Bulk film mystery

Bioflex · Feb 21, 2020

I bought some bulk film at s camera show recently, its on metal spool(100’) developed some strips and the only info on edge is Eastman .11:25 1 Safety film ? There are two square marks which I believe show it’s movie film made around 1980? Any help would be appreciated.

ic-racer · Feb 21, 2020

Check it for speed and contrast. For example, in camera Zone 1 test and then a Zone VIII test for printing 'just off white' and see if it is useable in a still camera.

Bioflex · Feb 21, 2020

Thank you, I exposed a roll at ISO 50 and film looked unexposed. No images. Probably a very slow movie film?

railwayman3 · Feb 21, 2020

Could it be a B&W movie print film ?

Bioflex · Feb 21, 2020

I don’t think so. The leader of film exposed to light is black when processed. Would a print film react this way?

BAC1967 · Feb 21, 2020

Does it have a remjet backing?

btaylor · Feb 21, 2020

18percentgrey said:
I don’t think so. The leader of film exposed to light is black when processed. Would a print film react this way?

Yes it would. Many mopic film stocks for printing were ISO 3 or 6, try something in that range for exposure.

pentaxuser · Feb 21, 2020

18percentgrey said:
Thank you, I exposed a roll at ISO 50 and film looked unexposed. No images. Probably a very slow movie film?

I have no idea of the ISO of a slow movie film but even if it is say a stop or two stops slower then I would expect there to be something there. Any opinions of my statement?
My statement assumes that no images means not even the faintest of traces. Is this correct? Wouldn't there be edge markings? If there are no traces and no edge markings then can anyone reconcile this with any film they know?

pentaxuser

Kino · Feb 21, 2020

Here are references to Eastman edge codes for motion picture stock: https://www.filmforever.org/Edgecodes.pdf
and https://www.filmpreservation.org/userfiles/image/PDFs/fpg_10.pdf

It would be weird to find print stock on a 100 foot daylight spool but anyone can wind anything to any spool...

Edit: Oh yeah, Kodak too! https://www.kodak.com/uploadedfiles/motion/Guide_to_Identifying_Year_of_Manufacture.pdf

Bioflex · Feb 21, 2020

Yes there are edge markings Eastman safety film the number 25 and two square markings which show the film might have been made in 1940,1960,or 1980?also something that looks like this .II:

pentaxuser · Feb 21, 2020

18percentgrey said:
Yes there are edge markings Eastman safety film the number 25 and two square markings which show the film might have been made in 1940,1960,or 1980?also something that looks like this .II:

So the developer produced normal edge markings but no images at all?

I can't say what this means but it may eliminate some issues and help us home in on a cause or causes

pentaxuser

Kino · Feb 21, 2020

18percentgrey said:
Yes there are edge markings Eastman safety film the number 25 and two square markings which show the film might have been made in 1940,1960,or 1980?also something that looks like this .II:

That is a slit marking: http://www.film-tech.com/ubb/f1/t011524.html

Kino · Feb 21, 2020

If it is a blue-sensitive print film that is 40 to 60 years old, and you try to expose it under anything but the sun, you'll probably have no luck getting an image at all. Bulk load a 12 exposure strip and try ISO 3 with increasing exposures...

Bioflex · Feb 21, 2020

Thank you, will do.

koraks · Feb 21, 2020

btaylor said:
Yes it would. Many mopic film stocks for printing were ISO 3 or 6, try something in that range for exposure.

Agree. Probably film for contact printing distribution (postive) copies. Usually blue sensitive or at best orthochromatic at single digit iso.

cmacd123 · Feb 21, 2020

is there any ink marking on teh film? (dashes between every 4 th perf?)

what is the colour of the stock. Creamy white would be blue sensitive print stock. ASA 3 as others have said - similar to type 5302. generally with KS still film perforations.

Most films for movie use have the BH type perfs, which are rounded on the ends and straight on the long dimension.

if their is ink, there was sometimes a code letter as part of the footage number like C1234343. ("C" would would have indicated Double X negative)

as described that is before Keycode so you have older film. the .1: stuff would have been a month code, and the 25 would have been which of the 38 or so strips that came out of the master roll that your stirp was made from..

Bulk film mystery

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