Kodak on super 8 issues

Post by **David M. Leugers** » Wed Mar 05, 2003 6:21 pm

Everyone here has a vested interest in the future of Kodak's S-8mm products. Thanks Roger for sharing your experience with us and good job representing this community. 8) Unlike some comments, I personally have always been impressed with Kodak executives taking the time to communicate with us little people. I am sure others could have different experiences. I just wonder why if that is so, how come Kodak picks me to respond to whenever I have had occassion to write them? I think we all should applaud the two executives for setting up the meeting with Roger and to listen to what he had to say. Let us encourage Kodak to continue their support of S-8mm film. I know Roger is correct when he says Kodak will do what they have to do, what company doesn't? I do think Kodak wants to make the RIGHT choices to not only prosper but to satisfy its customers. I join those who have expressed a love for Kodachrome. It is just an incredible product. I doubt if Kodak can produce a replacement that projects a better image and exhibits archival qualities like our trusted Kodachrome. Bravo if they can do it. Personally the future I would like to see has three elements. Kodachrome lives, a new stock developed specifically for S-8mm (I envision a cross between Ektachrome Commercial {ECO} and the long discontinued Ektachrome 40 with present day improvements to grain, sharpness etc) and suitable negative stocks. The new Ektachrome would satisfy those wishing a suitable video transfer master as well as providing an excellent projectionable filmstock. If made archival it could threaten Kodachrome as king. The negative stocks I think may evolve into real workhorses for transfer only film stocks. The exposure latitude is out of this world as well as speed. I think the real reason S-8mm sound disappeared is because of poor sales. Same for the 200ft cartridge. Putting mag stripe onto film can be no harder for EPA issues I think than the trillions of feet of video and audio tape being made every day... Anyway, thanks again Roger for your efforts and time. Just the fact that Kodak is considering new products is cause for celebration in my book!

David M. Leugers

Post by **Mikael** » Wed Mar 05, 2003 8:15 pm

8O Roger you are amazing! Respect brother!

Henderson · Post by **Henderson** » Thu Mar 06, 2003 5:44 am

I just received my Super 8 film from the the California office I ordered a little over a week ago. I got 60 cartridges of Plus-X, 50 cartridges of Tri-X, and 15 cartridges of Kodachrome----the lady just about shit when I put the order in 8O . Is that alot of film for Super 8 shooters? I'm doing my feature master's thesis and personally think shooting 4:1 is pretty low. Hey, free shipping on orders over a thousand bucks!! I asked that they send me jitter free cartridges but I am scared to do a big project like this and have something so simple yet so vital be a stick in my spokes.

Post by **jessh** » Thu Mar 06, 2003 7:45 am

Henderson wrote: I asked that they send me jitter free cartridges but I am scared to do a big project like this and have something so simple yet so vital be a stick in my spokes.

Well what is your shooting schedule like? If it is semi spread out, then getting the film processed as you go can save a lot of worries, that way atleast you will atleast be able to have the piece of mind of some of it working so far before you shoot everything.

If you have a shorter shooting schedule and where planning to have all of the film processed at once in order to save money/work, then you could atleast send a roll or two every once in a while to get processed overnight or something, to atleast give you some piece of mind.

It just occured to me that after spending that much money on Super8 stock, you might have become a person that Kodak would be interested in hearing from about what directions they should take in the future.... Especially if you let on that you could be making purchases of that size again in the future.... Maybe Roger could give you some info on who to contact, and you could mention to them that you would be more likely to make another purchase of that size if some particular new film stock was available.... :-)
Might be best to wait until you finish your project though, so you can either tell them how much you like super8, or how yell at them for needing to fix problems you had.

please keep us updated on the project you are working on!

~Jess