8mm Forum: Pinking films

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Posted by Trevor Massey (Member # 5562) on September 13, 2016, 04:57 AM:

I am new to this forum! One question why is it that feature films I have bought tend to be either faded or pink but my old home movies on Kodak are as good as new. Just bought some home movies on eBay of steam trains, must be 50 years old and they are as new. [Confused]

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on September 13, 2016, 06:21 AM:

They are probably printed on Eastmancolor stock which very unfortunately fades over time going to some trace of colours and then pinkish. This is due to the fading of the cyan dye.

Films on Technicolor are still excellent although they do tend to warp. Kodachrome also still looks excellent. Agfa stock is still very good (AG) as is Kodak LPP. Fuji stock is usually quite good.

Kodak SP stock should be avoided as it often goes to a brownish tinge, even sometimes to a red tinge.

Buying colour films should be avoided unless you can see before buying.

Most home 8mm (standard and Super 8) were probably shot on Kodachrome which, very fortunately, still look good after many years.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on September 13, 2016, 06:28 AM:

Blimey, that's a bit harsh Maurice. I've spent the last 6 years buying nothing but colour films.

Everyone in perfect vibrant colour when expected to be!

[ September 13, 2016, 08:25 AM: Message edited by: Andrew Woodcock ]

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on September 13, 2016, 06:39 AM:

I stand by what I say.

There is one 16mm seller out there who has in the past sold me prints described as "good colour". When received they were Eastmancolor prints which had faded to just traces of green, but mainly pink.

When I complained he admitted he had not seen them for years and was just clearing some unwanted titles.

Time waits for no man.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on September 13, 2016, 06:58 AM:

On S8 its a little easier to predict as the release dates and suppliers were known to all i suppose. So if its a Derann 1988 feature for example, you know it's going to be on Agfa or LPP laminated stock. Therefore zero risk so far as colour fade is concerned.

Posted by Trevor Massey (Member # 5562) on September 13, 2016, 07:28 AM:

Thanks for that info.
Saw a nice obviously secondhand super 8 camera on eBay can you still get colour film and get them developed?

Posted by Tom Spielman (Member # 5352) on September 13, 2016, 09:30 AM:

Super 8 film is still being made. There are very good options available for color "negative" film. The problem with color negative film is that it looks like a negative when processed and is not intended for standard projection, it is intended to be scanned.

Color "reversal" film (for standard projection) is still around but there are fewer options. I like 100D (daylight) in a reversal but it's pretty scarce. 200D is fairly common.

Kodak still makes a black and white reversal film.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on September 13, 2016, 10:52 AM:

Trevor

Trying to enter Super 8 filming is like going into a mine-field.

May I respectfully suggest you open a new topic for this, perhaps calling it something like "Entering Super 8 Filming."

This may attract suitable answers for you.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on September 13, 2016, 02:57 PM:

So just clarify, I do believe where buying commercial prints is concerned, it is somewhat risky buying certain colour films in this era but just to be clear here, it is in no way risky when buying the later releases on Lpp, Agfa on Super 8mm.

There is certainly no reason to blanket ban the purchase of all commercially produced colour films any time soon, without the need to view in person. Not from what I've witnessed anyhow.

Screenshots should always provide ample peace of mind in this time period. Nothing printed after 85 is looking anything like faded so far and shows no signs that it will, any time soon.

[ September 13, 2016, 04:07 PM: Message edited by: Andrew Woodcock ]

Posted by Trevor Massey (Member # 5562) on September 14, 2016, 08:49 AM:

Just taken delivery of a film of the Apollo moon missions in the 1970's. Red as a tomato! However as I am also into astronomy I remembered I had some colour filters for my telescope. Found a cyan one and hey presto red as gone! Ok so now it's almost black and white but viewable. So thank you to those on here which suggested doing just that.
Glas I joined!

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on September 14, 2016, 02:56 PM:

It's all about manufactured era and stock type where colour is concerned with film

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on September 15, 2016, 08:38 PM:

Trevor - the key thing is that practically every colour release was on low fade stock by 1983 so you generally need not worry about colour, although be warned that the odd Eastman print slipped through at first, no doubt because of labs using up old stock. So you would be very unlucky to buy a Derann film released during the major 80s Super 8 revival, or beyond, that didn't have good colour, unless it was faulty. That doesn't mean that ALL earlier prints have faded, as some prints from around 80/81 are very nice Agfa, and many of the Walton Fuji prints are holding up very well.

Posted by Trevor Massey (Member # 5562) on September 16, 2016, 04:24 AM:

I bought Easter Parade and its red as a tomato! And unwatchable,still using a cyan filter its okish.

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