8mm Forum: What is the coating stuff on 16mm films.

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Topic: What is the coating stuff on 16mm films.

Mark Todd
Film God

Posts: 3846
From: UK
Registered: Aug 2003

posted December 22, 2015 04:24 PM

Hi I just wondered if anyone knew what the coating was made of on 16mm films in the UK ( and elsewhere ).

Sometimes its quite thick and hard I think one name might be 3m or something. Any and all info of interest.

Many Thanks Mark.

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted December 23, 2015 02:52 AM

16mm film is made up of a base of acetate or polyester and coated with an emulsion which is a thin layer of gelatin.
3M is Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company.

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Maurice

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Brian Fretwell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1785
From: London, UK
Registered: Jun 2014

posted December 23, 2015 03:09 AM

And, of course 3M once owned the Ferrania film company so the 3M may have been on the sprocket edge of the film.

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Joe Balitzki
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 529
From: Charleston, SC, USA
Registered: Aug 2005

posted December 23, 2015 07:31 PM

It sounds like what you are referring to is 3M Photoguard. It was often used on polyester prints for scratch protection. There has been controversy about it causing Vinegar Syndrome on Acetate prints since the coating does not allow the emusion to "breathe". If I remember correctly, 3M refuted that claim wih their own tests. I have never come across a Acetate print that has 3M Photoguard on it but I do have polyester prints that had 3M Photoguard applied in my collection. It does work to minimize scratches from projection. However, I have a print that does have a scratch which went deep enough into the coating to create a visible scratch on screen. But it was from a school library so obviously the projector was not cleaned before use or it had a worn film path part. And in the UK Technicolor frequently applied a lacquer coating to their prints to protect the emulsion. They did not do this in the U.S.A. however.

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Movie Lovers Do It in the Dark

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