8mm Forum: 'New Generation' Kodak White Acetate Leader

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Posted by James Romero (Member # 2181) on September 16, 2017, 11:19 AM:

FYI, Kodak has discontinued all of their, what I call now, their 'Classic' White Acetate Leader. In it's place, is a clear acetate leader that has a white writable coating and grey back on it's base side. Also there is a major price increase for this new leader.

If any of you want to stock up on the 'Classic' leader you all have known and loved. Stock up now! Kodak has already depleted all of their supplies.

Film Forever MPE has limited inventory...but it is selling out fast. Film Forever MPE

Posted by Phil Murat (Member # 5148) on September 17, 2017, 04:46 AM:

Hello,

From my side I have a small "stock" for Kodak White leader (Acetate) which comes under RERENCE 4695.

I can' t recommend it as it has probably shrinked a bit, poor quality in fact (noisy).

Posted by Will Trenfield (Member # 5321) on September 19, 2017, 05:17 PM:

I thought that the white acetate leader was pretty expensive as it was. It strikes me that you only need it to protect the first and last few frames on family home movies unlike commercially released films where there is a long length of film before the action begins and at the end. Wouldn't a length of blank film serve the same purpose as the leader?

Posted by James Romero (Member # 2181) on September 19, 2017, 06:02 PM:

The Kodak leader is a tad thicker and protects your film from jams and mishaps in your autothread projector...because as we all know...every projector no matter how precise the alignment...mis-threads from time to time. Why destroy your original film print countdown leader? Kodak leader is replaceable...your original print is not. I personally add leader to every one of my film prints both 8mm, Super 8mm and 16mm. Keep your original print pristine and protected from threading damage from 1st frame to end frame. It takes one bad mishap to fully destroy at least a foot of film...and that's if you are right there to catch it when it happens. It's cheap insurance for your film prints. Just my two cents on the subject. Also I would buy only acetate leader and not the plastic kind...which is notorious for jamming in an autothread projector.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on September 19, 2017, 06:07 PM:

I beg to differ regarding your opening statement there James.

It isn't "Every" by any means. [Wink]

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on September 20, 2017, 02:34 AM:

In the instructions for Sankyo projectors is the following regarding threading.
"Splice about 20 inches of white leader to the film."
It also recommends that the leader should slightly curl in the direction of the film take-up.

Posted by Rich Malmsten (Member # 5787) on September 20, 2017, 07:48 AM:

I'm always surprised at how few used Super 8 films I buy have leader spliced onto the front. Maybe 1 in 10 do. It's no wonder so many films are missing all or part of the title.

The first thing I do when I get a print is to splice on 2 feet of white leader at the head and a foot of black leader at the tail. Like what was said, leader is replaceable, the film is not. To me that makes leader a cheap investment. Even at the tail where the last half inch of film gets bent out of shape from inserting it in the slit in the reel - better to cut off an inch of leader occasionally than to lose frames from the film.

For sure film collecting is an expensive hobby, but leader is a cheap investment to protect our precious films. Like I said, I'm always surprised at how few films actually have leader on them.

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on September 20, 2017, 02:07 PM:

Rich, im the same, what the hell do people do to there films to have no leader or/and no tail? Its beyond me [Confused]

Posted by Daniel D. Teoli Jr. (Member # 6043) on September 20, 2017, 02:27 PM:

I liked the white leader. But I'd also like a plain clear leader. Does anyone make a clear leader?

Posted by Will Trenfield (Member # 5321) on September 20, 2017, 05:28 PM:

As said, the leader can be used to protect the front and end of film reels. I realise that the acetate leader is thicker but commercial films without it load ok (I always stop the projector when the film emerges by the take up spool and thread it manually). So, why not use lengths of blank or scrap film instead?

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on September 21, 2017, 09:40 AM:

That's a fair point, but I'd say the advantage with white is:

It's conspicuously not part of the film, and if you're projecting in a dark room, it may be easier to see how much is emerging from the projector.

It's ideal for writing on (with a permanent marker), which is very common with 16mm but less so with 8mm.

Posted by Clinton Hunt (Member # 2072) on September 21, 2017, 06:47 PM:

Like most film people,when I get a film of any gauge and it doesn't have a leader or it is too short,I add a leader.
If it is missing titles etc then at least I know that I will see the very start of what's left by adding a new leader.
I've got some films where previous owners have added leader by using unwanted processed film,if you are going do this then I think it's better to have it upsidedown maybe,that way it's not actually part of the feature [Smile]

Just a thought ....

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