Page 21 - 2015-03

Kodak have released four new Super 8 films, as follows:
50D Color negative film rating is ISO (ASA) 50
200T Color negative film rating is ISO 200
500T Color negative film rating is ISO 500
Tri-X 7266 Black & white reversal film.

A close look at the 50D
box shows that this film
requires a 80A filter for
use in tungsten light -
this is the reverse of the
‘old’ Super 8, which
used the camera’s
built-in filter to compensate for daylight. While the other two color films are
balanced for tungsten, the filter being required for daylight (same as ‘old’
Super 8). This would appear to present some confusion.

The black and white film is reversal and will be returned as a positive ready to
project. But how?

A regular Super 8 projector will of course project it (the physical film is the same
dimentions), but unless the gate aperature is widened, that extra width will not
be seen, and of course, the image will be off-set compared to that seen in the
camera viewfinder. The sound - well I don’t imaging Kodak will come up with a
projector that will sync the digital sound on the SD card sound to the film image.

This camera comes at the height of the flurry around screenings of The Hateful
Eight in 70 mm, and those promoting the ‘look’ of film against digital. That
comment would seem to be justifyable in the case of 70 mm, with its much
higher resolution compared to digital. But with Super 8, its hard to see just what
its all about.
Comments of the DPReview website run at about 3 to 1 against.
The following is typical:

This is a joke isn't it? Kodak has taken technology from the 50s and 60s and
spliced it with a digital viewfinder to create what? Something that will look
exactly like it was shot in the 50s and 60s and for 5 times the budget of anything
you shoot today. I'm still 'reeling' from the stupidity.

Good luck Kodak, I think you will need it!

REEL DEALS March 2016 21