Photos: Color Rendition of Streetlights

or, "I keep getting fucked over by discontinued films"

Introduction

I've found that one of the most important factors in choosing a film for nighttime city photography is how they render street lights. Unlike an overall color shift, this can't be easily altered with filters or processed out later, and there's a great deal of difference between films. With the discontinuance of Kodak Supra 100, whose performance in this area I liked best, I've been searching for another film whose color rendition of streetlights (primarily mercury vapor) I like.

Procedure and Table of Pictures

The following table chronicles my results to date, and includes sample photographs. If you'd like to contribute information on a film not listed here, I would greatly appreciate it; please email me. I'd also be interested in hearing if your experience with one of these films differs from mine.

I've selected three sets of local street lights for testing, those from the Longfellow Bridge, a piece of canal near that bridge, and the Harvard Bridge. The standard exposure was f/4, 8s. I may in the future add a fourth test shot with some sodium vapor lights. Note that I don't have all three locations on all the films yet.

Manufacturer Model Status Speed(s) Canal Longfellow Harvard Other Comments

Kodak Supra
Discontinued 100, 400, 800 ISO 800
ISO 100 ISO 100 #1
ISO 100 #2
ISO 400 ISO 100 Very nice teal green color. No appreciable difference between film speeds.

Kodak Portra VC 400 Sample Similar to Supra, perhaps a bit more cyan instead of green.

Kodak Gold 100 ISO 100 ISO 100 ISO 100 General red shift which was difficult to correct. Lights OK but not exceptional.

Kodak UC 100 (Planned)

Fuji Superia-Reala 100 ISO 100 ISO 100 ISO 100 Much more yellow-green - nasty puke color.

Fuji Superia Discontinued 100, 400 ISO 100 ISO 100 ISO 100 Looks better than Reala. Lights are more white, neither the nice greens of Supra nor the disgusting greens of Reala. This is the best if you want things to look white.

Fuji Pro 160 (Planned)

Agfa Ultra Discontinued 100 ISO 100 ISO 100 ISO 100 Was my favorite after Supra 100 was discontinued, but is now itself also discontinued.

Agfa Vista Discontinued 100 ISO 100 ISO 100 ISO 100 Just as bad as Reala on the Harvard bridge lights. Not recommended.

Konica Impressa Discontinued 50 Discontinued before I got around to it; will not be tested now.

Konica VX 100 ISO 100 ISO 100 ISO 100 Ok, but not great. Also, narrow exposure latitude and significant grain.

Canon A70 Digital bright dark bright dark Very narrow exposure latitude, as expected from digital. Blue haze around highlights. Two exposures of each image shown.

Manufacturer	Model	Status	Speed(s)	Canal	Longfellow	Harvard	Comments
Kodak	Supra	Discontinued	100, 400, 800	ISO 800 ISO 100	ISO 100 #1 ISO 100 #2 ISO 400	ISO 100	Very nice teal green color. No appreciable difference between film speeds.
Kodak	Portra VC		400		Sample		Similar to Supra, perhaps a bit more cyan instead of green.
Kodak	Gold		100	ISO 100	ISO 100	ISO 100	General red shift which was difficult to correct. Lights OK but not exceptional.
Kodak	UC		100				(Planned)
Fuji	Superia-Reala		100	ISO 100	ISO 100	ISO 100	Much more yellow-green - nasty puke color.
Fuji	Superia	Discontinued	100, 400	ISO 100	ISO 100	ISO 100	Looks better than Reala. Lights are more white, neither the nice greens of Supra nor the disgusting greens of Reala. This is the best if you want things to look white.
Fuji	Pro		160				(Planned)
Agfa	Ultra	Discontinued	100	ISO 100	ISO 100	ISO 100	Was my favorite after Supra 100 was discontinued, but is now itself also discontinued.
Agfa	Vista	Discontinued	100	ISO 100	ISO 100	ISO 100	Just as bad as Reala on the Harvard bridge lights. Not recommended.
Konica	Impressa	Discontinued	50				Discontinued before I got around to it; will not be tested now.
Konica	VX		100	ISO 100	ISO 100	ISO 100	Ok, but not great. Also, narrow exposure latitude and significant grain.
Canon	A70		Digital	bright dark		bright dark	Very narrow exposure latitude, as expected from digital. Blue haze around highlights. Two exposures of each image shown.

Comments: December 2005

My previous favorite, Agfa Ultra 100, has now also been discontinued (Agfa has terminated their photography division entirely). I have therefore resumed the project and intend to try some more films. Konica Impressa 50 has been discontinued, so although I still have a roll that I meant to test, I think it would be pointless to do so now.

Comments: January 2004

Well, it looks like the answer for night pictures is ANYTHING BUT REALA! :) My personal favorite, of the ones I've tested so far, is Agfa Ultra 100. I'd say that the best are Kodak Supra, Agfa Ultra 100, and maybe Kodak Portra (but I'd have to test it more). In the second tier are Fuji Superia (not Reala) and Konica VX. The films I would definitely avoid are Agfa Vista and Fuji Superia-Reala.

Note that, in person, the lights on the Harvard Bridge actually are slightly yellowish green. Thus, what I'm asking from the film is not just to capture reality, but to improve upon reality. It is perhaps a tall order, but I've found some films which do it.

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