16mm Film and 16mm Projector

NYC Film · October 20, 2011

I am pretty new to 16mm Film Making. I plan on buying a K3. My question is, Once I am done filming with my K3 Camera can I just take that film and play it on my 16mm projector at home? Or does the film have to get processed or anything else in order to play that film negative on a 16mm projector from home? Any Help on this matter would be greatly appreciated, Thank You

K Borowski · October 20, 2011

Just like camera stills film. If it is negative it needs a print as well. Only reversal film can be played directly from the camera original after processing.

NYC Film · October 20, 2011

Thank You for you response.

So reversal film does not need to be processed and could be played on my 16mm projector directly from my K3?

Or all film stocks need to be processed?

I guess I am asking what the work flow would be to just see the film I shot on my 16mm projector. As of right now I am not concerned with transferring the film to a digital format or anything like that. Is there different processes for each film stock, reversal film, etc, etc in order to be played on a 16 mm projector?

Thanks Again.

K Borowski · October 20, 2011

All camera film requires processing.

And, yes, there is a different process for color negative (ECN-2), color reversal (E-6), B&W negative, and B&W reversal.

B&W negative or color negative you would need to make a print to play on your projector. The lab would have to do that for you. Prints are contact exposed to the negatives, then processed in their own special chemistries.

NYC Film · October 20, 2011

Awesome. I understand Totally now. Thanks again.

Is there a specific color stock and brand of film that you can recommend that's more inexpensive then others for a shoe string budget?

Also I am located in NYC. Is there a specific place that could process my film for less money then say a well known place like Technicolor or Duart?

Thank You

Robert Lewis · October 20, 2011

With reversal film, you take the film out of the camera and then have it processed, or developed. You get the very same roll of film back from the processing laboratory and you then able project the film on your projector. You can get colour reversal film and black and white reversal film. The processing is much the same.

The other type of film which you can use in your camera is referred to as negative film. This is also available as colour film or as black and white film. This is sent to a processing laboratory but unlike reversal film, it is processed as a negative (the colours appear to be completely mixed up or if it is black and white film, black appear as white and white appears as black). Whilst you can project this film on your projector, what you see on screen is in negative form and the image is not really viewable. In order to project the film properly, you have to get the laboratory to produce for you a positive print. On projection of this print the picture is as you would expect it to be. The colours are correct.

So there is no type of film which can be removed from the camera and immediately projected.

NYC Film · October 20, 2011

Thanks Robert for your reply. Great information there.

Like I have heard before the greatest teacher in life is experience. So I guess I will truly learn from actually just going out and buying all these different film stocks, shooting them, having them processed then seeing the results of all these different stocks. I have dealt with the digital world most of my career. I've always loved the look of film over Video. That's just my opinion. I hope Film never dies.

Thanks Again