Fuji Professional 64T Super 8 - Sample

[Andersens Tears]

I shot a short film project using some of the Wittnerchrome special edition 2011 - Fuji 64T in super 8 carts.

The projected image is bright with saturated colours - but as you will see with this particular sequence the brightness and saturated colours did not transfer so well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0xRgJsa ... e=youtu.be
(Please choose 720p resolution).

Anyone else had any experience with this particular stock?

[grainy]

What makes you think it's the stock and not the transfer? It seems to me that if the stock were the problem, it wouldn't project well either -- looks to my untrained eye like there wasn't enough light in the transfer.
G

[Andersens Tears]

What makes you think it's the stock and not the transfer? It seems to me that if the stock were the problem, it wouldn't project well either -- looks to my untrained eye like there wasn't enough light in the transfer.
G

Hi G, well I think part of the problem lies in the way I exposed the film - I blew out the highlights to get some moody shadows on the face - representing the warm Autumn light I shot in. It looks just fine when projected.

I think that the lens used for the transfer is perhaps a little too contrasty. On this transfer I think it has given it duller colours and causing problems with the stark contrasts in light and shadow.

[grainy]

ya that's how it looks to me too. Reminds me of the images I got from this russian still camera the Zenit 5...
best of luck!
G

[Andersens Tears]

ya that's how it looks to me too. Reminds me of the images I got from this russian still camera the Zenit 5...
best of luck!
G

Thanks G. The guy who did the transfer really did try and get the best he could with his equipment, but I wonder how I could get a transfer that was more like the original image.....?

[grainy]

Anecdotally, it seems like there are many different kinds of transfer rigs out there. It could also be a color correction issue?
It might be worth sending your next reel of 64t to a different house and see what the results are like.
I've used two different post houses this year and definitely prefer one over the other.
Looked like a nice reel, fwiw
best of luck
G

[David M. Leugers]

Your film will project a more pleasing image than any transfer will. Unless you have lots of money for a high end transfer, there are limits to the dynamic range of a video transfer that can't compete with the film original. It is about choices and compromises. You should be able to get a pretty decent transfer reflecting what you wanted to accomplish as you stated you blew out the highlights to get a good rendition of the face. Seems to me the transfer tried to expose correctly for the highlights (trying to not blow them out) which left the face underexposed. Flattening the contrast and exposing for the face would look better, but it is often very difficult to make excessively high contrast images look good on transfer. One tip from the pros is that they always use fill light, even if just a white board to reflect sunlight) to illuminate the darker areas such as the face and even out the contrast enough to give that great cinematic image quality. I just prefer to shoot on sunny hazy to light overcast days. Since you wanted the blown out highlights it should be no problem to get an acceptable transfer. Interesting images, keep shooting film!

[Andersens Tears]

Your film will project a more pleasing image than any transfer will. Unless you have lots of money for a high end transfer, there are limits to the dynamic range of a video transfer that can't compete with the film original. It is about choices and compromises. You should be able to get a pretty decent transfer reflecting what you wanted to accomplish as you stated you blew out the highlights to get a good rendition of the face. Seems to me the transfer tried to expose correctly for the highlights (trying to not blow them out) which left the face underexposed. Flattening the contrast and exposing for the face would look better, but it is often very difficult to make excessively high contrast images look good on transfer. One tip from the pros is that they always use fill light, even if just a white board to reflect sunlight) to illuminate the darker areas such as the face and even out the contrast enough to give that great cinematic image quality. I just prefer to shoot on sunny hazy to light overcast days. Since you wanted the blown out highlights it should be no problem to get an acceptable transfer. Interesting images, keep shooting film!

Agreed and I think I will have to project it to show what I had intended with the images. I agree a high end transfer would probably give me the same image as I exposed on film. I do not have any budget left for this though. It is sad that the transfer adds so much contrast. I have learnt the lesson that if I shoot this stock again with the same transfer then I will have to use fill. But sometimes the subtleties of natural light are far more interesting than when manipulated. I did not use fill as that is not the look I wanted. I loved the fact that you were able to see the reflection of the sunlight from her wrist on her face. I wish I could find a way of uploading a still image I took from the projected image so that you can see the difference. Perhaps you can PM your email address and I can send it to you?

I am putting together the soundtrack with the film very soon. The whole film is 5 minutes and one of 4 I made for a tour I am embarking on next week with a live musician....

[Andersens Tears]

Anecdotally, it seems like there are many different kinds of transfer rigs out there. It could also be a color correction issue?
It might be worth sending your next reel of 64t to a different house and see what the results are like.
I've used two different post houses this year and definitely prefer one over the other.
Looked like a nice reel, fwiw
best of luck
G

I wish I had the money left in the budget for a new transfer....

The whole film is 5 minutes long and has a specially scored soundtrack. I might upload it to youtube or vimeo if anyone is interested?