SLR Film

[daz]

Straightforward one, really...

I remember reading somewhere that an 400 Slide film is probably best for astro piccies with my SLR.

Anyone agree, disagree, have other opinions?

[Astroman]

Agree. It's what I use most.

[AndyMac]

Disagree!

IMO the best slide film by far for astro work is Kodak Elitechrome 200. It's super red sensitive (for emission nebulae), has very fine grain & low reciprocity characteristics.

You can have it push processed - so it can attain an effective speed of 400ASA - or greater!

[russ]

I would have said 'agree'

but i've been informed my fav film, Fuji Sensia II 400 colour slide, has been deleted. And my backup film, Fuji Provia 400, has also been deleted.

That's what two years out can do. World completely changes.

I preferred Fuji because they weren't so red sensitive, favoured blue/green. I thought their film made for better night skies, with a deep rich blue. Worked better with star clusters and galaxies. Which i suppose is why the 300D being poor for red sensitive doesn't bother me too much. The objects that have always taken my fancy have been galaxies and clusters.

But i suppose Kodak will do. Would be nice to get a good milkyway shot with the red sensitive Kodak. Get a nice one with the North American Nebula.

Russ

[Astroman]

The problem I see with 200 speed film is exposure time. It's ok for wide angle, but through the telescope exposures are longer and require careful guiding and/or super alignment and/or better drive mechanics.

Then again, I don't do that much pretty picture imaging, so I'd listen to Andy, not me.

[Jamie]

I must agree with Andy that 200 slide film is what suits my needs best.

I have tried the 400 but i have had better results with the 200.

[Al]

You boys that use films are brave to say the least.

I gave it a go once, you know the sort of thing, camera on static tripod. Boy is it hard. Out of focus, big orange blob. It's so easy for something to go wrong.

Also, if your as slow as me with getting the film used up and developed, you can wait for weeks before you find that the whole film is Rubbish.

Al.

[daz]

OK, so I think I need to play with both types, and on different objects to what the results are like.

Same as you Al, I tend to hang on (and lose them!) so I need to get my butt in gear.

Which leads to the next question then -processing.

Am I better to have a lab dump them onto CD and not bother with the negs - is it a different process than just producing negs?

And any recommendations on labs (Jessops??)

Thanks guys

[AndyMac]

I've used Jessops in the past with some good results of scanning my film onto CD. See http://www.jessops.com/info/dp/index.cfm?page=photocd.htm&style= for details of their services & prices.

Boots also offer this service, though I've never personally tried them http://www.boots.com/microsites/microsite_info_template.jsp?contentId=4162

I use a specialist lab called The Darkroom. However a recent order I sent to them to be scanned onto CD didn't happen, presumably because the slides were so dark that they thought they wouldn't make a good scan. The Darkroom's website is at http://www.the-darkroom.co.uk/index.htm (cost for a 4.8mb CD is £7.00, plus cost of developing film).

[daz]

Thanks for all the input, guys