Andrew Hamilton Watts Posted January 17 Share Posted January 17 Hi all, Not sure if this is the correct place for this question but hoping someone can help. I am looking for information regarding edge code markings on 8mm prints - so for example a reduction and abridged print of a Universal monster film from the 1930s. Did these prints have the same edge code markings as 8mm for amateurs used? I am assuming the edges would be clear and not the characteristic black of in-camera reversal stocks. Any information and especially photos would be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joerg Polzfusz Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 Hi! There are some smaller companies that used reversal stocks for some of their prints, e.g. Mundus Film in Germany in Super8. Some of them might have used the same stock as used by amateurs. However, the majority of prints was done on special print-stock - at least 95%. You can find some information regarding edge codes under these two links: https://www.filmpreservation.org/userfiles/image/PDFs/fpg_10.pdf https://www.filmkorn.org/deciphering-edge-marks/?lang=en But there‘s generally only little information about Regular8-, Super8- or 9.5mm-prints on the net that I’m aware of. There’s much more information for 16mm, e.g.: http://www.paulivester.com/films/filmstock/guide.htm Sometimes, the information about 16mm print stocks also applies to smaller formats But there are always exceptions… . Good luck! BTW: When the prints are in color and from before WWII, you might find some information here: https://filmcolors.org/timeline-of-historical-film-colors/ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dunn Posted January 18 Share Posted January 18 (edited) 8mm. prints were usually made 4-up on pre-perforated 35mm. wide film or 2-up on 16mm. and slit afterwards. Conventional edge codes would presumably have impinged into the image area so wouldn't be used, and the positioning would mean that most of the prints couldn't reproduce them. Do you have some edge-marked prints? The one Super-8 print I have, a Tom and Jerry cartoon, has a clear rebate in any case, a by-product of optical printing. Edited January 18 by Mark Dunn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hamilton Watts Posted January 18 Author Share Posted January 18 7 hours ago, Mark Dunn said: 8mm. prints were usually made 4-up on pre-perforated 35mm. wide film or 2-up on 16mm. and slit afterwards. Conventional edge codes would presumably have impinged into the image area so wouldn't be used, and the positioning would mean that most of the prints couldn't reproduce them. Do you have some edge-marked prints? The one Super-8 print I have, a Tom and Jerry cartoon, has a clear rebate in any case, a by-product of optical printing. I have seen a few examples of un-slit 35mm prints of 8mm/S8/9.5mm and at least on the S8 one I saw it did have "Eastman color" on the far edge - so I would assume that perhaps that one print of the 4 would have edge marks, but I am not sure. I also do not have any 8mm reduction prints in hand so I cannot say for certain. Your answer about the print you have with the "clear rebate" does answer my suspicion that they would have a clear base - although as Joerg answered above, some might be on reversal with is confusing. I guess what I am trying to determine is whether or not one could identify a year of manufacture based off the edge codes of a reduction print and not based off say the filmed content. I thought for sure someone would have over-scanned one of these and put it up on the internet somewhere but that is not the case. Thanks for the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hamilton Watts Posted January 18 Author Share Posted January 18 8 hours ago, Joerg Polzfusz said: Hi! There are some smaller companies that used reversal stocks for some of their prints, e.g. Mundus Film in Germany in Super8. Some of them might have used the same stock as used by amateurs. However, the majority of prints was done on special print-stock - at least 95%. You can find some information regarding edge codes under these two links: https://www.filmpreservation.org/userfiles/image/PDFs/fpg_10.pdf https://www.filmkorn.org/deciphering-edge-marks/?lang=en But there‘s generally only little information about Regular8-, Super8- or 9.5mm-prints on the net that I’m aware of. There’s much more information for 16mm, e.g.: http://www.paulivester.com/films/filmstock/guide.htm Sometimes, the information about 16mm print stocks also applies to smaller formats But there are always exceptions… . Good luck! BTW: When the prints are in color and from before WWII, you might find some information here: https://filmcolors.org/timeline-of-historical-film-colors/ Thanks for this! I have not heard of Mundus Film before and was not able to find much...something I will need to look into more. The tricky thing about edge codes on 8mm is that it was handled by a different division within Kodak - so the edge codes are the same as 35/16 but were recycled more frequently and therefore the standard edge code charts are more or less useless. I believe the one link you posted that leads to a chart made by an archivist at the East Anglian Film Archive makes not of this. However you're spot on about the lack of info on the net. I have found more or less all I need about 8/s8 used by amateurs - however it's the reduction print stuff that is really difficult to find. The search continues! Thanks for the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joerg Polzfusz Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 This is most likely some Agfa-stock (and yes, it‘s Super8)… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joerg Polzfusz Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Kodak SP (also Super8 as I don’t have any Regular8 anymore) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joerg Polzfusz Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 (edited) From the same print on Kodak SP Edited January 19 by Joerg Polzfusz Removed incorrect text Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joerg Polzfusz Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 (edited) Looks like the dot in „safety film“ indicates the production plant and not the year (not to mention that the dot is hidden by a perforation hole on my above photo): http://www.film-tech.com/ubb/f1/t011524.html More links to information about Kodak‘s edge codes: http://www.filmforever.org/Edgecodes.pdf https://www.kodak.com/content/products-brochures/Film/Guide-to-Identifying-Year-of-Manufacture-for-KODAK-Motion-Picture-Films.pdf Edited January 19 by Joerg Polzfusz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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