Steve Molloy

I recently purchased a Canon 514 XL camera in virtually mint condition. Everything runs smoothly, though the lightmeter will only go up to f:/4 even when pointed at bright sunlight with the filter out and with a film cartridge in. When it does move it moves very slowly. I think it may be stuck. Is there any solution for this/ anything I've missed. If this is not something I can repair myself, will a camera repair specialist used to dealing with still film equipment be likely to be able to fix it (there is one in my nearest city that I know of). Can this be repaired at all? Many thanks

Just a warning for those with cameras which accept film speeds right across the board. I obtained two more carts of Wittnerchrome 100D, the best film I have ever used to date. Its notching is slightly incorrect, apparently registering 64D/100T on a camera with all of the notch settings. There are two solutions to this: - Setting the filter switch/key to artificial light and expose at 100T in daylight (same speed) - Using a stanley knife to re-notch it (quite easilly done). Both methods will allow the cinematographer to have 100D correctly exposed while on auto exposure. Note, on most cameras which are 40/160 cameras only, despite being incorrectly notched, Wittnerchrome will usually (but not always) miss the 25D/40T button and register correctly as 100D. This is a wonderful stock which I would be very pleased to see Kodak release for themselves in Super 8 so it can be widely available. I hope this advice ensures that everyone exposes it correctly and thus realises this film's true potential.

I hope my experience was just a one off, but I shall elaborate. My camera has the following notch sensor settings. It reads the daylight speed whether there is a notch or not. To read tungsten speeds there must be a screw in the movie-light socket. 25D/40T (degrees all pushed in) 40D/64T 64D/100T 100D/160T (nothing pushed in) Plus X notching leaves nothing pushed in (i.e. it reads it as 100D.) Ektachrome 64T correctly pushes the sensor in as far as the 40D/64T mark. The Wittnerchrome I used only pushed in the sensor as far as the 64D/100T mark, thus to be able to get the camera to read it as 100 ASA I had to use the screw to read it as tungsten (without filter). I was curious as to whether this was just a one-off or whether they are incorrectly notched. It was definately Wittner's version. For reference, the 100D should be notched the same as the old Ektachrome 160T EXCEPT that the 100D should not have a filter notch. Is that correct? Marty, I should be in a position to post some stills soon. The colours are almost psychedelic at times- certainly brighter and richer than my eye sees the scene- that goes for when the film is viewed on a projector or after frame-by-frame transfer, incidentally.

I would like to share some of my experiences of my recent use of the new Wittnerchrome 100D film. It would appear that this film is incorrectly notched (though will have the effect of being correctly notched if you are using a 25/40/100/160 camera.) If using a 25/40/64/100/160/250 camera, the film will rate itself as 64D (no filter notch). The only method of rating it at 100D without cutting the cartridge is to put a screw in the movie-light socket (as if using it as 100T) thus the camera will meter for 100 ASA. The film, if released by Kodak, should be notched the same as Plus X. You may wish to compare these cartridges for reference. If correctly exposed the film exhibits (in my experience) a grain on a par with Kodachrome 40 and deeper saturated colours as found with Ektachrome 64T. If Kodak release it it will certainly prove popular.