Why choose slide?

Details: Published on Wednesday, 16 November 2011 06:35; Written by Neal

Slide film is often overlooked these days, it's been pushed aside by it's brethren (Colour Negative Film) which has come a long way and is more advanced than ever. The new Kodak Portra range of films for example was developed by borrowed technology from the Kodak Vision motion picture stock, which we all know and love from many of the hollywood blockbusters.

With colour negative film (c41) becoming so popular and having more latitude and forgiveness for horrible lighting, why choose slide film at all?

Personally I still believe that a projected slide is a magical thing, it's three dimensional in a way that no other medium is. It has the power to transport you into the frame so you can feel the sand between your toes or share a laugh with that close friend.

The colour gamut of many slide films is what draws me in, not that it can be described in any measurable way, it's more of a subjective aesthetic kinda thing. not to mention the interaction with slide film is something overlooked by many people. With colour negative or black and white film the negative is the middle ground, it's what you need to then go ahead and make something, a scan, a print etc. but with Colour Slide film, the film IS the end product. Look at a 4x5 transparency on a light table with a loupe and tell me i'm lying! in fact forget the loupe just hold it in your hands. Hold it up to a window and gaze through it's beauty.

You might feel at this point that i'm talking it up a bit much but it really is something different. Even the scans have a rich feel to them and the resolution captured by many of the slower slide films is literally amazing. grain? whats that? for many years slide film was the choice of the pro's, ask any old pro to tell you all about it.

Below are some reasons why I love slide film and continue to use it when I feel it's necessary.