# Slide film



## Rahb (Mar 2, 2006)

I keep hearing people reffer to "slide film"  what exactly is this?  does it fit in a 35mm camera?  what are the benefits?


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## Alpha (Mar 2, 2006)

Slide film is color positive. That means when the film is developed, the colors are positive, not negative, like "normal" print film. Slide film comes in all kinds of sizes, such as 35mm, 120, and in some cases larger. I'm sure you've seen it before. When you put a slide into a slide projector, that's just a 35mm exposure from a roll of slide film. When you go to your local professional or semi-pro camera shop, they will most likely keep the slide film in a refrigerator. Slide film is the film of choice for color shots, as the colors tend to be very rich. IMO, (and many others will agree), Fuji makes the best slide film. The most color-heavy one is called Velvia. Fuji also makes more color-natural slide films called Provia and Astia. The only thing you need to keep in mind when analyzing shots taken with slide film is that the exposure is reversed. That means when slide film is underexposed, it will come out too light, and when it's overexposed it will appear too dark.

Hope that helps.


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## Hertz van Rental (Mar 2, 2006)

MaxBloom said:
			
		

> The only thing you need to keep in mind when analyzing shots taken with slide film is that the exposure is reversed. That means when slide film is underexposed, it will come out too light, and when it's overexposed it will appear too dark.


I think you'll find that it's the other way around.
Transparency works like print - overexposure makes the image light, underexposure makes it dark.


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## Alpha (Mar 2, 2006)

thanks then. I was told that the exposured were reversed, but i guess that was incorrect.


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## Rahb (Mar 2, 2006)

is slide film more expensive, developing or purchasing?  also, if they keep it refrigerated, should i do the same...is there special care needed for the roll?


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## Unimaxium (Mar 2, 2006)

Rahb said:
			
		

> is slide film more expensive, developing or purchasing?  also, if they keep it refrigerated, should i do the same...is there special care needed for the roll?



Yes, slide film is more expensive, but it often produces superior results. Slides tend to have higher contrast and saturation, as well as finer grain. But the cost of a roll of slide film and the cost to process it are often a few dollars higher than with negative film.

Most good places store it in refrigerators because most slide film you will find these days is professional film, and keeping a roll of color film in the fridge up until you use it is the best way to keep it at its best quality. So most people who buy the film will tend to be picky about its quality, and keeping it cool helps it to stay at its peak of freshness . If you want to store film youself, you can refridgerate it as well. The only thing to keep in mind is you should let it warm up to room temperature (about half an hour or so) before you start shooting with it.  Of course, refridgeration is not necessary, and whether you should do it or not pretty much depends on how long you're storing it for and how picky you are.


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## Hertz van Rental (Mar 2, 2006)

MaxBloom said:
			
		

> thanks then. I was told that the exposured were reversed, but i guess that was incorrect.


Transparency is like negative and print in one.
When you process it you have first development, which makes a neg mask. Then you re-expose the film (either with light or chemicals) and do a second process.
Over-exposure makes the first neg dense so that the second exposure results in a thin, underexposed positive image.
Underexposure does the opposite.
This is why correct exposure and processing of transparency is critical.


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## selmerdave (Mar 2, 2006)

Max, 

Perhaps what you are thinking of is the way each responds to over or underexposure.  The effect of course as Hertz pointed out is the same, overexposure is overexposure period.

But, negative film seems to respond better to overexposure than underexposure, and positive film is the reverse.  With slides, slightly underexposing tends to give more saturated colors, while any overexposure makes it look really washed out.  Somehow on print film that same overexposure (we're talking small amounts here, 1/3 to 1/2 of a stop) brightens it up without looking as washed out as the slide version.

In either case the lattitude is much smaller with slide film and the general idea is to start with the desired exposure before erring slightly one way or the other.  I certainly wouldn't suggest that someone underexpose all of their slide film and overexpose all of their print film.

Dave


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