something weird abt film - anyone has an explanation?

[Isaiahfortythirtyone]

hi guys. just got back from HK disneyland with my folks. i brought along a roll of fuji NPS160 to shoot with an EOS 300. i also brought my 350D along (the eos 300 was used by my dad)
on the eos300, i put a 50mm f/1.8. i used a tamron 28-75 on my 350D.

the strange thing is, i find that my digital shots have a higher resolution and less grain/noise than my NPS160 shots. i dont think it's the lens problem as i use my 50mm on my 350d with great results. i don't think its a camera mode problem too - i set to Av mode at f/5.6 for most shots on my film cam.

cld it be the sensor of the eos300 that is at fault? the noise seems higher on the NPS tho the RMS granularity is a low 4. plus the resolution looks lower too. im quite puzzled here. anyone cld help to explain?

but having said that, the NPS is a great film in terms of colour. nothing too exaggerated. very smooth skin tones. i heard fuji released a Pro-S160, gonna try that soon

 

[Stoned]

The EOS 300 doesn't quite have a sensor. The film records the image.

It's probably as I explained to you already. Can't wait to see your shots

 

[foxtwo]

how r u comparing the two different media?

 

[catchlights]

For two reasons I can think of..
One, you rate your NPS at it is, at ISO 160 not ISO 100, or you didn't overexpose your NPS by 1/2 stop~1 stop.
Second, your film want into the X-ray machine in the airport custom.

 

[West_ray]

digital has higher resolution? how did you conlude the resolution of the film shots?

 

[sriram]

Can't tell much with the info you have provided.

- what ISO were you shooting the film at
- how did you conclude that digital has lower noise and higher res? scanned the film or printed the negs? if scanned, how and at what res.

I've been shooting NPS, NPC and NPH for years and they are probably the smoothest and highest res film I've used.

 

[mpenza]

maybe it's the printer that didn't print well? or might be underexposure for the film pics, hence resulting in correction that leads to grain.

 

[LittleWolf]

the strange thing is, i find that my digital shots have a higher resolution and less grain/noise than my NPS160 shots.

Is this an incident that is different from usual (and recent) experience? Or are you you comparing with your memory of film pictures from the more distant past? For all you know, it could be changed perceptions.

After taking photos predominantly with a digital camera for about a year, I got my hand on a box of slides I took just a few years ago. They looked much more grainy/noisy/blurry than I remembered them. Same with photographs printed in books and magazines. Looking at some National Geographic issues, most images seem to be much more noisy/grainy/blurred than I remembered them.

 

[waileong]

Who knows the cause? And it doesn't matter now, the film is cooked, as they say.

You want to know the truth? Get a tripod, get a test target, shoot your 350D vs your EOS 300 on the same settings, develop the film, scan or print it properly, judge for yourself.

 

[user111]

it is telling you that its time to convert to fully digital

lolx

 

[Isaiahfortythirtyone]

haha i agree with littlewolf. maybe its just changed perceptions. but then again, as stoned explained to me, it cld be cos the shop (grace digital) used a lower grade scanner to scan in the negs, and then simon did a tad bit too much oversharpening which caused me to see some artifacts there.

and no, i did not overexpose by 1/2 or 1 stop. i shot as ISO160, just as the film is rated.

and my film DID GO THRU THE AIRPORT SCANNER. i asked the guy before i put it in..."is it film safe?" he said yes. and i beleived him did i go wrong there? :think:

sriram: i concluded that my film shots had lower res just by looking at it. its not as smooth as the digital prints. there was very fine visible "white powdery" grain. and somehow the pictures just didnt look as full as my 350D shots.

user111: i still love film. prob gonna just bring 5 rolls of NPH for my next holiday. i can leave my 350D at home. :bigeyes: :bsmilie: :think:

stoned: msn me when u see me online. ill send u some of my pics. mostly family shots tho. but i was quite amazed with my tamron 28-75. first time i used it extensively at f/2.8. sharp at 28mm, and sharp at 75mm...well..sharp enough for 4R prints at least.

 

[+evenstar]

I don't know why, but all my film that goes through the x-ray scanner turns out very grainy (using fuji superia 400)

 

[Isaiahfortythirtyone]

holy smokes. is there a way to tell them i wanna get my film out/not put it thru the scanner? will they allow?

 

[catchlights]

holy smokes. is there a way to tell them i wanna get my film out/not put it thru the scanner? will they allow?

put your film in a transparent plastic bag, no box, transparent canister also, ask for hand inspection.

 

[oeyvind]

holy smokes. is there a way to tell them i wanna get my film out/not put it thru the scanner? will they allow?

have yet to see x ray scanner damaged any of my slide or neg... even those heavy duty one in Kashmir. But have heard that one should not put any film in checked luggage in the US these days.

You said digital file has more res and less grain that film... sure, how you compare?

You scanned your neg/slide? If so, how you do it!

Even at ISO 100, slide film like Provia has its grain as well.

 

[Isaiahfortythirtyone]

er...its visible. well..its a direct print from negative. developed at grace digital labs

 

[catchlights]

er...its visible. well..its a direct print from negative. developed at grace digital labs

If your neg is underexpose, of couse the print will be grainny.

 

[Ah_Seng]

I think the only way to end your doubts would be to conduct a test-shoot yourself.

Buy another roll of NPS160. Or better two rolls.

Use a tripod and same lens, same subject, just different bodies (350D and EOS 300) and send off the two rolls to two different labs for a direct print again from negs. Then compare the results and see if the resolution from different labs differ and also against your 350D.

Alternatively, you might wanna try scanning that roll of NPS160 negs from your holiday at another lab and see if there's any difference. Maybe you wanna try Kex?

Just some suggestions...

 

[+evenstar]

holy smokes. is there a way to tell them i wanna get my film out/not put it thru the scanner? will they allow?

Stuff the film rolls into your pocket and walk thru the metal detector..

 

[Isaiahfortythirtyone]

If your neg is underexpose, of couse the print will be grainny.

eh...nono...exposure is pretty much correct. i'm kinda leaning towards Stoned's explanation

oh...blessed new year you all!