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Green flashes on 16mm film (Bolex H16 EL)


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Hello,

New forum user here. I'm having difficulty troubleshooting these seemingly random green flashes on my processed 16mm Ektachrome 100D film. I have two Bolex H16 EL 16mm cameras and footage filmed with both cameras have this issue (regardless of the lens used). It happens anywhere from once per 100ft roll to several times per roll. Last year I filmed a few thousand feet of film without these flashes, but the last two batches of film I've had processed have had this issue. The attached still is in the middle of a time lapse, where the camera wasn't moved or handled at all for an hour - and the rest of the footage from the shot is fine. This happens with both new Ektachrome 100D direct from Kodak, and also expired 100D - so it doesn't seem like it is an issue with the film stock. Since it happens with both cameras and randomly, it does not seem like a light leakage problem with one of the cameras. I asked the lab doing the processing/scanning and they didn't have any ideas as to why this would be happening. Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you,

Ryland

Screen Shot 2022-05-15 at 11.06.45 AM.jpg

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Bolex's have issues with light leaks from the filter holder. It's quite common and many users tape that entire area up. Direct sunlight, maybe bounced off an object out of frame, can easily create a light leak. It's also green because I've noticed that when scanning Ektachrome, I'm having to shift the color slightly more green to get it "natural" looking. I think it's just a side effect of that action during the scan. Where I don't shoot with my Bolex's enough to re-create this look, I bet it wouldn't be too difficult. 

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1 hour ago, Tyler Purcell said:

Bolex's have issues with light leaks from the filter holder. It's quite common and many users tape that entire area up. Direct sunlight, maybe bounced off an object out of frame, can easily create a light leak. 

There is no filter slot in a Bolex EL. 

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The flash in the Falls movie does look like possibly an object out of frame causing it, or as Simon says a technical problem on the film ??  However, with the single frame of the time-lapse,  my bet is on a leak somewhere in the camera, as there has been  considerable time between the exposures allowing it to occur.   I've had similar issues wth Bolex cameras,  and I ALWAYS now tape up not only the filter 'handle'  but also the whole edge of the door.  (Sometimes previously I've had a flash near the start or finish of a shot,  ie when the film is at rest.)

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Maybe yet yourself by having let open the finder dowsers

I have inclined towards the film manufacturer because nothing else seems possible to me. A chemical error would need to be a drop falling on the film at one of the upper rollers outside a bath, something very uncommon with the E-6 process. What could be an issue, rather unexpected though, are pressure marks but who would have pounded on the stock and under what circumstances?

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Hi Doug and Simon,

In the falls movie it happens again @ 2:07-2:08, if that's helpful. It's the same sort of green flash on many rolls of film, including some where the ambient light is extremely low (dusk and microscope footage). I don't think it's related to a time lapse light leakage - last year I had multiple day long time lapse shots, filmed in full daylight, without this problem.

The reason I thought it was something mechanical or chemical is that none of my previous footage had this issue. So I checked the recent footage shot with the two different cameras and both cameras had the flash show up on different rolls of film. It seems unlikely that both cameras would start having a similar problem at the same time. I wonder if while changing lenses light is finding a way in through the closed shutter/reflex prism assembly? However, if that was the case wouldn't the flashes be mostly in-between shots, rather than in the middle of them?

On the H16 EL the filter is placed behind the bayonet lens mount and the EL housing is generally well designed to prevent leakage. A problem at Kodak seems to make sense, but I wonder why I didn't come across this issue on previous rolls of film.  

Attached is another screenshot of the problem during a shot just before dark, where the ambient light was very low.

Thank you,

Ryland

Screen Shot 2022-05-16 at 12.49.42 PM.jpg

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Wierd.  And it seems to extend right out between the perfs ?  So that would rule out almost everything .... the viewfinder and shutter etc.  It rather points to the film then ?  And if it is doing it on different batches it surely must be a processing fault.

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AH yea, I totally spaced on the filter not being external on the EL. Hmmm. It sure seems like a light leak. It's just not very strong, and it's also consistent on how much light was leaked. 

The fact both times I saw the issue, the camera was moving, is a good indication of some leak. However, the one at 2:07 is a different location. I now kinda can't imagine it being the camera. 

With that said, you did say that some of the film was older right? That these issues have been on multiple rolls from different time periods right? That kinda rules out Kodak. 

I also can't imagine it being processing, seems very unlikely. So that leaves us back at the very beginning with the camera. 

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Hi Doug and Tyler -

Yes the flash extends out to the full width of the scanned film. There's no sync lamp installed. Many of the shots where the flash occurs the camera is stationary, so I don't think the camera movement in the falls video is part of the issue.

I'll ask the lab if there's anything on their end that has changed. If it's only on my footage I guess it has to be the EL cameras or Kodak. I guess I can try a different lab and see if the problem disappears.  I'll attach a couple more screenshots from stationary shots - both from the #2 camera. The above screenshots are from the #1 camera. 

Thanks again,

Ryland

Screen Shot 2022-05-16 at 5.20.28 PM.jpg

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The fact this is occurring on two seperate cameras, nowhere near a cut, across different stock batches and in different lighting conditions (indoor microscope footage!) seems to narrow it down to the only common denominators, which are the processing and scanning.
Just the last two rolls you said?  And they were processed/scanned at the same time?

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Hi Dom,

Yes, that makes sense to me. Unfortunately it was 26 rolls that were processed / scanned at two different times (the same lab). Fortunately most of the footage can be edited around the flashes, but I'll follow up with the lab and see if they can offer any assistance. For those of you shooting 16mm in the US, who do you recommend for processing/scanning? I reached out to Kodak in NY but they don't process E-6 film. 

Thanks again,

Ryland

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Hi Ryland,

Since it's happening on 2 different cameras and 2 different stocks  (and a new problem), I would agree that it is probably from the processing or the scanning.

You can try SPECTRA FILM & VIDEO in North Hollywood. Yes, they do E6.

They scan with SCANITY - which is said to be an amazing machine.

https://www.spectrafilmandvideo.com/Lab.html

I have yet to use them, but they are the first on my list - once I have film in the can. I called a couple times and they are super helpful and very patient.

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks again for everyone's input on this issue. I wanted to hold off posting until I had more information. I was able to confirm with the lab that this was a problem on their end since it appeared on a roll of film sent in by someone else. The lab stated that they have made adjustments to their magazines and it hasn't shown up on recent runs of film. I just wanted to update this topic in the event that someone else has this or a similar problem in the future. 

Ryland

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