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VNF-1 film through E-6 - sensitometric effect ?


John Salim

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Hi All,

I get the occasional request to process old Ektachromes ( VNF-1 ) which I've always declined.

I know results can be poor, so does anyone know if processing a 'minimal' amount of VNF-1 film through an E-6 line will have a sensitometric effect ?

 

Many thanks,

John S :wacko:

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi John, processing VNF (Video News Film aka 7240 etc) won't harm the E-6 chemical process, other than normal exhaustion rates for the amount of film surface. The film doesn't have a remjet backing; it's a dye structure anti-halation coating that dissolves out in the process.

 

The structure of VNF is different from regular E-6 type films since it was intended for rapid processing in the VNF-1 process. You could approximate this via an adjustment of the Color Developer (10 to 20% over-concentration) but that wouldn't be practical for your other films then. Alternatively if you could raise the temperature of the Color Developer to about 114F it would get you closer to getting correct results. This would have to be a one off run of course. If the film is old and has not been stored frozen since new, it will have a serious Magenta cast anyhow, if the Process is E-6 alone it will have a serious Magenta cast, if the Color Developer is too dilute it will have a serious Magenta cast, if you leave the room for a moment or look away from the film it will have a serious Magenta cast (joking on that last one of course).

 

So, if it's just old film, not stored frozen since new, exposed years ago or recently, then the color will be way off as will its maximum density, so you could just process it as normal E-6 albeit an off color and too light reversal image. If you wanted you could adjust the First Developer time by cutting it 1-Stop to compensate for age and thus have it not so washed out (light), but even that might not be enough due to the age, storage history, amount of heat it has been exposed to etc. If it was anything important, I would ask the customer if you could do a snip test and add short amount to a normal film run and make a processing determination afterwards.

Have fun!

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Hi Martin,

Many thanks for the information and suggestions.

 

As it happens, I did run a clip test recently and results were light blue and flat contrast - though exposures looked almost 'normal'.

I agree, pulling maybe half a stop would improve things but don't want to get into adjusting 1st & col devs just for the odd roll going through on it's own.

I did leave the room for a minute, and you'll be happy to hear, didn't get any magenta cast ! .... haa haa haa.

 

After talking to the client, I processed the rest of his roll ( all was ok like the clip test ) which he'll have scanned, so should be able to 'fix up' images to some extent in post.

 

My main worry was, would VNF-1 films change control of my E-6 line...... it's good to hear it won't from the occasional roll.

 

 

All the best wishes and thanks again,

John S

Edited by John Salim
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