Subject: Ektachrome 7399 (VN622) Print Film [WAS:Re: making a copy of kodachrome]
Date: 1999/06/19
From: Clive Tobin [email protected]
Newsgroup: alt.movies.cinematography.super8

This (VN622) is the perforation or format code for 7399 Ektachrome print
film in double super-8. The 1-4 means the perfs are on both edges of
16mm width film. (Some print films were made in 1-3 which means they
were made for duplicating both halves in the same direction at once, so
it would not fit a regular camera.) It is not sold pre-loaded into
super-8 cartridges.

7399 should have the data sheet posted at the Kodak web site.
Essentially it is a low speed film, made for duplicating existing
Ektachrome dye images and not photographing real life. The color balance
is made for exposure in a film printer using about a 2900K light source.
The contrast is very flat, to accept the density range of a contrasty
original film. It is likely to be quite disappointing as an original for
direct projection because of the low contrast and low saturation. It
could be usable for transfer to video if you crank up the contrast and
color with the twiddly knobs in the transfer machine. (The old 7387
Eastman Reversal Color Print "Kodachrome" duplicating film, now sadly
long discontinued, was wonderful stuff for shooting directly.)

It is low in speed, no ASA rating being published since it is not
intended for use in a camera. Depending on how you want it to look,
figure about ASA 5 to 10 with the correct processing with reduced first
developer time, or ASA 10 to 20 when "push processed" like original
film. Some additonal light balancing will be required in daylight in
addition to the usual No. 85 filter.

Clive Tobin
Tobin Website: http://www.blarg.net/~tobin

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