Anyone use any of the new Pro8mm stock?

Chris Burke · April 23, 2005

Just curious if anyone has had a chance to try the Fuji Eterna and Reala in Super 8. Also ASA 10, yes 10 ultra high contrast B&W. Anyone ever use that? All three sound really cool. I have sent away for the new demo with that stock showcased. Can't wait to see it?

chris

John Hyde · April 24, 2005

Yes, I saw some Fugi Eterna 500 footage shot by a fellow filmmaker (made into super 8 by Pro8mm). If I was to describe their new film in one word I would have to go with "mud". Grainy, noisy and dirty. Plus, the cartridge jammed near the end.

When I say grain, I do not imply that the grain was pleasant to look at either. It was really just muddy. I do not know if it is the film or the standards of Pro8mm?s remanufacturing and processing. In any case, I would not use it. <_<

The ?Kodak? brand Vision 2 ? 500ASA he got at Spectra preformed much better. And, the 200ASA Vision 2 I used beats them all.

April 26, 2005

Yes, I've also tried it and was not impressed. When they processed the footage for me it came out like crap. Way too dirty & murky! I don't know whether to blame that on their lab or their film. But either way I won't be using any more of their experimental film stocks that's for sure.

James Mann · April 28, 2005

I have not seen the Eterna or the Reala as Super8. But having recently finished a twelve page short shot entirely on Pro8mm's version of Kodak's 5217, I found Super8 to be an extremely difficult format to shoot and make look good. It really does depend on how much you over expose it and how much fill light (or base ambiance) you use. There is a sweet spot at which the grain becomes very non-apparent.

I would be very weary of looking at a test (especially one shot indoors) without knowing exactly how it was lit and exposed.

Also, I had the privledge of being able to go and supervise the transfer of our negative to tape. And having worked with both of the color timers at Pro8mm (the majority of whose business, I think, comes in the form of unsupervised home movie transfer) I think it is essential that the cinematographer is present at the transfer. Their timers are very talented but unsupervised I think that they will work very fast...

That being said, of the forty rolls that we shot of Pro8mm's Kodak Vision2 5217, not one cartridge jammed and the negative was very clean (on the lab's end). But that is just my experience.

James Mann

Chris Burke · April 28, 2005

thank you all for all the shared experience. I really like the look of Fuji film, sad that it doesn't make the jump to Super 8 all that well. I hear that Spectra and now Bonolabs are getting good results with super 8. Maybe I'll check them out.