8mm Forum: Anyone use a filter for faded prints?

»	8mm Forum » 8mm Forum » Anyone use a filter for faded prints?

UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!

Author

Topic: Anyone use a filter for faded prints?

Adrian Winchester
Film God

Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004

posted July 23, 2012 10:56 PM

I know this has occasionally been mentioned but I failed to find anything via a search. I know people have differing views but I once saw a filter used on a faded print at the BFCC and I think it improved the look of it. Does anyone use any sort of readily available filter that they can recommend?

--------------------
Adrian Winchester

| IP: Logged

Allan Broadfield
Master Film Handler

Posts: 452
From: Bromley, Kent
Registered: Nov 2010

posted July 24, 2012 02:04 AM

Having worked in the sensitometric control dept of several labs, I had access to colour correction filters both for printing and filming, and found limited success in correcting my faded prints. When used in the lab this was called subtractive printing, which was rightly named, as it reduced the amount of light dramatically. Using in projection the light loss was so marked that any success in correcting the colour was mostly lost.
Would be interested also in any suggestions

| IP: Logged

Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God

Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012

posted July 24, 2012 03:39 AM

I still have some of the professional Gels used in stage and film
work and find them very effectivein rectifying the colour of faded
and red print. Red prints are a problem,but using these filters
does remove the "fire" and make them at least watchable.

| IP: Logged

Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted July 24, 2012 07:03 AM

I have tried using cyan or blue filters when projecting severely faded prints and I found that it essentially turns the print into a black and white picture on the screen.

--------------------
The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj

| IP: Logged

Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God

Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012

posted July 24, 2012 08:01 AM

No, the gels I use Paul give very acceptable results,and that is
a light blue and yellow combination that brings back flesh tones
and greens to foliage,the only give away is a green tinge to blue
skies,but small price to pay to get away from washed out colour.
I have seen some prints done on Youtube with a blue filter and
it does look like b/w, I prefer the red print to that.I have used these for a number of years now, and am quite happy with the
results knowing that a faded print can at least look like like
Duocolor,the cheapo answer to Technicolor from Hollywood.

| IP: Logged

Douglas Meltzer
Moderator

Posts: 4554
From: New York, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted July 24, 2012 09:25 AM

Adrian,

Here's a review of Wittner's Color Rebalance Filter. The comments after the review also have information about filtering faded prints.

Doug

--------------------
I think there's room for just one more film.....

| IP: Logged

Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God

Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012

posted July 24, 2012 09:52 AM

Very informative post Doug,but I think I'll stick with my gels, they
give results comparable with Wittners glass and were a lot
cheaper, plus I can mix n' match.

| IP: Logged

Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

posted July 24, 2012 12:02 PM

I wouldn't mind finding one of those Wittner filters!

--------------------
"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

| IP: Logged

Christian Bjorgen
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 996
From: Kvinnherad, Norway
Registered: Oct 2009

posted July 24, 2012 06:05 PM

I use a basic blue/cyan filter that I found on eBay, a thin layer of coloured plastic. It's made for B&H 16mm projectors, but fits my ELMOs quite nicely.

I've had variable results, and would love to try a proper gel filter instead.

--------------------
Well who’s on first? Yeah. Go ahead and tell me. Who. The guy on first. Who. The guy playin’ first base. Who. The guy on first. Who is on first! What are you askin’ me for? I’m askin’ you!

| IP: Logged

Vincent Zabbia
Master Film Handler

Posts: 372
From: Montrose, NY
Registered: Feb 2011

posted July 25, 2012 09:44 AM

For me filters are just ok on red 16mm prints, but make the image too dark on super 8 prints...I prefer bright glorious red!

--------------------
Vincent Zabbia

| IP: Logged

Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

posted July 25, 2012 12:46 PM

Glorious Red? [Big Grin]

--------------------
"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

| IP: Logged

Adrian Winchester
Film God

Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004

posted July 25, 2012 06:20 PM

Many thanks for all the replies. If someone is just going to own one filter, it must be hard to beat the Wittner, but this looks like it could be a good buy for anyone with very limited funds:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cromatek-Colour-Color-Cyan- C7-C-7-Cokin-NEW-/230820788850?pt=Camera_Filters&hash=item35bdfdba72

Incidentally, regarding mounting, I'd mostly use a filter with a 16mm projector with a scope bracket permanently attached, so I'm thinking in terms of putting some Blu-tac round the edge of the scope bracket!

--------------------
Adrian Winchester

| IP: Logged

All times are Central

Printer-friendly view of this topic

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2