To clear a few things up,
E-6 process is slide film, which results in a positive result
C-41 process is negative film, which gives, wait for it, a negative.
Slide film is harder to use than negative film, as if your metering is more than about half a stop off you will be dissapointed with the results, whereas with negative film, even if you're 5 stops over exposed you can still get nice looking prints, however, a well exposed slide is well worth the effort.
Raymond reccomended some of the pro fuji negative films, however NP H/S/C/Z no longer exist, and have been replaced with Pro 160S, Pro 160C, Pro 400H, and Pro 800Z. Reala, is still the same old Reala 100 however. These are all great films, especially the Reala, and Pro 160S for portraiture and wedding work, as they are low saturation, accurate film emulsions. Pro 160C is more saturated, and more contrasty and are great for landscape work.
For slides I generally use Velvia 50 (though it's been discontinued) which is great for landscape work as it's *very* saturated, and has been refered to by some as DisneyChrome, it is however pretty bad for portrait work, as it doesn't produce nice skin tones. Velvia 100 is a very similar emusion, with a few subtle differences, and Velvia 100f is another different emulsion which isn't as saturated as Velvia 50/100, but still more so than Astia/Provia.
Astia is a benchmark portraiture film, it provides very accurate skin tones, and colour reproduction, and isn't very saturated at all. If you want a photo to look as the scene did when it was taken then Astia is your film.
Provia is a mix between the two, more saturated than Astia, and less saturated than Velvia. I like this film.
Sensia is a consumer slide film by Fuji, whereas the others are 'pro' films, and is pretty much Provia but with less carefull storage.
Fuji's Superia range of films (100/200/400/800/1600) are consumer colour negative films, which are good for all purpose shooting, and still yield excellent results, very good grain characteristics, nice and sharp etc. I've made a 15" * 10" enlargement from a cropped area of a Superia 400 negative, and still can't notice any grain.
I don't really know much about Kodak films, but their portra nc/vc films are good for portraiture and weddings (both 160asa), with the nc being neutral colours, and vc being vivid. The gold series is Kodak's classic consumer print film, and is fairly saturated, and can yield bright, punchy colours, but many think it's a little over the top.
In terms of slides, Kodak make a wide variety of emulsions, Kodachrome 64/200 are both very sharp and provide good natural skin tones.
Kodak Elitechrome comes in a variety of offerings, Extra colour is their answer to Velvia, saturated and bright colours, whereas the standard Elitechrome is fairly accurate, and good for portraiture, and accurate scene reproduction.
In general slide films will give less grain for a given film speed than negative film, but with the quality of current negative films this is a bit of a moot point.
There is then black and white film to consider, which I would thoroughly reccomend processing yourself as it's easy and gives much more control, but if you can't then stick to chromogenic (B&W films with a regular C-41 process) film, such as Ilford XP-2 super. For home processing any of the Ilford films are fantastic, with the Delta range being exceptionally sharp and low grained, and FP4+, HP5+, and Pan F+ being 'classic' b&w emulsions.
The films I use regularly are Fuji Pro 160c, pro 400h and reala, Provia 100f, and Velvia 100, for B&W I stick to Ilford, and use Delta 3200, Pan f+, and HP5+, these I process in either Ilfosol-s, rodinal, or microphen.
For a lomo I'd stay away from slide film, as the metering will not be accurate enough, you may get a good shot, but you would probably have to bracket to make sure you got at least one decent exposure.
Colin.
]). I've got some Vevlia 100 to try some cross processing but would like any recommendation for some nice warm C41 film. I seem to remember Kodak film being a touch on the warm side? Or should I just stick with Superia?
I tried it the other way, cross processed C41 film in E6, over exposed by 2 stops, and they all came out ... over exposed 