distinctions.
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