Grain and odities w/Fuji NPS 160

Fedzilla_Bob · 04-12-2005

I have been using Fuji NPS 160 just for general street shooting recently and noticed that when It was pushed it looked a little grainy, as expected.

What I did not expect was when I shot it at the rated ASA of 160 (with my GSN), it looked grainier. !!!??? especially in the blues.

Another thing, sometimes if there is a very intense blue in the image it seems to get a dark glow of blue surrounding that object. Is this something crazy happening in the dyes?

This stuff is still within date and has been in the fridge since I have had it.

unsharp · 04-12-2005

My experience with this film is that rated at 160 there are no grains.

I take the oportunity to use your thread (hope its OK) to ask a question that is related, and could be a reason for your experience with the film.

When we talk B&W film we spend a lot of time selecting developer to get the desired result. When it comes to color, this seams not to be the case. We just hands it in to the shop.

Here comes my amature theory

:

I live in Sweden and here FUJI dominates the minilab market, as well as film market. Most shops are using FUJI chemicals. I have noted when looking at posted photos, here and elsewhere, that in the USA KODAK is very popular in color films. I have tried some KODAK films here, but they ALLWAYS come back grainy

. This is not the case when I view posted KODAK pictures in p.net etc.

Can this that your lab use KODAK chemicals for FUJI film be a cause?

Anders

Fedzilla_Bob · 04-12-2005

Unsharp- I just checked and my favorite lab is a Fuji Films lab, that was where the sample was developed.

I will take my next roll to another local lab and see what the results are. I was hoping for the lower grain in these color images. Not sick about it. Just wondering what happened.

And now, why the blue edges? I did have a UV filter on that day in hopes it would help reduce haze.

Odd stuff.

unsharp · 04-12-2005

OK, so much for that theory!

Do the negatives look OK in terms of exposure? You have of course checked this, but anyway...

Anders

Doug · 04-13-2005

Bob, are you seeing these strange qualities in lab-supplied scans, or the prints, or both? The color could possibly be inept lab finishing, but that may not explain the grain! Add the graininess, and like Anders I'd wonder about the chemicals and/or temperatures that might be out of spec. Trying a different lab is a good next step.

Fuji vs Kodak processing... It does seem there are secret ingredients in the chemistry from both that is tailored to bring out the best in their respective films. My local lab manager suggests Fuji films, while they use Agfa machinery (don't know if that means Agfa chemicals too). So I use mainly Fuji NPZ and NPS, but the Kodak Portra films I've had done there came back very nice too, as well as a lot of Ilford XP2 b&w.

Best of luck in sorting out this mystery!

Fedzilla_Bob · 04-14-2005

Hi- I get negatives only from the lab and do my own scanning.

I have since thought that it could be some strangeness induced during scanning. So, I have begun experiments with scanning at different reslutions. It could be some result from a coincedence of the films dye grains with the CCD's individual pixels.

I don't like what my scanner software does with grain reduction so I toy with the scans in Photoshop after scanning. Sometimes with interesting results.

Richard Black · 04-14-2005

I haven't use this film, but I have used the NPH 400asa at its rated speed and have found no grain at all. My best guess is it might be the processor. Try a different one.

Nick R. · 04-14-2005

Since I live near labs that use both fuji and kodak processing, I've experimented by sending kodak film to fuji, fuji to kodak, kodak to kodak, you get the idea. What I've found is that there is one area lab that gives the best results no matter what combination I choose. It happens to be a kodak lab, but I suspect that it has more to do with the people who work there. My two cents.