Canon IXUS 240 HS
Canon PowerShot SX240 HS
Nikon D800
Samsung DV300F
Olympus OM-D E-M5
Nikon Coolpix P510
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30
Nikon Coolpix S9300
Kodak Professional Portra 400
The new Kodak Professional Portra 400 is claimed to be the world’s finest grained 400 speed colour negative film. Available in 135, 120/220 and 4x5” formats, the new film incorporates Kodak Vision Film Technology, plus Antenna Dye Sensitisation in the cyan and magenta emulsion layers to achieve its fine grain structure. Retaining the natural skin tones and remarkable colour reproduction the Kodak Portra line has always been noted for, the new Kodak Professional Portra 400 utilises optimised Emulsion Spectral Sensitivity and Image Modifier Chemistry, Kodak’s Proprietary DIR Couplers and Micro-Structure Optimised T-Grain Emulsions, resulting in a finely-grained negative that is easy to scan. Kodak says the new film replaces the existing Kodak Professional Portra 400NC and 400VC film offerings, meaning these emulsions will be discontinued.
Kodak Press Release
Kodak Continues to Enhance Award-Winning Professional Film Portfolio
Creates World’s Finest Grain 400 Speed Colour Negative Film with New KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 400
LONDON, UK, Sept. 14, 2010 – Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE:EK) today introduced the new KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 400 Film, featuring the finest grain structure available in a 400 speed colour negative film. The new film incorporates KODAK VISION Film Technology, plus Antenna Dye Sensitization in the cyan and magenta emulsion layers to achieve its unbeatable fine grain. Photographers will appreciate the beautiful, natural skin tones and superb colour reproduction of this new film, a long-time trademark of the KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA film family. Kodak will celebrate this new film, as well as other innovations, at Photokina trade show in Cologne, Germany Sept. 21 - 26. The celebration highlights Kodak’s 125 years of innovation, including its rich history, present accomplishments, and next wave of game-changing technologies
“This new PORTRA film follows a Kodak tradition of looking across our multiple business lines and leveraging our innovative technologies to make even industry-leading products better,” said Lars Fiedler, Business & Product Development Manager, Film Capture, Europe, Africa & Middle East Region Eastman Kodak Company. “The new KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 400 Film is perfect for scanning and enlargements, two key components of today’s photographic workflow. At the same time, we’ve preserved the attributes that photographers have come to expect, like the unmatched skin tone reproduction of our PORTRA family of films.”
For years, professional photographers have preferred KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA Films for their consistently smooth, natural and beautiful range of skin tones.
The new KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 400 Film utilises optimised Emulsion Spectral Sensitivity and Image Modifier Chemistry, Kodak’s Proprietary DIR Couplers and Micro-Structure Optimised T-Grain Emulsions. It is an ideal choice for portrait and fashion photography, as well as nature, travel and outdoor photography, where the action is fast or the lighting can’t be controlled.
The new film replaces the existing KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 400NC and 400VC Film offerings. Kodak estimates that current supplies of KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 400 NC and KODAK PROFESSIONAL 400 VC Films will last until end of year 2010 at the current sales pace.
“The new PORTRA 400 Film’s skin tones are spot on without compromising saturation and contrast,” said Jonathan Canlas, a noted professional wedding, portrait and commercial photographer based in Utah, USA. “And for someone who scans film in house, it could not be easier to scan in terms of density and colour. This new film delivers consistent and reliable results under a myriad of lighting situations.”
The new KODAK PROFESSIONAL PORTRA 400 Film will be available in 35 mm, 120/220, and 4x5 sheet format, beginning in November 2010.
For more information, please visit http://www.kodak.com/go/professional.
Canon IXUS 240 HS Review
Canon PowerShot SX240 HS Review
Nikon D800 Review
Samsung DV300F Review
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Review
Nikon Coolpix P510
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30
Canon PowerShot SX260 HS
Fujifilm X-Pro1
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V
#1 gordon
I'm excited about this because it seems like a faster ektar. Any samples yet?
9:38 pm - Tuesday, September 14, 2010
#2 Johnny Martyr
As the poster above stated, I too, have anticipated a reformulated Ektar-like 400 speed. I am excited that the article states that it is flexible across a number of lighting situations, which to me, is ektar's only weak point. Personally, I wasn't in love with Portra 400 NC or VC anyway. I can't express how thrilled I am that Kodak continues to release innovative and practical film products.
1:50 am - Wednesday, September 15, 2010
#3 Don Matter
What a joke. Rebranding the old Portra, some marketing buzz words, and replacing two lines (VC and NC) with one.
Dont you see whats going on? Consolidation to fewer and fewer films, the slow death of analog photography is happening.
9:44 am - Wednesday, September 15, 2010
#4 Sultan of Cognac
Interesting - I don't see mention of 8x10 Portra 400. Life is becoming increasing difficult for some of us.
10:03 am - Wednesday, September 15, 2010
#5 Oliver
Agree with Don Matter. This is bad news, not good news. How can one film replace nc AND vc?
1:52 pm - Wednesday, September 15, 2010
#6 Johnny Martyr
I don't shoot 8x10 and can't comment on that but as far as replacing NC and VC for one "combined" film, I think you have to be realistic.
Film is being phased out. It's a fact brought on both by consumers and by the industry.
The fact that Kodak continues to work actively to keep making what they think are competitive and useful products is awesome. It would be much easier for them to put zero effort into designing new emulsions and just keep stamping out older products until the lines die out. If NC and VC were great sellers, they wouldn't be replacing them. They could just phase them out. Instead, they are offering something to fill the gap that they believe will be more cost effective for them as well as useful for us.
I don't see anything wrong with this.
You have to be realistic, not all our favourite films are going to keep going. As tyme goes by, only the "best of the best" films will survive. While this is sad for the films that fall by the wayside, I'm really looking forward to the advances that are made and am excited that Kodak continues to fight instead of just laying down, waiting to die. Stick with them, support them. We all have to work together here.
Buy as much of your preferred film as you can afford, shoot as much as you can stand and encourage others with your art and regular conversation about film to shoot on it too.
Kodak is our partner and they won't let us down if we don't let them down!
2:20 pm - Wednesday, September 15, 2010
#7 Sultan of Cognac
Johnny, while you may not see anything wrong with this, those of us who still use LF film on a professional basis - and DO buy as much as we can - see beautiful films being banished into mediocrity.
While your ideas are fine for you and your way of life, it does not apply to everyone. I shoot professionally in Switzerland and France and cringe to see people simply 'accepting' valueless changes that are forced upon them. But, then again, their personal values are not mine.
As you mentioned, you don't shoot 8 x 10. So what are we to do when we need that larger image?
Buying and stocking film is unrealistic, but at least you did offer an attempt at a solution. Perhaps one that would work for you, but finding space to store 100 boxes of 8 x 10 is a bit demanding.
2:36 pm - Wednesday, September 15, 2010
#8 Johnny Martyr
Sultan, as I said, I can't comment on the 8x10 sector. I am purely discussing 35mm and medium format. And to these stocks, I stand by what I've said above. I did not claim to speak for 8x10 shooters or "everyone." I firmly believe this is a good thing for Kodak and 35mm and medium format shooters. Who doesn't like more sharpness in higher speed films?
Kodak and Fuji are making these kinds of changes because of changes in the market; they are trying to figure out how to keep film alive in a digital world. You have to accept that there are going to be many changes and strategies to make things work. Some will work and others will not.
Perhaps an 8x10 version will be released in time just as we saw with Ektar.
All I'm saying is that we need to just keep doing our best and support Kodak, understanding that they will be forced to make challenging decisions.
When you talk about "valueless changes that are forced," you sound more as though you're talking about digital culture and the vast numbers of magazines, stores and consumers that are responsible for the fade out of film. Kodak certainly didn't cause this and are simply reacting to a real threat. Don't pull your support from Kodak. Pull your support from the digital culture (if you support it at all) and work to constantly fortify your film work.
At any rate, I don't think this a "valueless change"--the new Portra is supposed to be sharper and retains some of the best qualites of NC and VC. You can't expect manufacturers to sustain specialty products that dial in particular amounts of contrast and saturation when they are just struggling to keep film on the shelves.
Hopefully it just doesn't get to a point where only one or two films are available from each maker but you have to expect consolidation. It only makes practical sense.
Anyway, I am trying to stay positive and offer my fellow film shooters a positive outlook and course of action. What are you offering? I certainly understand your concerns and hope you can keep your chin up and your shutter tripping!
3:00 pm - Wednesday, September 15, 2010
#9 Rob Oresteen
@Don Matter
Don, this new film is not a joke, nor a mere re-branding of the older NC and VC emulsions.
Given that most work flows spend at least a few seconds in Photoshop, it is too easy add the color pop that VC used to have. Kodak knows this. To ramp up a regular and saturated emulsion is just not efficient and makes little sense. The fact they gave this film new, unheard of properties, and that many shooters will benefit from it, makes a lot of sense.
http://canlasphotography.blogspot.com/2010/12/rachael-ken-11122010-los-angeles-ca.html
In almost any thread that discusses film, there is always a clarion cry about film being "phased out" or ultimately it will go away.
I disagree. First off, medium format professional film stock looks better than its digital counterpart. Few Photoshop jockeys can make their digital capture look as good as film, though too often, the images, as slick as they are, remain flat.
To me, it's easy to spot a digital image. That doesn't make the digital look good or bad, it’s just that I, and millions of others, prefer the look and process of film.
Digital capture will always be the majority by far, but it is silly to assume film will go away. Film users represent a profitable, billion dollar industry. There are many professional shooters who earn more money, not to mention hours away from the computer by shooting film and letting a pro lab develop and scan the images. Yes, there are costs involved but these are passed on to the customer as any cost of upgrading digital equipment is as well.
Just because the film market will never be anywhere as big as the digital market, it doesn't mean they cannot or will not continue to make film. As long as there is a market for it, Fuji, Kodak and others will always make film.
Now that the new Portra can retain color and contrast pushed a couple stops (1600 ISO), it becomes a game changer for film shooters.
Film is not "going away" anytime soon.
8:06 pm - Sunday, December 26, 2010
#10 Mike Strickler
So far as I know, film is one of the few dependably profitable areas of Kodak, even as total sales go down. I second the comment on the easy manipulation of scans and the senselessness of keeping so many flavors of each color film. I don't miss them, especially if they make film less profitable for Kodak.
On the lack of a new fine-grained 400-speed color neg film in 8x10, is this really a serious problem? I speak as someone who does occasionally work in this format and I can't see all that much application for it. For small cameras and handheld work, of course.
8:13 am - Saturday, January 22, 2011
#11 Rob Oresteen
Agreed - is there really a practice need for 400 speed 8x10?
I don't know of many who hand-hold a Canham 8x10! I would think Ektar 100 would do just fine as well as Fuji 160 Pro.
There aren't "electric forks" out there but we all seem to eat just fine...
3:16 pm - Saturday, January 22, 2011