Shooting Fuji Velvia 50
A sunset sky showing the purple hues that Velvia is known for. 25s 200mm F8.0 with 2 stop graduated filter.
So here we are, what many call the ultimate slide film still available today – Velvia 50. With its vivid purply colours combined with even finer grain & details over Velvia 100, some swear by this as the only stock they will use for landscape or still life work. It was certainly less straightforward shooting this than the other film stocks simply for it being such a low ISO. Many of the shots were taken on a tripod, and those that weren’t needed to be shot at an F stop much lower than F8.0 or F11. If I had tried to do that I would have ended up with shaky or blurry images from using a shutter speed that was simply too slow. Certainly not a roll of film you want to be using for any kinds of action.
The first of the MGs from a summer photoshoot. The levels of detail here are noticeably better than in the cars I shot on Velvia 100. This is an MG ZT. 1/80s 50mm F3.5 with polariser.
My favourite car from the shoot, the (Lagoon) MG ZS. 1/80s 50mm F3.5 with polariser.
The two MG ZRs. 1/80s 50mm F3.5 with polariser.
The colour hues are similar between this and its 100 ISO counterpart, but in the photos I took I think there is less purple in Velvia 50. Though as the photos were shot under different lighting conditions it is hard to make direct comparisons. As you can see in the sunset photo that headlines this blog, in certain conditions those colours do really pop out. What I can say for certain though is that when I look closely there definitely is more detail, so there is a tangible benefit from shooting this over the other. Thankfully for this roll I did actually manage to get a dramatic sunset photo and you can really see how well the pinks in the skies pop when using Velvia, this is why people get so excited about it. I also noticed that strong green tones with minimal yellow looked really good when shot on Velvia, the photo with the pink streaked leaves of a plant from the Eden Project is a good demonstration of this.
Velvia 50 suits macro work where you are trying to pick up high levels of detail. However the slow speed makes it difficult to use outside on a windy day. 1/80s 105mm F6.3 with polariser.
The centre of this Californian Poppy shows the high levels of detail that Velvia 50 can produce. 1/80s 105mm F5.6 with polariser.
Field Poppies flower and drop their petals all in one day. 1/80s 105mm F4.0 with polariser.
The multi-coloured Kangaroo Paw plants show off how well Velvia 50 can render warm colours. 1/30s 50mm F4.0.
I was really pleased by how the greens and pinks were rendered in this image. Together with the fine detail it looks very true to life. 1/30s 50mm F1.8.
If I had to choose between which one to shoot again, I would stick with Velvia 50. As I said in my previous blog you will most likely be doing careful and considered work with Velvia, so you might as well shoot the version with the finest grain and most detail. There may be times when having an extra stop of light is useful but when the camera is firmly planted on a tripod, I can’t see that being an issue on many occasions. Like Velvia 100, I will probably not shoot this again on 35mm, but will reserve it for my Bronica with its interchangeable film backs. I really am interested to see how much fine detail a medium format photo would hold, seeing as I am already impressed by the amount of detail I can see on my images taken on 400 ISO colour negative film.
Durdle Door. Again Velvia 50 is doing a very good job with fine detail. 1/25s 50mm F8.0 with polariser.
Lulworth Cove. 1/30s 50mm F8.0 with polariser.
Sea kayaks ready for hire. 1/50s 50mm F8.0 with polariser.
What better car could you get for the beach than a Series 2 Landrover? I did have to heavily recover the shadows in post production, but that does show the detail was originally captured by the film. 1/60s 50mm F6.3 with polariser.
I’ve had fun experimenting with slide film over the summer and I’ve learned a lot from the experience. Ektachrome is my favourite for general shooting and Velvia 50 will be the one I reach for when I have a dramatic sunrise or sunset to capture. Though with the large costs to buy and process this type of film, it will definitely be a lot better if I stuck to a faster colour negative stock like Portra 400 if I wanted to shoot street photography handheld. At the end of the day these are all tools, and you need to pick the right one for the job at hand.
Kite surfers were out in abundance when I walked from Weymouth to the Isle of Portland. 1/60s 50mm F6.3.
A dramatic deep blue sky 1/100s 20mm F8.0 with polariser.
It’s not quite the end of my time shooting slide film though, I’ve got one more surprise for you in next week’s blog. In the meantime, let me know which slide film stock you prefer in the comments section down below.
Stonehenge. 1/50s 200mm F8.0 with polariser.
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