Using Fujichrome CDU as shooting stock

ZorkiKat · Feb 6, 2011

I have some outdated, but frozen-stored Fujichrome CDU duplicating film. Does anyone have suggestions on how to use this as camera film?

All I know is that is has an EI of about 10, and is balanced for halogen lamps. I plan to process this by E6 or some equivalent reversal process. No crossprocessing in C41. I've clip-tested a couple of strips in E6 already, and the images came out too blue- likely because of its halogen-light balance. The contrast wasn't as low as I thought, it being a low-con duping stock.

The EI 10 speed, loaded in an old rangefinder does give a feel of how it was to shoot in colour in the camera's day.

Any tips and samples from anyone?

Mike Wilde · Feb 7, 2011

I have a few hundred feet, long outdated but frozen. I usually use it for 'still life' in the household, or to copy interestingly assembled paper and clipped articles/ads collages while the camera is on the copy stand.

I have calibrated mine, and find with haligen I need 30CC green to get the curves to all plot moderately correctly.

Konical · Feb 7, 2011

Good Morning, Zorkikat,

A somewhat similar film, Kodak Ektachrome Duplicating Film 6121, was ideal for nightime exposures. The "too-blue" makes for very pleasing skies when using the double-exposure technique. Duplicating film tends to be inherently very low contrast, another good quality for lengthy time exposures at night.

Konical

Mainecoonmaniac · Feb 7, 2011

I have some 8x10 CDU in the freezer. I used it under an enlarger to dupe transparencies. As you already found out, it's bluish and flat, but it opens up a whole world of creative potential.

holmburgers · Feb 7, 2011

I'm definitely interested in this thread. I fancy shooting some Ilfochrome Micrographics film (ISO <1) for similar reasons.

R Paul · Feb 7, 2011

cdu 70mmstock

Hi
I got a couple of cans of 70mm cdu, and it works well for me. I put on a 85B filter for daylight, and try to underexpose by -1 on the meter( I use a rb-67pro-s with a pd meter.

here are some examples

http://www.flickr.com/photos/59235433@N05/?saved=1

Rob

Mike Wilde · Feb 7, 2011

Yes, mine has lost speed as well. I don't know exactly what it is down to, I just know that it meters in my copy stand as f/5.6/8 at 1/30" (I have it, and a number of other copy film parameters stored there, written on a post it stuck to the Polaroid MP-3 copy camera head.

So I fire up the copy lights, and then slap a light meter down and twist the dial calculator until it reads to match, and then start metering elesewhere, if I am using this film off of the copy table.

I got into this habit after calibrating an expired 100' roll of fuji it-n 35mm interneg film. It presumed you know how to calibrate a process, because it does not even come from the factory with a recommended speed or filtration.

R Paul · Feb 7, 2011

I started with an asa of 12 ,and took it form there
rob

ZorkiKat · Feb 8, 2011

Thanks for the replies. Below are two frames from the clip-tests I made, processed in not-so-fresh E6 chems (just past rated capacity):

Really Blue. The abrasions seen are from the makeshift methods of holding short strips in a developing tank.

@ R.Paul, I had considered using an 85 filter to neutralise the film's halogen lamp balance. I saw your samples- there appears to be a bit of blue left, but I think that's manageable for experimental or special "artistic" purposes.

Mainecoonmaniac · Feb 8, 2011

I remember a popular technique used by fashion photographers was to use tungsten film in daylight and gelling strobes with an amber filter. What ever was lit with the gelled flash looked somewhat color balanced, and what ever was lit with daylight was blue.

R Paul · Feb 8, 2011

As long as you end up liking what you get is the important part
rob

Aurum · Feb 8, 2011

ZorkiKat said:
Thanks for the replies. Below are two frames from the clip-tests I made, processed in not-so-fresh E6 chems (just past rated capacity):

Really Blue. The abrasions seen are from the makeshift methods of holding short strips in a developing tank.

@ R.Paul, I had considered using an 85 filter to neutralise the film's halogen lamp balance. I saw your samples- there appears to be a bit of blue left, but I think that's manageable for experimental or special "artistic" purposes.

Looks much much better than it has any right to considering you're using out of date film and almost depleted chems.
The Vespa has a cool daytime / nightime thing going on.

Shoot and post some more

Using Fujichrome CDU as shooting stock

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