K40 processing concerns

[megalith6]

hi,

i recently received two reels back from Switzerland - both had white lines running through the frames, fading away (thank goodness) by about the middle of each reel.

used to think this was me (camera), or my editor - but in that case, the white line/s ought to run all the way through the reel? - and this does not happen.

i can only conclude that the emulsion scratching is occurring at the K40 lab in Switzerland. Widescreen (uk) insist that 'film editors do not scratch films'; the cameras i use appear to be in excellent condition at the filmgate/interior end [Canon 814, Nizo S800]

this is driving me to distraction - i am prepared to pay over the Kodak developing price if it gets me my film back in good shape: if it is indeed Kodak who are at fault?

comments/help greatly appreciated!

[img]graemlins/film.gif[/img]

[megalith6]

hi andrew

[by the way, i ain't a 'junior' member - there was something amiss on the registration? [img]graemlins/hmmm.gif[/img] ]

are you saying Kodak admitted it was their equipment which was scratching the emulsion on your film?

[img]eek.gif[/img]

thanks -

[Andrew Kempees]

I had the SAME exact thing happen to me. I contacted Kodak, even sent the film back & Kodak said there was nothing they could do. The problem was , it was a reel of stop frame that I had done. I had to redo the entire reel, which ment rebuilding sets ect. I have since learned to take many photos with a 35mm so to take the guess work out of rebuilding sets & camera angles.

[megalith6]

hi,

just picked up Fujichrome 'R25N', single 8mm film, developed in Japan,
and guess what? - no scratches!

[img]smile.gif[/img]

but advice please - this is the first time i have ever used this filmstock / fujica Z-2 camera.

the general tone of this daylight film shot in daylight conditions is dull (to me) - presumably slightly underexposed? the aperture on the camera is controlled by the camera's separate light meter, an 'electric eye' lens above the main lens.

the light meter lens has three manual settings: fully open, half shut down, three quarters shut down, thus affecting the light reading and modifying the automatic aperture (exposure), i presume?

so, if i want 'brighter' images, i imagine i need to either semi-close the light meter - affecting the auto aperture

or manually manipulate the main lens aperture -

there is a control for this - 'variable shutter dial' - it looks rather ' hit'n'miss ', to me: because the light meter is separate to the main camera lens, you have no idea what the variable shutter dial is doing to the aperture / exposure, at the time - the light meter only records what is in front of the camera, not the light coming through the main lens (like in a 35mm SLR)

the other thing i notice is that K40 is 40 asa whilst Fujichrome is 25 asa, the slowest filmstock i have used. i've found the quicker the film in daylight conditions, the paler the results - Ektachrome and Tri-X gave me some very pale, sunny shots (125 and 200 asa, respectively).

so what could be the best method/s for 'brightening' this single 8 film result, on the next cin? outing, please?

comments appreciated

many thanks,

[megalith6]

so yes, it does appear to be Kodak who are at fault, here!

[img]mad.gif[/img]

[megalith6]

further update:-

the following message was sent to at least 3 versions of the Kodak Page / 'contact us' on 27.10.04

these were Kodak sites which specifically mentioned super 8 - unfortunately they were auto-email pages, so i wasn't able to save all the details.

have had no replies yet - one of the contact facilities returned a 'mailer daemon' response.

i wrote:-

hi,

received two reels scratched K40 film - processed Kodak

Kodak receipt no's

M 6202520 ,film leader <AQ3 151*
M 6093157 ,film leader <AQ2 289*

*where'A'='delta'

both films scratched near beginning of reels to about 25%-33% into the reel - long white line effect.

please advise - am willing to submit segments for analysis.

thank you,

ric

[img]graemlins/phone.gif[/img]

ps - anybody tried phoning Kodak processing?

[Andrew Kempees]

Kodak had a " Does it really matter?" Type of approch to the problem ? Almost the type of situation of having a shopping cart run into your brand new car hours after picking it up and the person Saying " Well you have to expect these things." ( If the car was a Brand new 911....) Well I think you get the idea. Thats why I stick with film, at least I have half a chance of seeing what I need to reshoot !!!! take plenty of photos & notes. This helps alot.

[megalith6]

Hi Andrew,

You wrote:

"Kodak had a " Does it really matter?" Type of approch to the problem ? Almost the type of situation of having a shopping cart run into your brand new car hours after picking it up and the person Saying " Well you have to expect these things." ( If the car was a Brand new 911....) Well I think you get the idea. Thats why I stick with film, at least I have half a chance of seeing what I need to reshoot !!!! take plenty of photos & notes. This helps alot. "

@ I sent that message (previous post) to three separate Kodak Pages - one immediately replied with an automated 'mailer-daemon' and the other two have not got back to me at all...

@ yep, i always take notes (invaluable) and photos (reference) but appreciate the reminder!

[img]cool.gif[/img]

@ meanwhile another list has suggested i carry out extensive scratch testing on my gear - which i am perfectly willing to do, even though i have initially already checked out/brushed the film gate on my Nizo


@ this does mean, however, that i will need to sacrifice a reel of K40 (loathe to do this) and have been trying to track down any expired K40 on the internet that i can but cheap / use for testing?

@ but i think the deafening silence from Kodak on this issue may speak for itself?

[img]graemlins/film.gif[/img]

[megalith6]

update: Nizo

"meanwhile another list has suggested i carry out extensive scratch testing on my gear - which i am perfectly willing to do, even though i have initially already checked out/brushed the film gate on my Nizo"

the Nizo S-800 film compartment opens from the rear of the camera, so it is much more tricky to access the film gate than is the case with, for example, the Canon 814, which opens from the side.

any tips for cleaning / carrying out maintenance on the S-800, please? - there is nothing on this in its manual . . .


[img]graemlins/film.gif[/img]

ps. and what in goodness' sake is 'lubing' a film - would this not (potentially) smear onto the photo-emulsion?

[img]eek.gif[/img]

[Andrew Kempees]

In order to rule out proplems, as silly as it sounds, I clean out my camera with Dust-Off before & after I use it. I use Dust-off because, I know a hair will break off in the gate if I use a brush. On the projector, I take it apart & clean & lube it. I was suprised to find out how much dirt can find its way into one of these. As for the lube, I found that the oil they used at the factory just plain dried out. I had problems with the rewind and after some cleaning and a few drops of oil, (And I do mean few) it ran better than new.