Kodachrome

[barryagilbert]

Hi,

 

I'm a recent entrant to filmmaking and the projects I've shot have all been with the more recent 35mm neg stocks (5218, 5298 etc...). I'm interested in experimenting with some Super 8mm and I'm wondering, is Kodachrome reversal film?

 

Thanks,

 

bg

[David Mullen ASC]

Yes.

[barryagilbert]

Thanks, that answers that -

 

The follow up question which speaks to my underlying interest, is that I understand you can send off Kodachrome super-8 cartridges through Wal-Mart for $4.99, which is a nice deal.

 

Now that they're packaging 5218 in 8mm cartridges, I'm wondering, what's likely to happen to neg film if it's cross processed as reversal? My (uninformed) understanding is that it's more often reversal that's cross-processed.

 

Is this idea a non-starter?

 

Thanks

 

Yes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[K Borowski]

Thanks, that answers that -

 

The follow up question which speaks to my underlying interest, is that I understand you can send off Kodachrome super-8 cartridges through Wal-Mart for $4.99, which is a nice deal.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Actually, you can get it done for $4. 88 ;)

 

As for getting negative processed as reversal, you DON'T want to use process K-14 (the process Kodachrome uses. It just won't work, and you'll piss a lot of people at D'Waynes off because you'll probably screw up all of the special, complicated chemistry that Kodachrome requires. Now as for E-6 or VNF-1, that's another story. I would strongly suggest that you contact the lab first, as there are issues of contamination involved and you don't want to destroy the work of other cinematographers, but usually they'll do stuff like cross processing at the end of the day before they dump the chemistry. Now, if my memory serves correctly, C-41 processed in E-6 will have a strong blue cast instead of orange and will look "wild". The same should hold true for ECN-2 processed in either E-6 or VNF-1, although results will be inconsistent and you'll probably have to test. Again, different labs and different levels of exhaustion in the chemistry can lead to totally different results unless you're careful to reproduce conditions each time you have something like this done. Definitely not suited to the low levels of intelligence found at Wal-Mart. Don't send them anything other than K-14, and even with that I'd say do at your own risk. They once nearly ruined a priceless roll of film I shot by sending it to a transfer house instead of the processing lab. Fortunately the transfer house contains more intelligent people than Wal-Mart workers.

 

Regards.

~Karl Borowski

[Jarin Blaschke]

I've only put negative film through a reversal bath (E6)in the still film realm, and the footage comes out very low contrast and very underexposed - about three stops, I've found. And rather blue too on an orange base, if I recall - but that may differ with the film type. I usually give one stop more than box speed, plus a two stop push. In my case, shooting NPZ (ei 800) at 400 with a two stop push.

[John Pytlak RIP]

The same should hold true for ECN-2 processed in either E-6 or VNF-1, although results will be inconsistent and you'll probably have to test.

 

Motion picture color negative film has a carbon black "rem-jet" antihalation backing, that needs special steps in the process to properly remove. Processing it in a C-41, E-6, or VNF-1 process will severely contaminate the processing machine, ruining your film and that of other customers. :(

[barryagilbert]

Motion picture color negative film has a carbon black "rem-jet" antihalation backing, that needs special steps in the process to properly remove.  Processing it in a C-41, E-6, or VNF-1 process will severely contaminate the processing machine, ruining your film and that of other customers.  :(

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:blink:

 

Whoa. Then I guess I won;t be doing that.

 

Thanks.