contrast

[Andrew Greenan]

Hi, when film stock is referred to as 'Contrasty', does that mean that it has a high latitude, or a low latitude i.e does more contrast imply a smaller latitude. ?

 

Say Fuji 16mm 7246, having more contrast than 7245. Because 46 is faster does it have a higher latitude?

 

Andrew Greenan

Student

[David Mullen ASC]

Generally a high-contrast film has less latitude -- latitude being able to record a wide range of exposures. A high-contrast image by definition records less information in the highest and lowest regions of the subject.

 

The speed doesn't really have much to do with it, although faster films tend to be a little wider in latitude because they have both a fast and a slow-speed layer. But in the case of 5245 versus 5246, they are both a little contrasty.

 

There are special lower-contrast films at different speeds.