SOT: Questions about RGB Color Lab

[K Borowski]

Hello everyone. I was wondering if anyone here is experienced with the use of ECN-2 film in still cameras. I have a Canon Rebel 2000 and Canon AE-1 that I want to use with ECN-2 and I would like to know how these films compare with C-41 for use in paper prints and slide prints. I have, in the past, heard that there is an undesirable magenta cast in the shadows of paper prints made from ECN-2 negatives and I assume there may also be some sort of cast in slide prints made from C-41 negatives. Also, I have come upon a place, RGB Color Labs in California that deals with ECN-2 in still cassettes. Does RGB offer top-of-the-line, scratch-free processing, or do they have some of the same problems that the old Seattle Film Works had? Are there other labs of comparable or better quality that offer the same services? I know of one lab in Florida, but I have had a falling-out with them as they charge $2.50 per frame when printing slides even if the negative strip is uncut. As for using ECN-2 in still cameras, could I get better prices than 3 36 exp. rolls of ECN-2 negative film for $8.50? Would I be better off buying short-ends and respooling them? I know that a lot of people are going to tell me that I would be better off just going digital with set photography; don't bother answering if you want to tell me something along these lines. I understand that digital is quieter, but I can't justify buying/renting $8000 cameras which produce pictures with flat, unrealistic skin tones and a totally different look than that of the film running through the movie cameras. Thanks for your help everyone. I appreciate your time and advice.

 

All the best.

~Karl Borowski

[Greg Gross]

Hello FilmIs4Ever,

I have been professional photographer for over 20 years,the only thing

that I have seen done with movie film(Eastman 5254)is to make slides

from it,tungsten balanced so you had to use 85A. Lab would send you back

a roll of negatives and also slides. I have never actually seen any still prints

made from movie film negative. Of course you could print from a slide. I

thought I heard an associate one time say you could print on to Acme paper

from a movie film negative. Most still photographers never come across this

as there are so many fine color negative films available. Movie film labs use

Acme paper. Sounds like a question for Mr. Pytlak at Kodak. I'll ask some friends

and keep looking for you,if I find some info I will post it.

 

Greg Gross,Professional Photographer

Student Cinematographer

[David Mullen ASC]

RGB Labs has there own ECN-2 processor but print the slides on Fuji movie print stock and send it to a movie lab for the FCP processing required.

 

The system works fine, but I don't think Kodak/Fuji really designed C41 negatives to print on FCP print stock, nor ECN2 negatives to print onto paper, so there are bound to be some gamma mismatches causing some color shifts. In general, you may feel that ECN-2 negs printed onto paper look a little low in contrast and saturation compared to C41 consumer neg.

[Greg Gross]

Hello FilmIs4Ever,

I talked to the lab I use today about making prints from movie negative

film on paper. Can not be done due to poor quality of image obtained. I

use a pro-color printer for my work,he said that he's never heard of any-

one finding a way to do it. At one time they used a machine to grab images

from 8mm and 16mm films(negatives) but could not get acceptable results.

Size of negative is a problem and contrast(which I suspected). Here's what

they can do:

1.Scan slide digitally

2. A Fuji Frontier processing machine(wet print)

is used to make print.

 

He assures me that the prints are superior in quality.

 

Greg

[John Pytlak RIP]

Kodak motion picture negative films are optimized for printing onto Kodak Color Print Films. Printing onto paper prints may result in some contrast mismatch.

 

Photofinishers that print negatives by scanning them, and then use digital printing onto paper could theoretically correct the mismatch by using appropriate LUTs.