Where Does Velvia Stand in the Super-8 Community?

[Alessandro Machi]

Just curious where Velvia stands these days with Super-8 filmmakers? Is it the Kodachrome replacement that many wanted (although understandably a bit more expensive).

 

If Velvia was no longer offered in super-8, would it bother you at all? I'd love to know where super-8 filmmakers stand. If you cite an experience you had shooting velvia, please mention how long ago it was that you purchased your film stock.

[David Mullen ASC]

Fuji discontinued selling Velvia in 35mm motion picture rolls, so is it still available in Super-8, and if so, for how long?

 

It's more saturated than Kodachrome, that was my only impression of it in its 35mm form.

[Anthony Schilling]

Velvia 50D is one of the best films I have seen in S8, except for the random stability issues. Spectra is currently out of stock, but I was told they would have more by the end of May. Aside from that, I would put my money on 7285 in S8 instead. It has a nearly the same colors and saturation, but a stop faster and stightly lower con. Spectra will have S8 100D in production soon, I've been shooting some pre production carts (they run very smooth), as well as Kodak produced DS8 7285... which is freshly loaded into S8 carts by Spectra. After shooting 64T, Velvia, and 100D in S8 over the past 2 years... I almost cringe when I watch Kodachrome. The newer E6 films are so much better.

[Victor Mejia]

Velvia 50D was my stock of choice until Spectra ran out (I've shot 35 rolls of Velvia.) It's an extraordinary stock. The best reversal film in my view. But I agree with the stability issue. The 100D looks promising. I bought a test roll but haven't exposed it yet.

Victor

[Alessandro Machi]

Fuji discontinued selling Velvia in 35mm motion picture rolls, so is it still available in Super-8, and if so, for how long?

 

It's more saturated than Kodachrome, that was my only impression of it in its 35mm form.

 

Velvia has been available through Spectrafilmandvideo for a year or two now in all film formats. When it is exposed properly it can easily intercut with 16mm if shot in certain types of lighting situations. It also looks really nice on it's own. If it comes back, it might only be available in super-8 and it's possible there would either be a price increase OR it might only be sold through the discount pack plans.

 

I'm curious if that is a deal breaker if the only way that Velvia could be purchased is via the Spectra Film and Video Film Packs where one pre-pays for Film Stock, processing, and transfer prices at a discounted price. Is it worth it to still shoot Velvia if you have to do the transfer with Spectra because in my opinon (and it's just my opinion), I don't think it comes back any other way, unless there is one final run of Velvia and that is it.

 

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Velvia 50D was my stock of choice until Spectra ran out (I've shot 35 rolls of Velvia.) It's an extraordinary stock. The best reversal film in my view. But I agree with the stability issue. The 100D looks promising. I bought a test roll but haven't exposed it yet.

Victor

 

Victor, what about the last few Velvia cartridges you shot, how long ago was it and did the stability issue still remain? The super-8 cartridges are now treated with a lubricant and that seems to make a big difference in how easily the velvia film will go through the Super-8 cartridge.

[Anthony Schilling]

The Velvia 50D was discontinued so there was a finite supply for cutting into S8. I do remember Spectra mentioning the possibility of Velvia 100 in S8, and I even shot a demo roll of Fuju 64T reversal last year. And now Fuji has announced a new Velvia 50D formulation coming out, so maybe we will se that in S8... who knows?

[Douglas Hunter]

I'm a big fan of the Velvia, Among the super 8 stocks I've shot in the past year I think it has wonderful grain and more accurate color representation than other stocks.

 

I must admit though the 100D kodak is a very close second. I'll shoot Velvia as long as its available.

[Alessandro Machi]

The Velvia 50D was discontinued so there was a finite supply for cutting into S8. I do remember Spectra mentioning the possibility of Velvia 100 in S8, and I even shot a demo roll of Fuju 64T reversal last year. And now Fuji has announced a new Velvia 50D formulation coming out, so maybe we will se that in S8... who knows?

 

My goal is to see who could afford to keep buying Velvia if it was only offered with telecine transfer. My guess is Spectra may not want to offer it this way because it will piss people off if they can only but it with transfer. But if it came down to no velvia at all versus being able to get velvia but one has to pre-pay for transfer as well, is that better than no velvia at all?

 

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The cost issue of shipping film stock to other countries, then having to pay to ship back to Spectra for processing and transfer and then pay for shipping back again is a valid concern, especially if custom duties are added on.

[Victor Mejia]

[quote

Victor, what about the last few Velvia cartridges you shot, how long ago was it and did the stability issue still remain? The super-8 cartridges are now treated with a lubricant and that seems to make a big difference in how easily the velvia film will go through the Super-8 cartridge.

 

The last three rolls I shot were mixed results. Two rolls were perfect. Very clean and well exposed with no stratches (all three were lubricated rolls). But the third roll was wacky--random scratches here and there. I've always had a problem with stratches with Velvia--something inherit the emulsion I think. I shot with two cameras--a Zeiss Ikon Moviflex MS8 and a Braun Nizo S800.

Victor

[Gerard Furber]

Good news! I have just read on another site that Cinevia, the Velvia offering from GK Film in Germany, is coming back soon! According to the website, it's coming this summer (so must be within a matter of weeks or a couple of months at most if it's accurate!)

 

www.cinevia.eu

[Terry Mester]

The last three rolls I shot were mixed results. Two rolls were perfect. Very clean and well exposed with no stratches (all three were lubricated rolls). But the third roll was wacky--random scratches here and there. I've always had a problem with stratches with Velvia--something inherit the emulsion I think. I shot with two cameras--a Zeiss Ikon Moviflex MS8 and a Braun Nizo S800.

Victor, did you shoot all 3 Velvia Carts at the same Frame Rate? You would suffer worse jitteriness the faster the film is moving. So 18 f/s will be smoother than 24 f/s. It's possible that scratches could have been caused by the developing Lab. I noticed abrasions and scratches on my photographic film when I was getting it developed at a local Lab. When I started sending it out to Qualex Photofinishing, I could barely find even a minor scratch when scrupulously looking the Emulsion over at an angle to a light.

[Guest Steve Salem]

I absolutely love Velvia 50D. But if I had to purchase it as part of a telecine package I'd use something else.

I like having creative and quality control over my transfers.

 

My 2 cents

 

s

[Charles Doran]

My goal is to see who could afford to keep buying Velvia if it was only offered with telecine transfer. My guess is Spectra may not want to offer it this way because it will piss people off if they can only but it with transfer. But if it came down to no velvia at all versus being able to get velvia but one has to pre-pay for transfer as well, is that better than no velvia at all?

 

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The cost issue of shipping film stock to other countries, then having to pay to ship back to Spectra for processing and transfer and then pay for shipping back again is a valid concern, especially if custom duties are added on.

 

I don't understand why this is your "goal." Are you trying to prove a point to Doug at Spectra to keep selling it without a "package" deal? It would not seem to make sense to offer to sell the Velvia with a "telecine-only" type of package unless, of course, the majority of the Spectra clients are commercial filmmakers in the area who need a quick transfer...From the times I was there they seemed to do a big mailorder business with folks all over the country, if not the world.

[Sarah Naomi Campbell]

Just curious where Velvia stands these days with Super-8 filmmakers? Is it the Kodachrome replacement that many wanted (although understandably a bit more expensive).

 

If Velvia was no longer offered in super-8, would it bother you at all? I'd love to know where super-8 filmmakers stand. If you cite an experience you had shooting velvia, please mention how long ago it was that you purchased your film stock.

 

I just wrapped shooting on my second film, which I shot over a period of two years. I last purchased/shot/developed Velvia in late 2006.

 

I began with Kodachrome until it ran out, and then switched to 64T, and then finished with Velvia. Kodachrome stands alone in terms of it's look: it has a much softer feel to it, which almost feels anachronistic now. The "nice bright colors" are fabulous, that is, until you compare them to Velvia. This stock has been described as 'cartoony", which is understandable, but it is also part of the charm!

 

What i adore about Velvia is that saturation which really helps the stock retain the color in telecine. Kodachrome, in my experience, sometimes ended up looking a little washed out after the switch. As for 64T? Forget about it! Perhaps it is part of my learning curve, but I never seemed able to get the look I was striving for; the temperature is so much cooler than both Kodachrome and Velvia combined, the grain is fairly noticable, and it just seemed more trouble than it was worth.

 

Aesthetically speaking, I prefer Velvia over all other stocks. One does have to be careful with respect to lighting, but it is very rich, creates beautiful, if not true skin tones and really tests well with viewers. I've had more than one audience member ask if it was Kodachrome, which I take as a wonderful compliment.

 

Obviously, I would be heartbroken if the stock were indeed discontinued. I also would prefer to retain my current and local to Portland, OR telecine transfer contact rather than go through Spectra.

I did call and speak to Spectra and they apparently are boycotting the stock to avoid a price increase. I am hopeful that the stock will re-emerge.

 

Good luck to all and let's focus our energies on keeping this stock available. In my view, the more diverse the stock available to super 8 filmmakers, the better for all. My favorite stock may well be another's least favorite, but that is partially why I love filmmaking; I appreciate the diversity of experience and point of view.

[Alessandro Machi]

My goal is to see who could afford to keep buying Velvia if it was only offered with telecine transfer. My guess is Spectra may not want to offer it this way because it will piss people off if they can only but it with transfer. But if it came down to no velvia at all versus being able to get velvia but one has to pre-pay for transfer as well, is that better than no velvia at all?

 

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The cost issue of shipping film stock to other countries, then having to pay to ship back to Spectra for processing and transfer and then pay for shipping back again is a valid concern, especially if custom duties are added on.

 

I don't understand why this is your "goal." Are you trying to prove a point to Doug at Spectra to keep selling it without a "package" deal? It would not seem to make sense to offer to sell the Velvia with a "telecine-only" type of package unless, of course, the majority of the Spectra clients are commercial filmmakers in the area who need a quick transfer...From the times I was there they seemed to do a big mailorder business with folks all over the country, if not the world.

 

If, for Velvia not to disappear it could only be sold if it included transfering in the package price, should Spectra offer that option or should Spectra stop selling it entirely if that is the only way they can recoupe their expenses?

[Anthony Schilling]

If, for Velvia not to disappear it could only be sold if it included transfering in the package price, should Spectra offer that option or should Spectra stop selling it entirely if that is the only way they can recoupe their expenses?

Mybe if it was 7201 50D. If i'm going to spend any money on a transfer, it will be for a negative stock that I can't project, or transfer myself. Even if i do get reversal transferred, at least I get to view it somehow first or even splice the reels so I'm only transferring relevant materials on the clock.