It’s been more than a quarter of a century since Fuji Velvia 50 was first introduced and unfortunately it looks like it’s destined for the chopping block so stock up and enjoy it while you can. If you know anything about film then you’ll know Fuji Velvia 50 is famous for it’s vivid saturated colours, fine grain and immense resolving power. It’s been a favourite of landscape photographers for years but some people think the colours are over the top. Of course, as usual, this depends on what kind of look you like and how your eyes see things.
Fuji Velvia 50 is rather expensive here in Hong Kong (and everywhere else) at over HKD$105 per roll, you don’t want to be snapping away willy nilly or taking pictures of brick walls with this. I’ve only shot a couple rolls, definitely not enough to gain a proper insight or opinion on it, but at that price, for most amateurs, you’ve got to really love it. I also prefer the now discontinued Fuji Provia 400X, also a slide film, and with the extra speed it’s much better for shooting my son. That’s HKD$165 per roll (about USD$21) so every photo I take with that is done reluctantly!
Anyway, the scans below don’t really do it justice. When you project these from a slide projector, which I do, they look way better. That’s something you need to consider with any 35mm or any film “review” online. Film is meant to be viewed in prints, not on a screen. That’s what digital is for.
Here’s the marketing spiel from Fujifilm about Fuji Velvia 50.
“Professional, high-image quality, daylight-type color reversal film with superb granularity, and world-class levels of image color saturation and vibrancy. Precise modulation, vivid color reproduction and excellent image quality make this the outstanding film for nature, fashion, products, interiors, and artwork photography. Exceptional performance, ISO speed rating of 50, excellent results in push-/pull processing for a wide range of exposures – from -1/2 to +1 stop, enabling a wider array of photo opportunities.”
And for those of you who want to go full nerd, here’s a link to the Fuji Velvia 50 datasheet. Let me know if understand any of it! What really matters is how the film looks, so here’s a few more samples for you.
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