Film tests online???

[Greg Traw]

I was just wondering if anyone has taken the time and money to test every film stock, during every condition (tungsten, daylight, night, interior, exterior, etc.) and at every f-stop. I was thinking about doing this myself but before I spend all the time and money I was just wondering if anyone else has? If the results are posted online could someone steer me in the right direction... Thanks in advance...

[Charles MacDonald]

I was just wondering if anyone has taken the time and money to test every film stock, during every condition (tungsten, daylight, night, interior, exterior, etc.) and at every f-stop.

 

 

The trick with tests is taht they are generaly done to see how a selction of films handle a given condition that is suppoed to happen in a film project. Can I mix in 10% tungsten in this daylight shot.? I am shooting isn very mixed lighting should I use an 85 filter or not? If I they to make the bacground go dark will I get too much Grain? How much can I overexpose the bride and still keep the texture in the lace of her wedding dress?

 

AS far as all the stcks, I think we can all bask in the glow of Knowing that WHATEVER stock that Kodak or Fuji sell you these days is FAR better than what anyone could get a few years ago. (I was configuring a computer to play DVD disks the other day and in the process watched a good chunk of "Smoky and the Bandit" I was amazed that I could see quite a bit of grain in the shadows of the cab of the truck, cosidering the computer was showing the movie on a 14 inch laptop screen. I bet that current stocks would let me shoot the same scene with my little Filmo (16mm) with the same or less Grain.)

 

Changing f-stops would be intertwined with how the scene is lit as far as how a given film would respond.

[Steve Phipps]

I was just wondering if anyone has taken the time and money to test every film stock, during every condition (tungsten, daylight, night, interior, exterior, etc.) and at every f-stop. I was thinking about doing this myself but before I spend all the time and money I was just wondering if anyone else has? If the results are posted online could someone steer me in the right direction... Thanks in advance...

Hello.

 

I don?t think f-stop is relevant since, (1) the results will be tied to one lens, and (2) unless you?re significantly changing exposure durations, or intentionally over-/underexposing, reciprocity applies and a correct exposure will be a correct exposure.

 

If you did want to test over-/underexposure, I think you would also want to test that in combination with a pull/push compensation, rather than just ?this is three stops under?.

 

If you did do this test, I think it would helpful to maintain the same subject in each set-up. That same subject facilitates comparison. Include a color test chart.

[Greg Traw]

That's what I was planning on doing...

[Patrick Neary]

I was just wondering if anyone has taken the time and money to test every film stock, during every condition (tungsten, daylight, night, interior, exterior, etc.) and at every f-stop. I was thinking about doing this myself but before I spend all the time and money I was just wondering if anyone else has? If the results are posted online could someone steer me in the right direction... Thanks in advance...

 

Hi-

 

So the big question is why?

 

Generally when prepping a feature or any film project you want to test your emulsion(s) in the somewhat narrow confines of the stocks you plan to shoot souped at the lab you plan on using, and printed on the stock you plan on printing on. You want to know mostly what your playing field looks like in regards to over and underexposure, and what exposure constitutes a "normal" exposure within that system, or just what looks best for the project. Beyond that you might test certain effects or abnormal processes.

 

Testing every stock under every circumstance (and f-stop???) seems very expensive, a little baffling, unmanageable and pointless. Not to mention that watching tests online wouldn't tell you anything useful about the filmstocks.