8mm Forum: Are labs for 8mm decreasing in number?

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Topic: Are labs for 8mm decreasing in number?

Winbert Hutahaean
Film God

Posts: 5468
From: Nouméa, New Caledonia
Registered: Jun 2003

posted March 25, 2008 08:33 PM

Hi guys,

Having followed this topic, I am so worried that the future of 8mm is threaten.

It seems that it is now only one or two labs left in a few countries. And I do beleieve that they are using a very old fashioned machine that will get retired soon (I heard Derann's striping machine has). Onfce it comes to that situation, for sure, they will not buy a new one due to a small market.

So what is our future?

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Winbert

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John Whittle
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 791
From: Northridge, CA USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted March 25, 2008 10:26 PM

I doubt we'll run out of lab equipment as long as there is a demand and Kodak and Fuji continue to make rawstock. There are many retired super8 printers that haven't been used in years and since they print onto 35mm wide film, it can be processed by most modern processors that are not sprocket drive.

Where the problem exists is in striping. The air resources board in California has made it impossible to operate in this state and at last count there was once facility which last ran a 70mm reprint of a roadshow print in original mag sound. As for 16mm and Super8, it hasn't been done in southern California in 10 or 15 years.

Coating of magnetic tape has also all but disappeared from the United States. Again demand has nosedived to almost nothing.

So in the future the problem is most likely going to be government regulation of chemcial processes and magnetic striping, but not a lack of used equipment.

I doubt that anyone would make a new printer which would cost close to half a million dollars in today's dollars. Obviously these are high speed four up reduction continous optical printers--but that's what's needed for high quality prints and it allows the use of a common 16mm negative.

The the lifespan is really going to depend on market demand that remains high enough that studios will get enough money to make licesning companies to produce and sell prints.

John

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