Ektachrome is Back. A comparison of Ektachrome vs. FujiFilm slide film
December 3, 2020
There are 3 types of film: black & white, color negative, and slide film. While slide film (also known as transparency film, color reversal film, or E-6 film) is not nearly as popular as B&W and color negative, it doesn’t mean it’s not a great film. At one point it was the go-to film for professional color photographers. It has an incredibly fine grain, amazing color, and—since it’s not a negative—it can be projected. In fact, slide projectors are the reason for the name “slide” film.
These days it can be difficult to find labs that process slide film, let alone labs that process it in-house. Here at The Darkroom, it’s one of our specialties! We have been dip & dunk processing E-6 slide film in-house for over 25 years.
The recent re-release of Kodak Ektachrome 100 [Ektachrome Film Review] has sparked a growing buzz around slide film. But Ektachrome isn’t the only professional-grade E-6 slide stock around—there are many others! FujiFilm, for one, never stopped producing slide film and currently sells three different types: Velvia 50, Velvia 100, and Provia 100f. With that in mind, we thought it would be a great time to compare some of the great E-6 options available today.
Of the 4 professional-grade slide film stocks, we have 3 favorites for different reasons and for different applications. Kodak Ektachrome 100 and FujiFilm Provia 100f produce similar results and both very versatile slide film stocks. They have great color, fine grain, and the only significant difference we say is that Provia 100f has slightly better exposure latitude. They are good for portraiture, landscapes, and all-around daytime shooting.
The other two options are Velvia 50 & 100. Which are both great but of the two, Velvia 50 is our favorite – it has an amazing color, super fine grain, and much better tonal transitions and exposure latitude than Velvia 100 which means to does better in contrasty light. If you’re looking for a vibrant saturated color we recommend Velvia 100 which is known for its poppy color and higher contrast.
Below are examples of each film and some comparisons.
Ektachrome 100 – Metered for the shadows which worked well for this scene since the light was very even. The vibrant colors of Ektachrome really brought the the scan to life despite the even light.
Fujifilm Provia 100f – has amazing color which can bring the an even light scene to lift,
Fujifilm Velvia 50
Ektachrome 100 – Metered for the highlights. Ektachrome has incredibly vibrant color but rarely goes too saturated.
Fujifilm Provia 100f – Metered for the highlights.
Fujifilm Velvia 50 – And since it’s such slow/low ISO you’ll probably need a tripod unless you have very bright light.
Ektachrome 100 – Metered for the mid tones which is the in-between of the highlights and the shadows.
Fujifilm Provia 100f – Metered for the midtones.
Fujifilm Velvia 50 – Metered for the mid tones.
Ektachrome E100 – Like all professional grade slide film, this 100% crop Ektachrome is extremely sharp.
Fujifilm Provia 100f – 100% crop
Fujifilm Velvia 50 – 100% crop
When shooting portraits we recommend metering for the skin tones and picking decent light that’s not spotty.
Ektachrome 100 – Ektachrome does pretty will with portraits when shooting in good light and your metering is spot on. For portraits you don’t want to under expose the skin tones so we recommend metering for the skin and make sure you’re not in spotty or extremely contrasty light.
Fujifilm Velvia 50 – This photos shows it has good contrast but still has decent exposure latitude.
Ektachrome 100 – For being slide film, Ektachrome has decent exposure latitude which can be seen here. Despite the spotty light and metering for the mid tones the highlights didn’t blow out.
Ektachrome 100
This was shot handheld metering for the high lights and since Ektachrome has good contrast the shadows go black which looks great for this scene!
Ektachrome E100 – Like all professional grade slide film, this 100% crop Ektachrome is extremely sharp.
Ektachrome 100 – Metered for the highlights. Ektachrome has incredibly vibrant color but rarely goes too saturated.
Ektachrome 100 – For being slide film, Ektachrome has decent exposure latitude which can be seen here. Despite the spotty light and metering for the mid tones the highlights didn’t blow out.
Ektachrome 100 – Ektachrome does pretty will with portraits when shooting in good light and your metering is spot on. For portraits you don’t want to under expose the skin tones so we recommend metering for the skin and make sure you’re not in spotty or extremely contrasty light.
Ektachrome 100 – Metered for the mid tones which is the in-between of the highlights and the shadows.
Ektachrome 100 – Metered for the shadows which worked well for this scene since the light was very even. The vibrant colors of Ektachrome really brought the the scan to life despite the even light.
Fujifilm Provia 100f
Fujifilm Provia 100f – Metered for the midtones.
Fujifilm Provia 100f – 100% crop
Provia 100f is our favorite portrait slide film because it does pretty well with skin tones, not making them to red/.
When shooting portraits we recommend metering for the skin tones and picking decent light that’s not spotty.
Of all 4 slide film stocks shown in this blog, Provia is probably the most versatile due to its’ exposure latitude being better then the rest and that its’ color is more subtle.
Slide film is ideal for daylight shooing.
Fujifilm Provia 100f – has amazing color which can bring the an even light scene to lift,
Fujifilm Provia 100f – Metered for the highlights.
Fujifilm Velvia 50
Fujifilm Velvia 50
It’s amazing for landscapes.
Fujifilm Velvia 50 – And since it’s such slow/low ISO you’ll probably need a tripod unless you have very bright light.
It has had high saturation but with out going over the top like Velvia 100 is prone to doing.
Fujifilm Velvia 50 – Metered for the mid tones.
Fujifilm Velvia 50 – 100% crop
Fujifilm Velvia 50 – This photos shows it has good contrast but still has decent exposure latitude.
It’s ideal for daylight shooting and beautifully captures blues.
Fujifilm Velvia 100
Of all four slide film sticks listed in this blog Velvia 100 is the most saturated colors.
Overall, each of these slide film stock has its place – it all depends on what you prefer, your subject, and the light you’re shooting in.Keep in mind that all the FujiFilm stock are not only made in 35mm but 120 and 4×5 as well while Ektachrome is only made in 35mm.
15 replies on “Ektachrome is Back. A comparison of Ektachrome vs. FujiFilm slide film”
Thank you for this – very valuable
My favorite slide films when I was younger and pretty much only shot slide film, was Agfa and then Ektachrome. I was a late comer to Fujifilm slide film, but really like the Velvia films, especially the V50. I’m hoping Kodak brings the Ektachrome back into the medium and large formats, so when I’m using my Kodak Duoflex III I can enjoy excellent color rendition.
Super nice and informative post! Can’t wait to get my hands on some slide film 😁
I miss Kodachrome!
I recently shot some decades-old Kodak Elite Chrome, overexposed two stops, and cross-processed; the results were FABULOUS!
Give this a try if you ever get the opportunity.
[…] 2018, it re-released Ektachrome 100, after the last of its colour slide film had been discontinued in 2011. And the same year it also […]
Very valuable article! Thanks for the write-up!
Revisiting this in 2020, now Ektachrome comes with 120 as well!
I recently shot Fuji Provia 100 and Ektachrome 100 at the same event. Both are great films but I found the color on the Ektachrome to be subjectively slightly more pleasing. This was especially true with flesh tones. Ektachrome color is vibrant without appearing artificial or overcooked. Considering that that Ektachrome costs significantly less, I am switching to this film. I will now use Ektachrome along with Fuji Velvia (mostly the 50) if I need the extra saturation.
That is pretty much my assessment as well. I’m loving E100 and I will happily shoot Provia as well but I prefer the E100. I also have some Velvia around for those punchy shots.
I just retired and am finally arching my Ektachrome 120 and Kodachrome images from when I was in the Air Force from ‘75-79. I shot the 120 with a Pentax 6X7 and a Yashica TLR. The Kodachrome with a Nikon. I was stationed in California for a little over a year and then Germany for 2-1/2 years. I was all over Europe and the Middle East. It just took me 3 weeks to sort through and semi-catalog each image. Even after discarding 40-50% of the images, I ended up with 800 of the 6×7, 100 of the 6X6, and 300 of the Kodachrome. Of those, I would say about half of each are ones that I am really happy with and worthy of display.
I say all of this to talk about how they look now. Not just the Kodachrome, but the Ektachrome lookS like they have lost nothing. I was wise, I sent most of them back to Rochester, I really trusted no one else. I could send them off to Kodak from Germany, and get them back in 2 weeks. Maybe they put us GI’s at the front of the line.
I can’t print 500+ transparencies and display them. I’ll pick a dozen or so and do that, but I want to be able to look at them on a regular basis. I decided to buy a Canon 9000F Mark II scanner to get them archived and also to display them. I am glad I waited 45 years, now the software is well beyond what it was in the 80’s. I would say lucky that they have not deteriorated for 45 years, but I rarely looked at them and kept Then in a dark place and indoors at room temp. But the Kodak quality in both the film and processing is the main reason they look so good.
I am sure Fuji film is terrific, but I encourage photographers to use American film. If you are scanning to use as digital, then you are going to use Photoshop to perfect it anyway. I decided the only way I could get full use of 500 images was to display them on a large (55”) TV. The Images of Ektachrome 120 looks terrific. I just bought SilverFast Ai Studio/HDR and have a big project ahead of me the rest of the year during Covid.
No, I am not an ex-Kodak employee or a stock holder. I am not just an American rooting for the USA, but have also seen the quality of 45+ year-old transparencies. For some reason, I shot a few Agfa rolls, they look awful now. My Dad left me a Hasselblad 1000F and a Graphlex 4X5. As soon as it gets safer, I will travel and visit many of the National Parks that i have never seen. Hard to believe I have never seen Yosemite, but I look forward to it with the resurgence of film. It will help develop my patience and be rewarding when I learn how to operate the 4X5 camera.
Buy American
Let’s help Kodak have another 20+% growth in 2021. Who knows, a few more years like this, and they will bring back Kodachrome!
Lets hear it for Kodachrome
There never was a better color film than Kodachrome. Test pictures shot by Mannes and Godowsky in 1936 still look amazing true to color–nearly a century afterwards. Since Kodak is ruled by bean-counters, who are responsible for its bankruptcy, we will never see Kodachrome revived–more’s the pity.
They got rid of Kodachrome because it makes black people appear how they do in real life…makes Asians yellow as well…
Colors and color temperatures can be all over the place, thus when i evaluate a slide film i have to go with flesh tones to assess performance. That means shooting in a control environment, with flash strobes and light boxes where i can diffuse the light and get to real color fidelity.
So glad there is still something available in slide film; but God, do I miss Kodachrome.
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There are 3 types of film: black & white, color negative, and slide film. While slide film (also known as transparency film, color reversal film, or E-6 film) is not nearly as popular as B&W and color negative, it doesn’t mean it’s not a great film. At one point it was the go-to film for professional color photographers. It has an incredibly fine grain, amazing color, and—since it’s not a negative—it can be projected. In fact, slide projectors are the reason for the name “slide” film.
Thank you for this – very valuable
My favorite slide films when I was younger and pretty much only shot slide film, was Agfa and then Ektachrome. I was a late comer to Fujifilm slide film, but really like the Velvia films, especially the V50. I’m hoping Kodak brings the Ektachrome back into the medium and large formats, so when I’m using my Kodak Duoflex III I can enjoy excellent color rendition.
Super nice and informative post! Can’t wait to get my hands on some slide film 😁
I miss Kodachrome!
I recently shot some decades-old Kodak Elite Chrome, overexposed two stops, and cross-processed; the results were FABULOUS!
Give this a try if you ever get the opportunity.
[…] 2018, it re-released Ektachrome 100, after the last of its colour slide film had been discontinued in 2011. And the same year it also […]
Very valuable article! Thanks for the write-up!
Revisiting this in 2020, now Ektachrome comes with 120 as well!
I recently shot Fuji Provia 100 and Ektachrome 100 at the same event. Both are great films but I found the color on the Ektachrome to be subjectively slightly more pleasing. This was especially true with flesh tones. Ektachrome color is vibrant without appearing artificial or overcooked. Considering that that Ektachrome costs significantly less, I am switching to this film. I will now use Ektachrome along with Fuji Velvia (mostly the 50) if I need the extra saturation.
That is pretty much my assessment as well. I’m loving E100 and I will happily shoot Provia as well but I prefer the E100. I also have some Velvia around for those punchy shots.
I just retired and am finally arching my Ektachrome 120 and Kodachrome images from when I was in the Air Force from ‘75-79. I shot the 120 with a Pentax 6X7 and a Yashica TLR. The Kodachrome with a Nikon. I was stationed in California for a little over a year and then Germany for 2-1/2 years. I was all over Europe and the Middle East. It just took me 3 weeks to sort through and semi-catalog each image. Even after discarding 40-50% of the images, I ended up with 800 of the 6×7, 100 of the 6X6, and 300 of the Kodachrome. Of those, I would say about half of each are ones that I am really happy with and worthy of display.
I say all of this to talk about how they look now. Not just the Kodachrome, but the Ektachrome lookS like they have lost nothing. I was wise, I sent most of them back to Rochester, I really trusted no one else. I could send them off to Kodak from Germany, and get them back in 2 weeks. Maybe they put us GI’s at the front of the line.
I can’t print 500+ transparencies and display them. I’ll pick a dozen or so and do that, but I want to be able to look at them on a regular basis. I decided to buy a Canon 9000F Mark II scanner to get them archived and also to display them. I am glad I waited 45 years, now the software is well beyond what it was in the 80’s. I would say lucky that they have not deteriorated for 45 years, but I rarely looked at them and kept Then in a dark place and indoors at room temp. But the Kodak quality in both the film and processing is the main reason they look so good.
I am sure Fuji film is terrific, but I encourage photographers to use American film. If you are scanning to use as digital, then you are going to use Photoshop to perfect it anyway. I decided the only way I could get full use of 500 images was to display them on a large (55”) TV. The Images of Ektachrome 120 looks terrific. I just bought SilverFast Ai Studio/HDR and have a big project ahead of me the rest of the year during Covid.
No, I am not an ex-Kodak employee or a stock holder. I am not just an American rooting for the USA, but have also seen the quality of 45+ year-old transparencies. For some reason, I shot a few Agfa rolls, they look awful now. My Dad left me a Hasselblad 1000F and a Graphlex 4X5. As soon as it gets safer, I will travel and visit many of the National Parks that i have never seen. Hard to believe I have never seen Yosemite, but I look forward to it with the resurgence of film. It will help develop my patience and be rewarding when I learn how to operate the 4X5 camera.
Buy American
Let’s help Kodak have another 20+% growth in 2021. Who knows, a few more years like this, and they will bring back Kodachrome!
Lets hear it for Kodachrome
There never was a better color film than Kodachrome. Test pictures shot by Mannes and Godowsky in 1936 still look amazing true to color–nearly a century afterwards. Since Kodak is ruled by bean-counters, who are responsible for its bankruptcy, we will never see Kodachrome revived–more’s the pity.
They got rid of Kodachrome because it makes black people appear how they do in real life…makes Asians yellow as well…
Colors and color temperatures can be all over the place, thus when i evaluate a slide film i have to go with flesh tones to assess performance. That means shooting in a control environment, with flash strobes and light boxes where i can diffuse the light and get to real color fidelity.
So glad there is still something available in slide film; but God, do I miss Kodachrome.
Die nigger lover