70mm film availability and processing

Fintan · May 1, 2007

I've been offered a 70mm film back for my Hasselblad and wondering what b+w film is still available for it?

I'm also wondering if its easy to develop such a long roll in a tank, and where I'd get such a tank/reels?

Any help appreciated.

Fintan

Nick Zentena · May 1, 2007

All I can say is good luck.

That back needs perforated film. I'm sure somebody can correct me if that's wrong.

Supposedly you can get the back adapted to take unperforated but maybe I'm remembering wrong :confused: . Some people make adapters to fit 35mm film. Not sure if it's standard 35mm format or panoramic.

The only possible hope for film is to check if Kodak might have a film that fits. I can't remember but I want to say they don't.

The film Efke made was unperforated so wouldn't work in that back.

You might find some colour films that fit but the choice isn't that broad either.

For processing some companies make films aimed at the X-ray market. Or at least some sort of lab. Hewes I think might still make reels that fit but last time I looked into it they weren't exactly cheap. The Jobo reels haven't been made in years and only took five feet not the full 15.

You'll also need cans for the film. At the very least two. One for the unexposed film [like 35mm] and a second for the exposed film to be wound into.

Terence · May 1, 2007

At least in the U.S., no B&W on a regular basis. Kodak's minimum order for their aerial films is pretty high.

The only regularly available film is Kodak Portra, but it's not perfed and won't work in an unmodified Hassie back.

I've been told Agfa-Gaevert has B&W aerial film which is occasionally available, but I haven't been able to track it down. J&C in the U.S. carried some 70mm "infrared" film for a while, which some speculated was the Agfa-Gaevert.

The tanks and reels turn up on eBay every few months, but command a good price. Same for bulk loaders.

Michel Hardy-Vallée · May 1, 2007

You're lucky: Tri-X 400 (400TX) is supposed to be available in 70mm rolls.

http://kodak.com/global/en/professi...f4017.jhtml?id=0.2.24.14.19.16.14&lc=en#sizes

The Portras film are available in "long rolls" whatever that means; there is one type of long rolls that's on Estar base, so it might be 70mm

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/e4040/e4040US.pdf

Not sure if it's perf, though. Call Kodak, they should know.

PHOTOTONE · May 1, 2007

In regards perforated 70mm film. All the Imax type movie cameras and projectors use 70mm film, so there is vision stock available in 70mm perforated...so Kodak does still produce perforated 70mm film stocks. However, getting still camera stocks might be an issue.

Mike Kennedy · May 1, 2007

I have the reels and tank.

Tom Hoskinson · May 1, 2007

Mike Kennedy said:
I have the reels and tank.

Me too, I have SS reels and tank, plus cassettes and a bulk film loader. I also have a stash of bulk 70mm perfed Kodak 2415 in my freezer (NFS!).

AgX · May 1, 2007

short lengths

There ARE short lengths around.

Maco offers :

Rollei Infrared (double perforated, 30,5m)

Rollei Ortho 25 (non perforated, 30,0m)

Without filter the first one should make a fine superpanchromatic film (actually it is intended for double use).

For the rest:
Some companies, like Ilford, do not even state that on reqest they would cut other sizes. Others, like Agfa, however state this. I guess it would be a good idea to inform at aero-film suppliers what they have got in their fridge.

Nick Zentena · May 1, 2007

30metres isn't short it's a bulk load. You'd need to cut it down to 15' lengths.

AgX · May 1, 2007

Concerning lenght I rather had the price issue in mind.
Where would be the problem in cutting it down to shorter lengths?

Nick Zentena · May 1, 2007

You need the cans. You need a way to cut it to length and load the cans.

Neither is that big a problem but it would be nice if somebody still made loaded 15' lengths. Just a dream I know.

JFCARTER · May 2, 2007

IMAX Film

IMAX is actually shot on 65mm negative film, perforated. The IMAX prints are on 70mm film. So this option won't work for you.

Fintan · May 2, 2007

Thanks

As I do mostly b+w I think I will pass on this back but thanks for all the posts and info.

Michel Hardy-Vallée · May 2, 2007

Fintan said:
As I do mostly b+w I think I will pass on this back but thanks for all the posts and info.

Did you call Kodak? As I said, their online documentation states that Tri-X 400TX is supposedly available in 100ftx70mm rolls. From what I could find, this was the only B&W emulsion available in 70mm (with the exception of Efke, but it's unperf).

AgX · May 3, 2007

I did not indicate any 70mm Efke film, as Maco as one of their major customers doe not list it. But googeling a bit, it seems that at least it was around.
Thus this will make roughly 4 tyes of B&W emulsions on 70mm base. Two of them unperforated.

Fintan · May 3, 2007

No Michel I didn't contact Kodak, while the 70mm back would be very useful I have enough headaches with product availability in other formats. But thank you for your information.

Michel Hardy-Vallée · May 3, 2007

By the way, I found an old F-5 Kodak publication, "B&W films", and while it is a bit dated, the 70mm information they give for Tri-X is that it is unperforated. I would not suspect it has changed since, if it is still in production...

lsk · May 3, 2007

I shot and developed some 70mm perfed film today.It is Kodak 2476 .The prints look fine .I just stuck 5inch long pieces with double sticky tape in a 4x5 film holder and used like normal 4x5 in the Linhoff .I then developed the pieces in a tray in HC110 1-60 for 4 minutes at 22 deg C.I do not know if Kodak still makes the stuff,I got several 1200 ft rolls from work .

AgX · May 4, 2007

off topic

Isk,
you have a long way to go with that films...
Were you just playing around with that film, or are you prepared to use it regularly in such holders (for panoramas?). In case of the latter, how do you adjust for the correct focus?

lsk · May 4, 2007

Agx,
I just wanted to test the film to see if it was still good . The plan is to try and build a trimming device to cut it to the width of 120 for use in my medium format cameras . I did not have a problem with the focus ,as the tape I used is less than 0.1 mm thick . Shooting at F16 with a 240mm lens would certainly give me enough depth of field .Perhaps I should permanently modify a few 4x5 film holders to use for panoramic shots. Thanks for the tip!!
lsk.

WRSchmalfuss · May 4, 2007

AgX said:
I did not indicate any 70mm Efke film, as Maco as one of their major customers doe not list it. But googeling a bit, it seems that at least it was around.
Thus this will make roughly 4 tyes of B&W emulsions on 70mm base. Two of them unperforated.

There is a perforated 70mm film! That is the ROLLEI INFRARED, article No. +RI1008, price approx. 132.00 USD, for the roll of 70mm x 30.5 meters. Order can be made by FREESTYLE, or directly with MACO in Germany. This is also an absolutely normal B&W film, only with a far red sensitation. Without filter, thus, a very highly soluble B&W film, with special IR Filters a genuine IR film. Presently, are 200 pieces of films at Hamburg/Germany in the department store. The price is therefore so attractive, because this film is used also as an aerial film.

More information to the ROLLEI IR film with dr5, Freestyle, or under www.mahn.net

AgX · May 4, 2007

I already referred to that very film some posts above.

Sparky · May 4, 2007

If you really dig - on google - and ask around, you can usually find 70mm stock of pretty much whatever emulsion you want.

I've been able to purloin fresh tech pan, plus-x, HP5 and color IR in 70mm in the last year or two.

Now all I need is a 6x12 back that'll run 70mm!!

Sparky · May 4, 2007

JFCARTER said:
IMAX is actually shot on 65mm negative film, perforated. The IMAX prints are on 70mm film. So this option won't work for you.

I find that odd. I thought it was 70mm (70mm isn't REALLY 70mm, you know!-it's much more like 65) but what i find odd about your statement is that IMAX uses a perf film. I know that the bulk of the struggle in developing IMAX technology was in not using a claw mechanism - but instead they developed a patented 'rolling loop' system.

http://www.in70mm.com/newsletter/1997/48/tbp/projector.htm
http://www.film.wz.cz/imax.htm
http://www.proiezionisti.com/pagine/tecnica_imax.php

Maybe the cameras are different?

gerhard boogaard · Oct 26, 2007

70mm perforated film

Hi,

There is the nice b&w Rollei 400 Infrared negative film, sold by MACO Germany. It is possible to have these films developed by Studio13 in Germany in the Agfa Scala process. The result is a series of excellent b&w diapositives. So you can still use the big 70mm Magazines for Hasselblad and so on.

Gerhard Boogaard
Netherlands

70mm film availability and processing

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