CineStill films from Kodak stock

[henryyjjames]

Hey, I'm just looking for some clarification on the Kodak stock that CineStill uses to create its films. (This might be a silly question, but I want to check before I start spreading misinformation).

If I understand correctly, CineStill 800T is made from Kodak Vision3 500T and CineStill 50D is made from Kodak Vision3 50D. Is CineStill 400D then made from Kodak Vision3 250D? I assume it's 250D rather than 200T based on just the T and D in the names.

Can someone confirm/contradict my assumptions?

Thx.

 

[Oz Etkin]

Your assumption is almost certainly correct, but Cinestill hasn't actually confirmed this. They have claimed that it's not repackaged motion picture film, but the consensus opinion seems to be that it is the same emulsion as 250D but has other modifications which optimize it for use in stills cameras (i.e., no REM-JET, maybe a different base material, etc.).

 

[henryyjjames]

They have claimed that it's not repackaged motion picture film

I think it's so funny they say this but their B&W XX literally says "Kodak" on the edge signing... I haven't shot any color cinestill films so I can't check them for the edge signing codes, but if someone has some they've shot and are willing to comment what it says I'm very curious.

 

[MattKing]

The B&W film is Eastman Kodak movie film re-packaged by them. As B&W movie film never has remjet on it, this works.
The colour film is contract manufactured for them by Eastman Kodak - with remjet omitted from the manufacture. I believe Cinestill does the edge printing on this.

 

[Oz Etkin]

I think it's so funny they say this but their B&W XX literally says "Kodak" on the edge signing... I haven't shot any color cinestill films so I can't check them for the edge signing codes, but if someone has some they've shot and are willing to comment what it says I'm very curious.

I've shot both 50D and 800T and both say Cinestill. Here is a bit of one of my contact sheets of 50D:

800T says "CINESTILL 800T" in a different font.

 

[Donald Qualls]

The difference here is that Cinestill's offering of Kodak Double-X is nothing more or less than 5222 cinema film purchased in bulk and rolled down into cassettes with the Cinestill label on them, while they're apparently able to buy the Vision3 stocks in large enough quantity to get them made without remjet, which would make it trivial to get them without edge marking -- and they then apply their own edge markings during confectioning.

 

[henryyjjames]

The difference here is that Cinestill's offering of Kodak Double-X is nothing more or less than 5222 cinema film purchased in bulk and rolled down into cassettes with the Cinestill label on them, while they're apparently able to buy the Vision3 stocks in large enough quantity to get them made without remjet, which would make it trivial to get them without edge marking -- and they then apply their own edge markings during confectioning.

ahh ok, that makes sense. I had not shot their colour before so I didn't know.

 

[Brad Deputy]

I've shot both Cinestill 800T and Vision3 500T, and developed them together in ECN-2 chemicals. Besides the remjet and the halation, they are identical in color and exposure.

Indeed, the Cinestill version has their own markings, and Kodak has the usual cinema film markings (triangles and dots along with emulsion and production date codes.)

 

[cmacd123]

Double X should have both 5222 and the Code KE in the edge printing. These days the year of manufacture is in Plain Text.

 

[Richard Man]

I have shot a couple rolls of 120 400D. It's a very good film.

 

[Wallendo]

For color film, Cinestill originally bought Kodak Vision films and used some type of process to remove the Remjet before shipping the film.

With their more recent offerings, it appears that they purchase film from Eastman Kodak which has never had Remjet applied.

 

[Paul Howell]

My understanding is that Cinestill buys custom master rolls from Kodak, has Cindestill on edge marking, not edge coded, don't recall is the 35mm rolls are DX coded or not. If DX coded then likely finished by Kodak as well.

 

[MultiFormat Shooter]

...don't recall is the 35mm rolls are DX coded or not.

It is DX-coded; I just used some.

 

[Paul Howell]

DX coded, then likely finished by Kodak as well. Without an orange mask how well does Cinestill print when process by a minilab? Later models of the Frontier could print from slide, but from a negative? Might just be that the early non digitals labs cannot print.

 

[Oz Etkin]

DX coded, then likely finished by Kodak as well. Without an orange mask how well does Cinestill print when process by a minilab? Later models of the Frontier could print from slide, but from a negative? Might just be that the early non digitals labs cannot print.

Cinestill color film does have an orange mask.

 

[Paul Howell]

Oh, I forgot, movie is a negative that is transferred to a clear stock for a positive for projection.

 

[Donald Qualls]

movie is a negative that is transferred to a clear stock for a positive for projection.

Yes, though there is also an ECP-2 positive process (applied for daily rushes?).