Bad batch of Kodak super-8?

[Michael Lehnert]

I can re-assure you, Rick, that at Wittner Cinetec, E-64, going at 25.50 EUR incl. tax is also INCLUSIVE of processing at Andec! The E-64 without processing included costs around 16 EUR incl. tax.

 

X-series costs 27 EUR incl tax incl processing, and 17 EUR incl. tax without processing.

 

V2-series costs 22 EUR incl tax but without processing!!

 

Nevertheless, there are many retail outlets, esp. those who replaced K-40 with E-64 on their shelves, that did not accustom to the slightly lower price of E-64 without processing, and just offer the E-64 without processing for the price they offered K-40 with processing....

 

(gosh, there's an awful lot of "processing" in these sentences...)

 

 

In the UK, E-64 incl. everything goes for 23 sterling, 14 sterling without ... development. Dito for the X-series and the V2-series, which means shooting Vision2 is as expensive as E-64 in the homestead of all those nice colonies you guys live in :P :rolleyes: .

 

 

As I said, Switzerland is a good place re. purchasing and processing, with solid sellers and trustworthy infrastructure. Germany lost its Super 8 mojo mightily over the past 3-4 years. And the UK... well, prices are higher for everything, and you have to accept that you life in a socialism-like society that exists in a turbo-capitalist context..: so all-too-often crappy ware with lousy service for inflated prices orientated at the 3% top-income population ? the only way to escape is to buy expensive stuff that does not fall apart after a year, and pass it on over generations... pretty much what the nobility did over centuries here. In that respect, buying that Bentley Arnage only once over a VW every 5 years suddenly makes sense... ;)

[Ryan C Cheresnick]

I also experienced a similar problem this weekend shooting 7218 on my Nikon R10. The cartridges would stick at the head of the roll but after taking it out and advancing the film a few times eventually it would run through fine. This happened in both a 70 something studio location and a 30 something outdoor location. My batch was also brand new as I just picked it up from Kodak NY this past week.

[Michael Lehnert]

Folks,

 

I hate to break this, but we just experienced some trouble with a batch of 5 new Kodak Plus-X (7265) cartridges while shooting, using interchangeably a Bauer C 700 XLM, a Bauer S 715 XL microcomputer (in Porst livery) and an Agfa Movexoom 10 MOS Electronic (the one mentioned in this post here).

 

The cartridges produced an unusually loud and nagging running noise, and the Bauer-typical film running pointer indicating good transport to the right of the viewfinder behaved erratic in the case of one of those cartridges!

 

What is worrying here is that the usual pre-shoot ritual one should perform with every cartridge before inserting it into the camera, namely tapping the cartridge ? preferredly the lower part of the labelled side ? gently yet decisively against your open palm three to four times and then lightly shake the cartridge around so that the film can unravel a bit from its originally firm winding out of the plant (plus ? as Alex described earlier here ? advance the cartridge spindle a few extra turns) did not indicate any potential problems with the cartridges (as is ususally the case) nor did it apparently ease the internal problems at hand.

 

We will just have to wait and see how the film comes back from the lab! I shall keep you posted, but do not expect any "rushes" back before late next week.

[Guest Aaron Martin (TX)]

Has anyone recently experienced this issue with Kodak cartridges, or are we safe now?

 

Thanks,

 

Aaron

[Claudio Zorzenon]

This is my first experience in super 8 with 3 cartridges of 64T...

During test on 3 different bauer cameras: C500 XL, C900XL and a 715 XL (Porst 1500...).

 

For the two small 500 and 900, at 18 fps motor does not turn! Only at 24 or 36 fps they work but with irregular speed.

On the "big" 715 XL small problems of jitter (during projection after film process).

 

I have bought 10 cartridges in Germany; I don't khow about the other 7... I will try soon.

 

bye, Claudio.

[Gerard Furber]

Was on a shoot at the weekend. First shot using 200T bought at Widescreen a week ago. 24fps, pulled trigger- nothing happened.

 

Took the cart out, gave it a tap, put it back in- it ran perfectly for the rest of the shoot. Tapped all the other carts and had no problems.

[Claudio Zorzenon]

Tapping the cartridge? Is this the solution?

 

But this "glue effect" of the emulsion layer happens after long time storage?

[Jean Beaudoin]

I have been shooting more then 50 cartriges of Kodak Ektachrome 64T, Vision 2 200T and 500T, Tri-X B&W over the past year.

I have used Nizo 800S, Nizo Professional and Beaulieu 4008 ZM II cameras, all CLA (cleaned lubed aligned).

The only time I encountered a problem was with the 800S AND TRI-X: very noisy, unstable image during filming (bad registration).

I always get my stock directly from Kodak in Montréal, I assume it is fresh and apart from that single roll all were fine.

You need a camera that is overhauled and in top condition to start: fresh batteries or power supply; fresh stock.

There should'nt be any problem if all these conditions are met. :rolleyes:

[Michael Lehnert]

Agreed, Jean! A well-serviced camera is half-way through to a well-working cartridge.

 

Tapping the cartridge? Is this the solution?

 

Not for everything, but if the above was half-way through, than this common pre-shoot ritual beautifully explained by Alessandro Machi here in the pinned FAQ-style thread at the top of this forum is a further quarter to the full.

 

But this "glue effect" of the emulsion layer happens after long time storage?

 

Not necessarily. It can also occur after threading the cartridges in manufacturing while the emulsions are still too wet, or it can happen if the cartridges are stored in retail in a too cold environment, even for only a short time. There are so many factors involved, working their "magic rays" onto a cartridge, it really is a 'discussion of probabilities under certain circumstances' to figure out why a specific cartridge needs some more tapping than another, and while even one cart might work perfectly well in camera A, while camera B encounters so much friction that it breaks the transport core and disables transportation...

 

The the last remaing quarter to the full mile is in effect..., well, a bit of luck from the gods of cine-film ;) .

[Rolando Fernandez]

I probably have the same problem in a Canon 1014 , the film counter shows 50ft but the

cartridge is not at the end and also found some pull down claw marks in the emulsion

like if the film were lock in the aperture window. I hope kodak is aware of this.

 

By the way I'm starting to use more the double 8 system for me is more stable than super 8

because of the presure plate and there is 4 diferent stocks available to chose.

[Marc Guerriero]

It can also occur after threading the cartridges in manufacturing while the emulsions are still too wet, or it can happen if the cartridges are stored in retail in a too cold environment, even for only a short time.

Does that mean that the film should not be stored in the freezer/refrigerater before usage even if given ample time to defrost/warm up?