8mm Forum: DCR print quality

This is topic DCR print quality in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=006723

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on December 16, 2011, 04:56 PM:

What do you think guys the quality of DCR prints (a UK based company)?

Is this very common that DCR released B/W film with green/blue tint?

Posted by Alexander Vandeputte (Member # 1803) on December 16, 2011, 05:55 PM:

I have a couple of DCR prints and they all are great. The green/blue tint is off course because they printed some of their b/w stuff on LPP color stock and that way you can never get a neutral b/w image. But it doesn't matter to me since all of the DCR prints I have are sharp and with a nice contrast range. So I value them quite highly.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on December 17, 2011, 04:45 PM:

I have a few of them and the worse that I can say about them is they are sometimes a little grainy. Then again I really like the subjects of a lot of their films so when I see a DCR film I don't let that stop me for a minute.

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on December 17, 2011, 05:20 PM:

Does DCR have a website?

Posted by Thomas Smith (Member # 1889) on December 17, 2011, 05:40 PM:

pat i dont think so they closed down years ago [Razz]

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on December 17, 2011, 08:44 PM:

I'm sure that quite a high proportion of the DCR b/w prints in circulation are on b/w stock, as I expect that applied up to the point that b/w stock seemed to 'disappear' in relation to UK releases - which must have been around the mid 1980s. In fact I ran my 'Great Expectations' a week ago and it's quite impressive and on b/w stock, albeit not quite a sharp as the 8mm prints that were being produced a bit later. And the sound is exceptionally good. Incidentally, although DCR released plenty of colour shorts, I wonder if anyone can recall a colour feature; they all seemed to be b/w.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on December 18, 2011, 04:33 AM:

Quite right Adrian most DCR B&W films were printed on black and white stock mainly. Incidentally Dave produced all his sound prints from reel to reel tape down to super 8 recorded in what amounted to a garden shed. In general DCR prints were OK but you did often find a shift in print quality between reels with features. In later years some B&W DCR films were printed on colour stock hence you sometimes found a bit of a tint.

Posted by Thomas Smith (Member # 1889) on December 18, 2011, 06:32 AM:

hello adrian hope you are keeping well i have a d.c.r colour
feature the 39 steps with kenneth more great colour and picture

Posted by Luis Caramelo (Member # 2430) on December 18, 2011, 06:43 AM:

hi! Winbert,i have verry good references of DCR,films,i do get
my self a couple they are:-scrooge ,with good black and white
-the heroes of telemark in color
both prints are full lenghts,and verry good,i hope this information can help...
regards:

luis caramelo

Posted by Mal Brake (Member # 14) on December 18, 2011, 08:22 AM:

A high proportion of my railway (railroad) films came from DCR. I also had a very good copy of 'Green For Danger' which had a great soundtrack.
The proprietor of DCR Dave West, passed away a few years ago. A friend of mine traveled from Swansea to the Isle of Wight and back in a day to buy a job lot from DCR shortly before Dave died, having lost his eyesight due to diabetes. It was a sad end for a decent and honest gentleman.

Posted by Alexander Vandeputte (Member # 1803) on December 18, 2011, 03:20 PM:

I have from DCR:
OLIVER TWIST on b/w, fine but a bit dupey looking
GREAT EXPECTATIONS b/w on LPP: nice and sharp
THE PICKWICK PAPERS on b/w: fine print
IN WHICH WE SERVE b/w on LPP but a stunning print !

Posted by Allan Broadfield (Member # 2298) on December 18, 2011, 04:12 PM:

I used to work in the control dept of a London lab., and it could become tricky when the powers that be decided to print a black and white job on colour stock, as it required some pretty off standard grading (timing in the US), or an off standard printer set up. This isn't the worse problem, as a slight change in the developer characteristics will give it a bias in whatever direction the bath may have shifted, losing the neutral black and white image. Some labs may start off with, say, a green bias in the first place to lessen the effect. Later, off course, the print layers can fade, too. Not good news, fortunately we didn't do a lot. End of boring lecture - happy new year!

[ December 22, 2011, 07:45 AM: Message edited by: Allan Broadfield ]

Posted by Graham Sinden (Member # 431) on December 23, 2011, 05:53 PM:

Has anyone ever printed a list of DCR shorts on the forum ?

I have several DCR shorts and in general the print quality is quite good and very happy with them, although not quite derann's sharpness but there are some rare films out there DCR released so always on the look out for them.

Graham S

Posted by Bill Phelps (Member # 1431) on December 23, 2011, 07:27 PM:

I borrowed a print of the Kenneth Moore "39 Steps" super 8 feature off a friend last year to screen and it was awesome. Very sharp and spot on color. I'm not sure if it was a DCR release...if it was it looked great. Seeing it mentioned earlier I thought I would post.

Bill [Smile]

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on December 24, 2011, 11:11 AM:

Thanks for all inputs.

I have decided nt to buy the DCR prints were offered, simply because I couldn't stand for blue/tint on B/W prints.

Just my curiosity why they just didn't ptint those films in colour if they were using LPP stock anyway. It would be gorgeously beatiful if they did that!

Posted by Graham Sinden (Member # 431) on December 27, 2011, 06:51 AM:

Has anyone ever printed a list of DCR shorts on the forum ?

Mabye I will just have to look for those ads in movie maker

Anyone got a list of shorts?

Graham S

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2