The State of Double Super 8

[Will2]

I've seen Fomapan R100 B&W available in 100' rolls of Double Super 8, are there currently any other fresh stocks available?

Also, who is processing that stock in North America?

Hoping it's not completely dead yet...thanks for any insight!

[Wade]

Yeah, good question. Looks like even Wittner no longer has DS8. As far as processing, Yale Lab, at least before their move to Santa Clarita, would process DS8, and also process FOMA. They use standard Kodak chemicals for it. The footage they did for me of FOMA looks grungy, and has touches of solarization. Probably best to process at home using FOMA chemicals. Spectra Lab in North Hollywood lists Foma as one of the stocks they process. I can't vouch for their results. They also list DS8 processing.

It is a nice format. Could be the only DS8 film that exists is in my freezer!! (ORWO UN54 DS8)

[mr8mm]

Spectra Film and Video in North Hollywood has invested in processing FOMA and does a good job. The phone number is 818 762 4545. They have in the past actually slit and loaded FOMA DS8 into Kodak Cartridges giving Foma in S8. They were using FOMA on 400ft spools to load into S8. If you want S8 FOMA you should contact Spectra. It would be interesting to see what they say.

Because of environmental regulations Yale can no longer process film in Santa Clarita. If you send to Yale they will farm it out to another lab. They primarily do transfers.

[Will2]

Good to know they at least Spectra can split it...that was my main concern.

For a laugh I'll check with my Kodak rep and see what they would need for a special order or if they even have the machines to perf that. Would be nice to have some 50D negative or the Ektachrome when it comes out.

Any DS8 users out there that would like a few rolls of Vision stocks if possible?

[Mmechanic]

Know that all Super-8 derives from Double-Super-8. Kodak cuts 70mm, 65mm, 35mm, and 16mm strips from the jumbos. Perforation takes place with the longest possible rolls which are 3,000 or 2,000 feet. It would be the easiest thing for Kodak to wind 100-footers onto daylight spools, give each a sticker or a paper wrapper, put that in a thin black plastic bag, that again in a can, and give a tape around the rim. To say nothing of the label and the card box, we all know it is a battle of materials. Same goes with the little 25-ft. portions

We can only hope that film manufacturers understand that it is a marketing thing. Once you have a good product you should try to stuff it into every conceiveable canal. Send big dummy carton boxes to photo dealers, make sure kiosks and drugstores and warehouses keep an inventory of the film around. Place ads on cinema screens, maybe on TV. If I had may way with Kodak I’d literally swamp the market with EKTACHROME and I’d display film boxes together with—guess what—cameras!

A Mitchell 16 with 400-ft. loads, a Paillard-Bolex H-8 with 100-ft. rolls, a Zenit Quarz with 25-ft. portions of DS-8 film. A Bell & Howell Eyemo with 35mm EKTACHROME, and a Ciné-Kodak Special with 200-ft. rolls, of course. Noblesse oblige.

[Wade]

Because of environmental regulations Yale can no longer process film in Santa Clarita. If you send to Yale they will farm it out to another lab. They primarily do transfers.

Being curious about this, since Yale's website affirms that they process film, I called and spoke to Carlos, who has been with Yale forever, who says they don't send the film out for processing. They do it themselves, and they will process DS8 and slit it, if it is reversal, color or B&W.

Slitting is not that big a deal. If I process Regular 8 or DS8 I slit it at home. It's easy.

[doug]

Mmechanic, I hadn't until now realised that super-8 cartridges all originate from double super-8. DS8 itself would appear to be a moreorless perfect medium. I've never used it, and am ashamed to say that once many years ago I sold a DS8 Quarz thinking it was regular-8mm Now they are like hens' teeth.
Yes if only Kodak would realise what they have. With so many years of Ektachrome experience, not to mention Kodachrome , they should be celebrating its re-emergence with the world. I reckon millions of people would like to try it if they got the right invitation from Kodak. At least that's how I see it from my neck of the woods.
Unlike digital, slides and movie film you can feel and touch, and these days people crave that more than ever.

[Eric Milborn]

Wittner did describe the entire Kodak Super 8 (and DS8) workflow here:
http://www.wittner-kinotechnik.de/info/ ... dak-en.php

[Eric Milborn]

And this is what a very well maintained DS8 (Super 8) perforator looks like:

Wittner_Cinetec_01.jpg

[aj]

It is new. Its state of maintenance cannot be determined from the photo

Do they still use it as it all has been simplified and the product range has been thinned out?

[Eric Milborn]

To the best of my knowledge this is not new. It was built in the 1980's and used for Single-8 manufacture. In 2008/2009 (?) wittner did obtain the machine and re-built it to "like new" condition for the 2013-2018 manufacture of Wittner Chrome 200D Super 8. All the PET tooling was necessary to do those excellent perforations he did in his 200D products. So, yes, until recently (March/April or so) this machine was in frequent use. I assume that the new Wittnerpan 50 and Wittnerpan 100 stock will also become perforated with this beauty. The latest interwiev from Cine8/16 magazine end of 2017 does show the machine, presumably on the new location.
You are right, wittner has strongly scaled down his product portfilio for the amateur filmmaker / private user - as he obviously found other customers which rely on his quality without moarning about prices ;-)

Cine8-16-A.jpg

Cine8-16-B.jpg

[Eric Milborn]

Cine8-16-B.jpg

[Will2]

My Kodak rep is looking into it. If the Super 8 manufacturing process is as described it will just boil down to how much they want to sell to overcome the "inconvenience factor" of pulling it early from the process and spooling down to 100' loads.

[mr8mm]

I must apologize to the group and Yale Labs for the incorrect post regarding Yale lab. Yale has been processing for many years and does excellent work. John S.

[Mmechanic]

My Kodak rep is looking into it.

I love that.