Is all 35mm sensative to light?

K Borowski · March 8, 2009

Well, honestly, there probably were/are some films made (for the graphic arts) that are actually insensitive to visible light that can be used in subdued room light to record an image using ultraviolet light.

But, natively, silver halides are sensitive to blue and ultraviolet wavelengths of light, so you'd actually have to use some extra sensitizing chemicals and filter layers (which actually isn't even done with motion picture film; blue layer is still sensitive to UV) to DE-sensitize the silver halides that form the grains of the image.

I actually have to admit that, when I was very young, I used to think that there was no way movie film had to be loaded and handled in complete darkness, because it would be so complicated!

And then there was the friend I had who didn't even believe that film in his little point and shoot wouldn't come out if he opened up the back and showed it to me! I would have loved to see his mother's face when she forked over the $4.50 to develop those pictures!

Charles MacDonald · March 9, 2009

And then there was the friend I had who didn't even believe that film in his little point and shoot wouldn't come out if he opened up the back and showed it to me! I would have loved to see his mother's face when she forked over the $4.50 to develop those pictures!

Them Kodak dudes were smart cookies when they designed Instamatic 126 and 110 cartridges. taking the film out in the middle with one of them only fogs a frame or two.

Chris Keth · March 9, 2009

the only film (that i know of) that compensates (sort of) for this sensitivity to light when loading is 35mm film used in photographic cameras for taking pictures (its same kind of film, but how its kept in "cassettes" differs; im not sure how 35mm film for cinema cameras is "packaged" up).. u can load that 35mm film in the day because you are given a length of "extra" film before you actually can take photos but ITS IMPOSSIBLE FOR FILM TO NOT BE SENSITIVE TO LIGHT OTHERWISE IT DEFEATS ITS OWN PURPOSE.. IT HAS TO BE SENSITIVE TO LIGHT IN ORDER TO RECORD AN IMAGE.. THE EMULSION PARTICLES (GRAINS OF SILVER) ARE WHAT "BURN" WHEN LIGHT HITS THEM LIKE HOW PIXELS ON A CAMERA CAPTURE LIGHT TOO.. ONLY THIS IS PHYSICAL AND NOT ELECRONIC, THINK OF FILM AS BEING A STRIP OF PIXELS.. IF U EXPOSE THAT FILM WITH HUNDREDS OF PIXELS ON IT, ITS DONE, ITS OVER, IT CANT BE REUSED, RIGHT? THEREFORE FILM CANNOT AND SHOULD NOT BE EXPOSED TO LIGHT PREMATURELY IF YOU INTEND ON USING IT TO CREATE AN IMAGE/PHOTOGRAPH OR RECORD ANY FORM OF LIGHT WITH IT

Next time you accidentally hit the capslock, could you go back and fix it? Your post is nearly unreadable with that formatting.

K Borowski · March 9, 2009

Next time you accidentally hit the capslock, could you go back and fix it? Your post is nearly unreadable with that formatting.

Well it could be worse. Did You See The Post Where The Guy Capitalized The First Letter Of Every Word Just Like This?

Or maybe he is just yelling at the end because he is so excited? :rolleyes:

Simon Wyss · March 11, 2009

Mmm, I'd like to close the subject by saying that all film is sensative to light in one way or the other but that filmmakers are far more sensotive.

Dominic Case · March 11, 2009

The point about fogging in low light levels is the same as any other type of exposure. Time is just as much a factor as brightness. So if an image on a negative can get normally exposed in 1/24th sec, then light four stops less than the darkest shadows recorded in that scene would fog the film in less than one full second.

And if you aren't all that familiar with loading film (without a youtube instruction video playing as you go :lol: ) then it'll take you more than one second. Five minutes isn't an unrealistic time if you get into trouble loading - that's 13 stops (I think, I ran out of fingers calculating) more exposure than a dim shadow at camera speed.

Finally, darkroom light leaks tend not to be visible all over the darkroom. Often a crack in the doorframe creates a narrow pencil of light across the room that you won't see even after 15 minutes. Wave the neg stock across that, and you'll fog it surprisingly easily. Anywhere else, it's still pitch dark.

Sorry to be so unhumourous about what has to have been a spoof question in the first place - but professional film handlers shouldn't be sloppy about dark(ish)rooms or "a bit of edge fogging never hurt anyone" attitudes).