color filmstocks compared? recelled beaulieu batte

[benj gerdes]

hi all,

a few specific super-8 questions:

1. straighforward -- has anyone used the kodak super-8 "surveillance" film (loaded w/ Vision 200T negative)? how easy is it to get this processed? would you recommend using it over the other available color reversal super-8 stocks, especially if I'm planning to transfer and edit on FCP then output to DV? what do you like or dislike about it besides the flexibility of a higher ASA? general questions which will hopefully incite specific answers ?? as far as I can tell the cost of cartridges and processing would be about even w/ the ektachrome VNF and almost double that of shooting on kodachrome. I'm mainly interested in some advice as to whether this direction is worthwhile from an economic standpoint if I'm shooting quite a few rolls for a current project, and if anyone out there has made a similar decision and either regrets or swears by it. (I'm less interested in being told that that the stock looks a lot like 16mm vision 200, or that "all color filmstocks have their own unique attributes, and different filmmakers seem to prefer different stocks")

2. more involved ?? can anyone recommend a not too costly method of recelling a beaulieu 5008s battery? I would not be beyond doing this myself if some brave soul could lead me through it. I have another battery that holds a charge quite well, so i'd rather recell the second battery than submit to the various permanent camera modifications kicking around various super-8 sites online.

3. long shot -- kodachrome II processing --> i was wondering if anyone knew the specifics of the process rocky mountain film lab and plattsburg photographic services use to develop kodachrome II as B&W negative. I believe that martin baumgarntner (plattsburg) only handprocesses, and I was hoping someone might be able to send me info on the requisite processing steps and chemistry. I've been told that often the results are less than spectacular, but am curious...

oh, in closing and while still on the super-8 track, does anyone know of a distributor of the russian quarzchrome cartridges in the US? the only place I've found it listed is the widescreen centre in the UK. the known lomo contact in russia says his stock is depleted.

thanks in advance,
benj gerdes

[Nigel]

1--I have shot some of the 200T. It looks good. I shot it in daylight and it worked well. On the other hand my colorist does not like the neg. stocks in super8. He likes to work with reversals. I know that you are right VNF is about the same as the 200T. However, the VNF when shot with the correct filter is designed for video transfer. I like reversal stocks because they make my 16mm blow-ups easier.

2--I would call Irv Higdon in California about the battery. He used to work for Beaulieu back in the day. His number is 1-800-318-3259.

3--Martin is really good about telling you what he does. Email him and he should tell you. His email is [email protected]

4--As far as I know Widescreen is the only place for the Russian film. You could try Kiev USA they are importer for those Russian cameras. I would say that knowing how the Russian build things--the film is probably crap.

Good Luck