8mm Forum: Question About Identifying Very Minor Fade

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Posted by Christopher Quinn (Member # 831) on November 03, 2007, 03:30 PM:

If the letterbox matte on a colour film is 100% pure black, would this indicate that no fading has taken place?

I'm thinking about buying a film that is not printed on a low fade stock, but the colours appear to have held up regardless. However because the film in question has a mildly beige/sepia palette I’m worried that some fading may have taken place, but I’m just not noticing it.

I’m very particular about colours and if I do buy the film it would be going straight into the freezer. However, if buy it and then later realise that fading has taken place, I know I will be disappointed no matter how slight the fade is, particularly because I know the title in question is also available on a low fade stock (albeit for a much higher price!).

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on November 03, 2007, 05:53 PM:

Usually, if the letterbox borders are black, it tends to mean that the film isn't faded, (of course, much depends on the original negatives color, whether the negative was pristine or not)

Just curious, what is the film? If you wish to not say over the forum, you can private post me, (and not tell me the seller, so that way you'll know I can't muscle in on you.)

Just random curiosity.

Posted by Kevin Faulkner (Member # 6) on November 03, 2007, 07:42 PM:

More importantly, what film stock is it on?

If the black borders are black then it probably doesn't have any fade. I have a copy of Pete's Dragon on 16mm which is warm looking but is on Agfa stock. Agfa doesn't tend to fade so it looks like this is the way the original is printed. The Agfa countdown leader is jet black.
If the film stock is Eastman SP then yes there could be some fade.
It's worth pointing out that any fade is most noticeable in the blacks (high density areas) first.

Kev.

Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 549) on November 04, 2007, 06:35 AM:

The stock will give an indication of how it will or may have already faded.

Stock that fades to red will show up in the blacks very quickly, stock that fades to a brown cast (like Disney produced Super 8 cartoons of the late 1970's) is harder to detect in the early stages.

As Osi points out the original elements can also be less than perfect espcially when it came to Super 8 releases. I bought several brand new years ago and they were from faded materials.

David

Posted by Christopher Quinn (Member # 831) on November 04, 2007, 07:30 AM:

Osi, sent you an email.

Thanks for helping me Kevin and David.

Unfortunately it is on Kodak SP, which I know is one of the stocks that can fade to a brown tint and given the brownish palette of cinematography I know this is going to be hard to identify.

I guess I’m probably just going to have to take a chance with it and hope for the best, the letterbox matte is solid black and there are blue skies and green grass.

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