Lack of Portra 400 in 120

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FujiLove said:
How did the Portra 400 turn out when pushed to 1600? Assuming more contrast and grain? Was the colour balance affected?
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Here's one from one of the rolls....

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/morning-brew.616384/

I also shot some under artificial light (daylight balanced) and saw more of a colour shift with those. I guess it's hard to tell 100% with the lab doing the dev/scan as I don't know what the negatives looked like.
 
gazmorton2000 said:
Here's one from one of the rolls....

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/morning-brew.616384/

I also shot some under artificial light (daylight balanced) and saw more of a colour shift with those. I guess it's hard to tell 100% with the lab doing the dev/scan as I don't know what the negatives looked like.
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Thanks Gareth, that's a very nice natural photo and the colour has a lovely organic feel. I read somewhere that Kodak's new movie stocks have incredible latitude. Portra is derived from them, so it looks like it can also handle being massively under and over exposed. Good to see it works so well.
 
FujiLove said:
Thanks Gareth, that's a very nice natural photo and the colour has a lovely organic feel. I read somewhere that Kodak's new movie stocks have incredible latitude. Portra is derived from them, so it looks like it can also handle being massively under and over exposed. Good to see it works so well.
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Thank you. :) It definitely works well. It's my go-to film for portraits. I must try the 160 some time though on a bright day, although I feel that by constantly shooting 400, I will get used to it more and now I am trying to introduce it into weddings, i think getting to know it and only shooting one speed will make for ease of use on the day.
 
gazmorton2000 said:
Thank you. :) It definitely works well. It's my go-to film for portraits. I must try the 160 some time though on a bright day, although I feel that by constantly shooting 400, I will get used to it more and now I am trying to introduce it into weddings, i think getting to know it and only shooting one speed will make for ease of use on the day.
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Sticking to one or two emulsions that you know inside out definitely seems to be the way to go. Even more so when you're a pro. The 400 seems like a great choice because you can over and under expose it three stops, maybe more. Who needs a digital back?!
 
Saw a tweet from the Pro Centre in London to say they have some 120 Portra 400, buy now before its all gone! Only trouble is, the page I found on delivery had the cheapest rate at £9 by motorcycle. :( Otherwise, they're near Hoxton tube... :( :( ;)
 
ChrisR said:
Saw a tweet from the Pro Centre in London to say they have some 120 Portra 400, buy now before its all gone! Only trouble is, the page I found on delivery had the cheapest rate at £9 by motorcycle. :( Otherwise, they're near Hoxton tube... :( :( ;)
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Looks like those delivery costs by motorbike are for London only? It says that outside of London is charged "at carrier costs" and to call for a price.

Still, I wonder if they've just received some from Kodak or if they've managed to find some of it lying around somewhere?
 
ChrisR said:
Saw a tweet from the Pro Centre in London to say they have some 120 Portra 400, buy now before its all gone! Only trouble is, the page I found on delivery had the cheapest rate at £9 by motorcycle. :( Otherwise, they're near Hoxton tube... :( :( ;)
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Have you got a link for the Pro Centre?
 
RumpFace said:
they seem cheap, are they up to date?
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No idea.... but if it costs £50 for someone to drive them to my door, they're not going to be cheap!

(No doubt anyone interested will find out the real delivery costs, as opposed to the gear rental delivery costs, through the old-fashioned expedient of a phone call!)
 
If someone wants me to pick up an order and post it on just let me know.
 
Well, I'm ordering 2 boxes of 400H today as it's the last day of Calumet's 10% off film promotion, and it doesn't look like Portra will be back in stock before I go to NY in 7 weeks.

Looks like B&H have some in stock so I could try and buy some over there, but their prices are pretty high compared to other films like Ektar and Portra 160 (Portra 400 is £24.29, Ektar is £16.51 and Portra 160 is £18.42), but I guess that's down to supply and demand due to the shortage.
 
i just got a box off ebay with their current 20% off promotion it worked out pretty cheap.
 
Well, due to that very nice 20% off eBay purchases until 10pm, I have treated myself to 2 boxes of Portra 800 in 120 for the sum of £59.17 delivered!
 
Carl Hall said:
Well, I'm ordering 2 boxes of 400H today as it's the last day of Calumet's 10% off film promotion.
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I was literally just about to do this myself, but then I spotted this:

gazmorton2000 said:
Well, due to that very nice 20% off eBay purchases until 10pm, I have treated myself to 2 boxes of Portra 800 in 120 for the sum of £59.17 delivered!
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Now I have more Portra 800 coming my way. Luckily, the eBay promotion doesn't end at 10pm apparently...
 
I tried getting a couple boxes of 800 too from eBay as the price is just too good to miss, but for some reason I'm having trouble checking out. The code applies the discount but then I get a "payment pending" error, and then after 30 mins or so I get an email saying it failed and I need to try again. Seems that it's happened to a few people looking at eBays twitter. By the time I get it working I bet the code will be finished!
 
Looks like the code is crashing the system, no luck ordering here, I get the same message as Carl
 
Carl Hall said:
I tried getting a couple boxes of 800 too from eBay as the price is just too good to miss, but for some reason I'm having trouble checking out. The code applies the discount but then I get a "payment pending" error, and then after 30 mins or so I get an email saying it failed and I need to try again. Seems that it's happened to a few people looking at eBays twitter. By the time I get it working I bet the code will be finished!
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Jao said:
Looks like the code is crashing the system, no luck ordering here, I get the same message as Carl
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Well, the seller I bought them from, which I presume is the one everyone else was using too, as they are the cheapest, only had one box left after I completed my purchase, so it's possible that the sales could have fallen through due to lack of stock too.

Edit: Hmmm... This morning it's now showing as three available, so I'm not really sure...
 
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skysh4rk said:
Well, the seller I bought them from, which I presume is the one everyone else was using too, as they are the cheapest, only had one box left after I completed my purchase, so it's possible that the sales could have fallen through due to lack of stock too.

Edit: Hmmm... This morning it's now showing as three available, so I'm not really sure...
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I originally tried to buy some straight after Gareth posted, when there were a few left, and it didn't work. Then after you posted to say you'd bought some I tried again (just with one box though, as that's all that were left by then. I did mutter "curse you RJ!" under my breath :p ), but I got the same error. Bit of a shame that it didn't work really, although their prices are low enough that it's still a good buy even without the 20% discount!
 
Carl Hall said:
I originally tried to buy some straight after Gareth posted, when there were a few left, and it didn't work. Then after you posted to say you'd bought some I tried again (just with one box though, as that's all that were left by then. I did mutter "curse you RJ!" under my breath :p ), but I got the same error. Bit of a shame that it didn't work really, although their prices are low enough that it's still a good buy even without the 20% discount!
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Ha, sorry about that. I'm not sure why it worked for me and not for others. I'm a big Portra 800 fan, so I didn't hesitate to buy once I saw Gareth's post.

Carl Hall said:
Bit of a shame that it didn't work really, although their prices are low enough that it's still a good buy even without the 20% discount!
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Yeah, they're my usual source for Portra 800, so I was delighted when I heard of the eBay discount.
 
Glad you got some, RJ but sorry to hear you didn't Carl.

I LOVE Portra 800 but have only shot it in 35mm because of the cost so can't wait to try it in 120. Jonathan Canlas has been posting his shots with it and it's just beautiful. Shame I could only stretch my budget to two boxes at the moment though.
 
Carl Hall said:
I originally tried to buy some straight after Gareth posted, when there were a few left, and it didn't work. Then after you posted to say you'd bought some I tried again (just with one box though, as that's all that were left by then. I did mutter "curse you RJ!" under my breath :p ), but I got the same error. Bit of a shame that it didn't work really, although their prices are low enough that it's still a good buy even without the 20% discount!
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It's a bit of a consolation prize, perhaps, but if you don't mind your Portra 800 a little out of date, RK Photographic have a few boxes for sale for £30:
 
Hmm 2 years does seem pretty recent, and I guess it would have no noticeable effect as it's not like it's ten years out of date? Have to have a think about it, usually I wouldn't worry about OOD film when it's only a few years, but holiday photos are not something I'm sure I want to risk it with! Cheers for the link :)
 
I just rang Calumet about my 400H that didn't turn up today and is now showing as out of stock (I was worried that that would be on back order too, which would be ironic as I bought it as I couldn't get Portra!), and whilst on the phone I asked if they had any idea when the Portra would be available, and the chap said he was recently told it would be two weeks. But seeing as a few weeks ago I was told "very soon", I think they're just using the next line down from the "things to say to fob off your customers" handbook. I won't be getting my hopes up anyway.
 
Carl Hall said:
Hmm 2 years does seem pretty recent, and I guess it would have no noticeable effect as it's not like it's ten years out of date? Have to have a think about it, usually I wouldn't worry about OOD film when it's only a few years, but holiday photos are not something I'm sure I want to risk it with! Cheers for the link :)
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So long as the film hasn't been stored in soaring temperatures then there's no reason why it won't be perfectly OK.

I've been on film meets, hols etc and taken all sorts of film much more OOD than 2 years and not experienced problems, and of course I didn't want to return home with duff shots from those one off events.

If it really is a must that you have to have portra then why not buy what you need from these ood stocks and blast a roll through a camera to see if you're happy with the results and to see wether or not you need to shoot it at a slightly slower speed......Then you can take yourself stocked up on your hols, confident that the film will be just fine(y)
 
Asha said:
So long as the film hasn't been stored in soaring temperatures then there's no reason why it won't be perfectly OK.

I've been on film meets, hols etc and taken all sorts of film much more OOD than 2 years and not experienced problems, and of course I didn't want to return home with duff shots from those one off events.

If it really is a must that you have to have portra then why not buy what you need from these ood stocks and blast a roll through a camera to see if you're happy with the results and to see wether or not you need to shoot it at a slightly slower speed......Then you can take yourself stocked up on your hols, confident that the film will be just fine(y)
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He's not as green as he's cabbage looking is he?
 
Carl Hall said:
Hmm 2 years does seem pretty recent, and I guess it would have no noticeable effect as it's not like it's ten years out of date? Have to have a think about it, usually I wouldn't worry about OOD film when it's only a few years, but holiday photos are not something I'm sure I want to risk it with! Cheers for the link :)
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Well, for important moments or holidays, I sometimes like to shoot a test roll from a batch ahead of time, even for fresh film, so you could buy the OOD Portra and then test it.

In all likelihood it's fine, but I definitely understand the apprehension.
 
My 800 arrived a few days ago (Monday). Very excited to shoot it, just need the right subject!
 
So I now have my first wedding exclusively using film on the 1st May and there is no Portra 400 available from my usual suppliers. Can anyone help or suggest anywhere that has it in stock at a reasonable price please?! I will start my enquiries on the phones on Monday!
 
simon ess said:
I have a spare roll of 160, if that helps at all.
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Thank you, Simon but unfortunately not. :( I guess, worst case scenario, I will have to get a load of Fuji Pro400H in which means the Portra I already have in the fridge is useless for that wedding. Oh well. Just the expense of re stocking with the Fuji stuff.
 
Why don't you just buy some 400H and then shoot a mixture of Portra and 400H at the wedding? They're close enough that I can't tell them apart, so I don't think the bride and groom will be able to tell them apart :)
 
gazmorton2000 said:
So I now have my first wedding exclusively using film on the 1st May and there is no Portra 400 available from my usual suppliers. Can anyone help or suggest anywhere that has it in stock at a reasonable price please?! I will start my enquiries on the phones on Monday!
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I have 4 spare rolls of Portra 400 120, unrefrigerated and expired 3/15. Yours if you want it but for a pro gig I'm guessing not! PM me with address if you're interested (we're away very soon for some days, though...)
 
Carl Hall said:
Why don't you just buy some 400H and then shoot a mixture of Portra and 400H at the wedding? They're close enough that I can't tell them apart, so I don't think the bride and groom will be able to tell them apart :)
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I don;t wanna mix the two Carl, even though there may be very little difference, I would rather use the same film stock for the entire day. I think I have decided I will just order and shoot Pro 400H. No doubt it's a great film stock, I had just committed to learning with and using Portra 400 for some reason.

ChrisR said:
I have 4 spare rolls of Portra 400 120, unrefrigerated and expired 3/15. Yours if you want it but for a pro gig I'm guessing not! PM me with address if you're interested (we're away very soon for some days, though...)
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Thank you, Chris but you're right, I'd prefer in date film. As above I am going to use Fuji I think.
 
Hi Gareth, I've got 4 rolls of Portra 400 expiry date 7/16, fridge stored since purchase. Yours if you want it as long as you cover the postage costs and like for like replacement by you when stock becomes available.
 
Does anyone know what's going on with this film? Heard anything from Kodak?
 
RaglanSurf said:
Hi Gareth, I've got 4 rolls of Portra 400 expiry date 7/16, fridge stored since purchase. Yours if you want it as long as you cover the postage costs and like for like replacement by you when stock becomes available.
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That's a very kind offer of you, thank you, but I have decided to get rid of the last couple of rolls I have left of Portra (my friend Ian has taken them off me) and going to order some Fuji Pro400H later this evening or tomorrow. :)

FujiLove said:
Does anyone know what's going on with this film? Heard anything from Kodak?
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Not the foggiest. :(
 
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