I am beginning to experiment with the newer Provia 100F (RDP III). Does anyone have recommended EI ratings for specific situations? I had very good luck with Velvia at ASA 40 for normal lighting, ASA 32 for low-key lighting, and ASA 50 to 64 for high-key situations. Does anyone have similar info for the Provia 100F? My experience so far is that the Provia is similar to the Velvia - it needs a bit more light than it's nominal rating of ASA 100 would suggest. I shoot primarily landscapes and nature scenes. Any filter factors would be in addition to the above ratings.

-- Ray Dunn (raydunn@mcn.net), May 09, 2000

Answers

I shoot RDPIII at EI 80. Of course, EI isn't very transportable from one person to the next given the variations in meters, metering techniques, shutters and labs.

-- Larry Huppert (Larry.Huppert@mail.com), May 10, 2000.

I also shoot it at 80. For comparison's sake, I rate Velvia at 40.

-- Howard Slavitt (info@naturelandscape.com), May 10, 2000.

I do the same as Larry & Howard, but sometimes end up pushing it +1/3 in processing .

-- Ellis Vener (evphoto@insync.net), May 10, 2000.

I've been shooting it at 100, but have found that 1/3 stop under might be better. The reason is that I sometimes get a very slight green cast if the scene contains old, weathered gray-colored wood or light-gray granite (especially when shooting in dry atmospheric conditions such as ghost towns in the high desert, high Sierra). I found that this cast isn't noticeable if I rate the film a little under. I've spoken to a couple of guys at my prolab who have had similar results with RDPIII, so I wonder if it's something like oxidation in the chemicals? (they said they use Fuji chemicals, and I've had RVP developed in the same batch, and it was right on. This leads me to believe it's the film, not the chemicals). Any run into this problem? One guy I spoke to showed me two 4x5 shots of artwork, one taken on RDPII and one on RDPIII. The RDPIII was noticeably green (same exposure, processed in the same batch). Anyone had this problem yet?

-- James Chow (dr_jchow@yahoo.com), May 11, 2000.

My lab here seems to think that Fuji deliberately rates about a third of a stop faster for most of its slide films to give greater colour saturation.

I shoot Velvia at 40. I have been shooting Provia F (my current standard colour slide film) at 100 and have noticed that very often, a slight overexposure of about a third to half a stop is ideal.

So I'd go with 80.

-- K H Tan (kahheng@pacific.net.sg), May 11, 2000.

The info from one famous US landscape photographer as well as several several others I talked to is a unanimous 40 for Velvia, in agreement with those correspondents that have replied. I have personally tried the Provia F and also found that 100 was borderline and that any lesser exposure (Higher ASA) turned the reds into muddy browns. Velvia on the other hand held to the reds , and other colours, far better than Provia F when underexposed. I found this tendency of Provia F definitely not to my liking and in spite of its finer grain, I am staying with Velvia. I'd be interested in hearing from others.

-- Julio Fernandez (gluemax@ora.auracom.com), May 15, 2000.