Tungsten film is designed to give accurate colors under tungsten light. The majority of color film is balanced for daylight (direct light from the sun), or for use with electronic flash. It was developed for photographers who use the tungsten lights, also known as photofloods. On normal (daylight) film tungsten lighting creates a yellow-orange cast, however with the use of tungsten film the cast is removed to produce a neutral color balance. This film is occasionally used to purposefully create different color contrasts, such as blue wash to daylight and flashlight scenes.

This color temperature is also used for motion picture film, where its specific color balance is 3200 kelvins.

Professional hints

• Reciprocity failure - tungsten film can be used to avoid reciprocity failure which often occurs when using long exposures

• Tungsten slide films are designed to provide accurate metering at slow shutter speeds

• Popular film speeds for tungsten-balanced slide film are ISO 64, 160, and 320

References

• Hedgecoe, John. The New Manual of Photography. 1st ed. New York: DK Inc, 2003. 128-130.