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The Kodak Ektachrome E100 is a modern slide film developed by Kodak in 2017! I’ve been meaning to write this review for two years and now the moment has arrived! I take photos with Kodak Ektachrome E100 and now I can share my impressions.
Kodak Ektachrome E100 Description
The Kodak Ektachrome E100 is a slide (positive) film. I had it sitting in the freezer for over a year while I built the right set up for it. I want to squeeze the maximum color and contrast out of this expensive and difficult-to-handle film. That’s why I demand the perfect exposure metering from the camera and don’t adjust the exposure. I only shoot on slide on Canon film SLRs: the EOS 1N and EOS 3000. I don’t dare put it anywhere else.
The Kodak Ektachrome E100 requires a lot of light because it has an ISO sensitivity of 100. And if you want true color on a developed slide, that color has to be in your scene you’re photographing. The slide is the most authentic film. And the Kodak Ektachrome E100 is one of the most faithful slides.
It’s really not that scary. You just need to get your hands on it, figure out what light you need for the slide, have a good camera, and measure for midtones. Shoot like a 100. And look for color and the right light, without them there is no point in shooting with the Kodak Ektachrome E100. It’s hard to find a scene worthy of this film!
My impressions of the Kodak Ektachrome E100
I’ve been looking for an excuse to shoot with this film for a couple of years. I firmly decided for myself to expose it only with perfect DSLR film metering. Because only this class of camera allows me to shoot in my favorite “on the run” manner. Yes, that’s how boring I am, I like automatic (including focus), with precise metering and quick. I have an article where that comes through. I also shoot a lot of portraits. I love photographing people in general. And so I need perfect exposure with perfect skintone.
The problem is that my DSLRs were dying too fast. Now things have settled down, I’ve got working machines and it’s time for the Ektachrome. All that was left was to find a color.
I found color, shot 3 reels, developed and was looking forward to the package with developed film. Oh, that moment! That was the first time I’d seen a modern slide! I scrutinized the frames and admired the saturated colors, incredible contrast and very accurate color reproduction. The slide is a pain in the ass. But all the complications pale into insignificance when you hold a strip of color-matched film in your hands and realize that it couldn’t have been more accurate!
Color
The Kodak Ektachrome E100 was used by National Geographic photographers. I can see why. The Ektachrome E100 has the perfect color reproduction for me and for my scenes. Fantastically faithful picture on film on a viewing table. Which I don’t have, but I got out of it.))
The scanner doesn’t want to take all the color off the slide. And it can’t. It’s better to view the slide on film or with a projector.
Sharpness
Ektachrome gives a sharp image. It looks professional when I have the right focus. I gave the lens autofocus time in each shot. I cranked up the aperture as much as I could. I got great sharpness.
Grit
Many photographers go to film for the distinctive grain. The slide has no grain. Its sensitivity is not about graininess.
Colors are deep, rich and vibrant, but never cartoonish, as C-41 color film sometimes looks. The skin tones are perfect and realistic. Looking at Ektachrome colors is like looking at a well-preserved Titian painting that makes most other images look like fauvism from a cheap store.
How to photograph with the Kodak Ektachrome E100
Avoid backlighting. If you have a sunny scene, it needs bright colors. In my opinion, the Kodak Ektachrome E100 is best for bright but not contrasting scenes without direct sunlight.
I have the best photos on my slide where I found the right light, carefully measured the face, made everyone stand still and took the picture without moving. Frankly disappointing were the shots where I shot against the sun, in a hurry, or there were no bright accents in the scene.