Super 8 Negative kodak developing

[Robin Haggett]

Hi, a mate has acquired these films from a dear friend who passed away unexpectedly last year. Can this stock still be developed. We think that they may be 10-20 years old. Other than that we know little about them other than they have been exposed.

[Steve Klare]

Hi Robin,

If the cartridges were fully exposed, the word "exposed" will appear on the film in the cartridge window that fits over the camera aperture. There is also a notch in the film to let the camera detect end-of-film.

The problem is that if the cartridge was partially exposed and removed from the camera, there is basically no way of knowing this: the film will just look like film and from outward appearances look exactly like an unexposed cartridge.

There are labs that process negative stocks. They generally then do a transfer to digital video.

As I remember it, surveillance film was used in security systems. It was exposed a frame at a time hopefully to catch some miscreant in some evil deed so they could be prosecuted later. These were not motion pictures in the sense that Super-8 film is usually used. Closed circuit TV systems with video tape replaced this kind of surveillance system a very long time ago. This film may be very old!

https://www.filmkorn.org/super8data/...llancefilm.htm

[Joerg Polzfusz]

When the film really got exposed years/decades ago, then you cannot send it to a normal lab. I would suggest to send it to FilmRescue.com or Super8.nl. (And expect to only get usable results as video.)

The „non-surveillance film“ might be this „Vision 1“ film: https://www.filmkorn.org/super8data/...ision_200t.htm

The „surveillance film“ was indeed only meant for surveillance cameras. However, it was also sold by „Foto Braune“ in Berlin. How it reached this shop, was always unclear. There have been rumors that they ordered it from a British company that supplied surveillance gear to the British army and some banks. And as the demand from their original customers dwindled, they then shipped their surplus to „Foto Braune“. (At least that’s what the rumor said.) There might have been other ways how films might have slipped to film makers, e.g. shops that switched to video surveillance and simply handed over the remaining films to some employees… .
Despite being intended for surveillance purposes, I didn’t remember any complaints from amateur filmers about this stock.

[Steve Klare]

-and you see, if that British surveillance company actually used some of the film they sold, maybe we'd know how it got to Berlin!

[Joerg Polzfusz]

When the film really was exposed, then you should be able to read „Exposed“ on the film. Note: Sometimes the text is hard to read or simply „EXP“. In any case, you should see the cut outs on both sides of the film.

(Photo taken from https://collections.museumsvictoria..../items/1394320)