quietlightphoto

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $8.00 from Pro shop

Summary:

I've been using the newer version for about a year now. This is a VERY good film. I now prefer it over the excellent Fuji NPZ film. The grain is very fine for an 800 speed film, the colors and flesh tones are wonderful. I rate it @ 640. When printed by an experienced printer, I consistently get wonderful 11x17 inch prints with it. I have many samples of it on my Flickr site.

Quiet Light Photography

Strengths:
Fine grained, wonderful colors & flesh tones.

Weaknesses:

Need to go to Pro shop to purchase it.

Similar Products Used:

Fuji Press 800 & NPZ

Customer Service:

Not needed

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Visitors rate this review
3.75 of 5,
4 votes

Price Paid:  $7.00 from Canoga Camera

Summary:
quickly became my favorite indoor color print film for available light portraits. skin tones are warm and pleasant. the grain I can see (and I really have to look) is very pleasing to my eye. colors are nice without being too punchy. contrast is better for portraits than Supra 800, with better colors than either Fuji 800's I've tried.

Another bonus. I shoot this film at it's rated speed. The Fuji Films look better rated at 640, meaning I lose 1/3 a stop of light. This film looks GREAT at 800.

Only drawback. Well, two...
-Hard to find (as with most pro film, must visit a speciality store)
-VERY expensive! I'd be really upset about that, if the results I've gotten weren't so damn impressive.

BTW I don't use a speciality lab for prints most of the time. Usually just send it out through Sav-On. If they make it look good (which they do), I'm sure the right pro lab could really work wonders with this film.

If you shoot people in low or available light conditions, I can't recommend a better film for the job. Pricey, but well worth it when you need it.

Strengths:
saturated, warm color balance. skin tones look great.

Weaknesses:
none i've seen

Similar Products Used:
fuji superia 800
fuji nhgII 800
kodak supra 800

Customer Service:
n/a

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Price Paid:  $7.00 from Samy's Camera

Summary:
This was the first time I have used PORTRA films. I had the film professionally processed at ISGO labs in Burbank, CA. I shot both PORTRA 400VC & PORTRA 800 (rated at manufacturers suggested speed). I exposed this film under tungsten lights, correcting color temp. with a 80A. I was amazed with the results. The skins tones were spot on! The color on both films was amazingly vibrant and saturated. No grain on either of the films. Wonderful experience with the film. Plan on using it more in the future.

Strengths:
Color, Saturation, Skin Tones, Latitude, NO GRAIN! (even ISO 800).

Weaknesses:
No apparent.

Similar Products Used:
None

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Summary:
Great film. I have not had the problems stated in other reviews with grain. Infact, I'm very impressed with the apparent lack of grain! To be fair, I using 6x6 and 6x7 format. I also overexpose this product by 1/3 to 1/2 stop (a full stop when I have enough light). Before complaining about grain, try this.

Strengths:
Fast

Weaknesses:
none

Similar Products Used:
None

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Visitors rate this review
3.00 of 5,
1 votes

Price Paid:  $7.00 from Central Camera, Chicago

Summary:
These awful reviews of the Porta 400VC & 800 films are ridiculous. The previous poster complained about grain and made a comment about "after the 2nd time", yadda, yadda, yadda... Well, I have shot 25 rolls of this film, entirely used for low-light nudes and glamour work, and can tell you the grain is very good for such a fast film. Only evidence of grain is in the shadows... If you are having a problem with your result from these films, I'd suggest finding a new (go with a "Pro" level) processor- This film apparently prints on a different channel from the other Kodak color films, so find a lab that knows how to handle this film! The Porta films are THE BEST "people" films out there right now- Don't take my word for it! Read what almost EVERY pro photo mag has had to say about them! Only comoplaint is the price- My God, Porta 800 costs twice as much a Supra 800! The Porta gives better results for skin tones, but not TWICE as good... Cheapest I've found it for was $6.49/roll for Porta 800, and that was online.
This is a serious film. Don't take it to your local drug store developer and expect them to know what to do with it. If you take your film to drug stores for development, you really have no need for such a "pro" film and should be very satisfied with Kodak Royal Gold, which is an excellent consumer grade film.
Pros and serious amateurs doing People work: TRY THIS FILM!!!

(3 of 5 stars for value due to ridiculous price)

Strengths:
Striking color, dead-on skin tones. Excellent for low-light Glamour/Nude work.

Weaknesses:
!PRICE! Damn, these Porta films are ridiculously priced!

Similar Products Used:
Supra, Assorted Fuji/Agfa/Ilford

Customer Service:
?