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Using still photo film


Bryce Lansing

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I know that motion picture film is coated with remjet to prevent static electricity, what would happen if you ran three feet of still photo film through a camera? Would it cause any damage?

 

I'm looking into getting a IIC with some standard primes, and when I do, I'm going to want to test for scratches, and to see the sharpness of the lens. I'm wondering if I can just load a magazine with a roll of Ilford B&W still film, run it through, process it myself for free, and look at the negs. Would that cause any problems?

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I don't think it's be much use to run that little film through the camera, once you load it up and everything... you'll need about 3 feet just for that. In fact, when you buy 400' of film, you normally get about 410 ft with the 10 extra being for loading etc.

I'd say just buy a 100' load of it and send it to a professional lab.. else how will you know you didn't scratch it processing it?

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I agree with Adrian as far as the scratch test goes. You really can't do that with still camera film as there are too many ways to scratch the film just setting up the test.

 

That being said, I've tested Arriflex IIC's with different lenses on a number of occasions using the old AgfaPan APX100 still camera B&W film. Unfortunately it's not made anymore. The perfs on that film were a bit different from standard still camera film perfs, and maybe because it was made in Germany, it worked in the IIC. I know others have tried using Kodak and Ilford films with the IIC and they've jammed up the camera.

 

Best,

-Tim

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  • 2 weeks later...
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One

The film is not coated with remjet but with a backing layer that becomes removed in a processor by underwater remjets. I may appear pedantic.

 

Two

Still photography stock perforated BH is not made. Exception to the rule: Gigabitfilm 40

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Simon says:

The film is not coated with remjet but with a backing layer that becomes removed in a processor by underwater remjets. I may appear pedantic.

In fact, the film IS coated with a substance called remjet, which is an abbreviation of REMovable JET. Jet is another name for lampblack: very finely divided carbon particles (which is what the coating consists of).

 

You can take my word for it, or check with Paul Read: Restoration of Motion Picture Film (Butterworth Heinemann, 2000).

 

You are right that the remjet is removed (after softening in an alkaline solution) by sprays or jets, though they are most certainly NOT underwater. The impotant thing about remjet removal is that the carbon is sprayed off the back of the film but not allowed to touch the emulsion surface, where it would be instantly and permanently bonded onto the wet emulsion. This calls for very precisely adjusted spray nozzles.

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  • 6 months later...

B&W cine film has no ramjet just different perfs. but i don't think it's an issue on the 2c. i've tested cameras with photo film and developed myself with no problems. get a 100'bulk load of tri-x and run it. probably cheaper to get a short end on ebay.

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they are most certainly NOT underwater.

Well, Dominic, in all our friendship, when I first got involved with film processing in 1987 there was this Photomec colour positive developing machine in which a pair of circular brushes was under water. Somehow Cinegram, the lab’s name, managed to make the backing flake off successfully. Sure, things change, and the jets today are not under water.

 

 

Bryce, you will successfully expose 35-mm. still stock with the following cameras, regardless which perf type:

 

Prestwich models from 1896 on

Williamson, 1897

Schneider, 1898

Moy & Bastie, 1900

Ernemann from 1903 on

Pathé from 1896 on

Prévost, 1905

Gillon, 1905

Walturdaw, 1907

Debrie models from 1908 to 1920-21

Lubin, 1908

Chronik, 1909

Bell & Howell Eyemo models

Defranne & Gennert, 1910

Akeley, 1911

ICA models since 1912

Universal Burke & James, 1914

Ensign Houghton, 1914

Barker Educator, 1917

Campbell Cello, 1918

Zollinger, 1918

FACT, 1919

Askania models from 1920 on

Amigo, 1920

Ertel models since 1920

Arndt, 1921

Hahn-Goerz, 1921

Cinex, 1922

Stachow, 1922

Cinégraphe Bol, 1923

Kinarri, 1924

DeVry, 1926

Hodres, 1934

Zeiss-Ikon, 1934

Morigraf, 1935

Šlechta, 1938

Eclair Caméflex/Camerette, 1946

Maurer & Wäscher, ?

Russel, ?

Schimpf, ?

 

An ARRIFLEX or an ARRIFLEX II is not suited for type P perforation.

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