Platinum Panaflex and B&W stock

Tomasz Augustynek · September 16, 2005

Does anyone have an experience with shooting black&white on Panaflex Platinum?

I was just using it and Kodak 5222 stock.

Unfortunately, we got brighter stripes on certain shots. They are especially visible on the sky or plain surfaces.

First, I thought there was something wrong with the processing, but these stripes look too regular and stable.

I was looking for a solution for a long time and I discovered that in back of the camera gate you have a part that tightens film to the gate. It's made of five steel stripes...

I thought they could've bounced the light coming through thin b&w neg and exposed on the film.

Does it make sense?

Stephen Williams · September 16, 2005

Does anyone have an experience with shooting black&white on Panaflex Platinum?
I was just using it and Kodak 5222 stock.

Unfortunately, we got brighter stripes on certain shots. They are especially visible on the sky or plain surfaces.

First, I thought there was something wrong with the processing, but these stripes look too regular and stable.

I was looking for a solution for a long time and I discovered that in back of the camera gate you have a part that tightens film to the gate. It's made of five steel stripes...

I thought they could've bounced the light coming through thin b&w neg and exposed on the film.

Does it make sense?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi,

I think you've found the problem. Color films have ramjet on the back that reduces light by about 5 stops.

Stephen

John Pytlak RIP · September 16, 2005

Since B&W films do not have rem-jet, the anti-halation technology usually involves putting absorbing dyes into the film support or as an emulsion layer. Not quite as much protection as rem-jet, especially when you have a shiny chrome plated backing plate.

The halation protection of B&W negative films has improved over the years. I suspect part of the nitrate film "glow" or "aura" associated with some of the classic films of the 30's and 40's was due in part to halation.

Tomasz Augustynek · September 18, 2005

Is there any way to avoid it?

I'm going to do some tests again tommorow and speak to Panavision.

It's hard to believe there's no solution for that problem, as they say. Platinum is at least 15 years old camera. Didn't anobody shoot a B&W movie with it?!

Saul Pincus · September 18, 2005

Is there any way to avoid it?
I'm going to do some tests again tommorow and speak to Panavision.

It's hard to believe there's no solution for that problem, as they say. Platinum is at least 15 years old camera. Didn't anobody shoot a B&W movie with it?!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

One would think Robert Richardson, ASC would be an expert on this, given all the 35mm B&W scope vignettes he shot for several Oliver Stone films (JFK, etc.) in the early nineties. (Then again, he was probably looking for "the nitrate glow" on purpose...)

Saul

Edited September 18, 2005 by Saul Pincus

David Mullen ASC · September 18, 2005

You should ask Panavision to paint the chrome black -- they've probably had to do that in the past for other b&w projects so probably already have a gate like that set aside.