Film Compatibility with Minolta Autopak 8 D6

[Specklez]

As I go and get my last Ektachrome 100D developed, I have a few questions which I hope can be answered here!

Now as many here may know, the Minolta Autopak-8 D6 didn't meter Ektachrome 100D correctly and it had to be increased by 2/3-1 stop in order to get it to expose correctly (after manually removing the filter with the retracting screw). As Kodak don't produce the 100D any more, I am wanting to know whether the Kodak Tri-X black-and-white reversal film will be exposed correctly with this camera or not, and also with the Agfa Aviphot/Wittner Chrome 200D, or if further adjustments have to be made.

Cheers.

[alexmuir]

I also have this camera, and hope you get some informative replies. I tried the Wittner UN54 cartridge in it, with filter retracted, and it was under exposed. I am told it is notched 100D, so the same as your Ektachrome. I think it must read that as 160 ASA. I hope someone knows the answer!
Alex


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[Specklez]

I also have this camera, and hope you get some informative replies. I tried the Wittner UN54 cartridge in it, with filter retracted, and it was under exposed. I am told it is notched 100D, so the same as your Ektachrome. I think it must read that as 160 ASA. I hope someone knows the answer!
Alex


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From my own research, it looks like Tri-X is fine to use. Still no idea about the 200D though.

[Eric Milborn]

ask Wittner
They are always very helpful

[Davideo]

According to the chart on this PDF, the ASA range is 25 to 250.

http://www.apecity.com/manuals/pdf/mino ... atalog.pdf

[alexmuir]

The chart from the link covers both D6 and D10 cameras. Although the D6 has the stated film speed range, it has a stepped sensor which reads a certain value from the cartridge notches. The problem is that it was designed to work with the film speeds available when the camera was current. It may not read the notches on new film types accurately. The D10 camera, on the other hand, has a stepless sensor which reads any notch within its range. You need a truck, however, to carry it around. To ensure accurate exposure with the D6, you need to know the speed of the film you are using, and also the speed the camera is attributing to it via the cartridge notch. I am not sure how you would adjust the meter to compensate, assuming the two are different. If you intended running a lot of one type of film through a D6, it might be worth 'wasting' a cartridge by shooting bracketed sequences of the same scene using an external meter. Bracketing in 1/3stop intervals to one full stop over and under the stated film speed would probably be sufficient. This would give you a good idea of what speed to set for future use.
Alex.


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[Specklez]

I composed an email to Wittner and got a response back. And yes, Ektachrome 100D was being read as 160 which is why when using 100D with the D6, it had to be overexposed by increasing by 2/3rds-1 stop and using the meter lock.

Anyway, I emailed them and in their response I was told that the 200D cartridges are notched as 160D. I assume, and fear, that means without the colour correction 85 filter retracted, it will be read as 160 in daylight mode, then once putting in the filter retracting screw, it will drop that by 2/3rds a stop.

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

ich komme aus England und habe seit einigen Jahren das Filmformat “Super 8” nicht benutzt. So wie ich es verstehe, ist Ihre 200D-Kassette die einzige, erhältliche “Colour Reversal Cartridge”, seitdem die Herstellung der Kodak Ektachrome 100D aufgehört wurde.

Weil Ektachrome 100D nicht mit meiner Videokamera kompatibel war, möchte ich wissen, für welche Filmempfindlichkeit Ihre 200D gekerbt ist. Ektachrome 100D war in meiner Kamera (Minolta Autopak-8 D6) als 160 ISO gelesen worden, deshalb war der Film unterbelichtet und musste ich versuchen, den Belichtungsmesser ein bisschen zu überbelichten.

Ich freue mich auf Ihre Antwort und danke Ihnen für Ihre Hilfe. Bitte verzeihen Sie mir, wenn ich Grammatikfehler usw. gemacht habe. Ich hoffe, alles ist verständlich.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Sehr geehrter Herr -,

besten Dank für Ihre Nachricht.

Ihr deutsch ist hervorragend!
Besser als mein englisch!

However - I will try:

Indeed, Wittner Chrome 200D is the "last man standing" color reversal film today.

Our 200D cartridges are notched 160D.
This is because there is no 200ASA speed notch available in the ISO
standards.
But we also feel an 160 ASA exposure yields better results compared to a 250
ASA exposure (which would be the next ISO notch available).

So if your camera is capable of exposing @ 160 ASA - you are ready to go.

If you would like to order goods, please use our english order form under:
http://www.beaulieucinema.de/order/

If you need any further assistance, please feel free to contact me again.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Best regards

[Specklez]

If I'm thinking this through right, going by the cover on the inside, disengaging the filter would bring the film down from 160 to 250, thus underexposing.

Since, I assume by following this, it is notched as 160D, 250T, and as retracting the filter with 64T brought it from 40D to 64T, it'll do the same with this in a similar manner.

Am I likely correct in my thinking?

Edit: But then I just came across this http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=62550 saying that 250 would be 1/3 underexposure for the Wittner film.

[alexmuir]

Some cameras have a device in the film chamber that disengages the filter when a daylight film is loaded. This is separate from the sensor that reads the film speed. It is activated by a different notch on the cartridge. There are only two settings, filter in or out. With the D6, you have to use the filter retracting screw for that purpose as it doesn't have such a device. That suggests to me that the camera will read film notched as 160D as 160 when the filter has been retracted. Inserting, or removing the filter with the screw doesn't seem to have any effect on the notch reading sensor for the film speed.
Alex.

[silverhalide]

You could always buy more!
http://www.toeppenfilm.com

[Specklez]

Some cameras have a device in the film chamber that disengages the filter when a daylight film is loaded. This is separate from the sensor that reads the film speed. It is activated by a different notch on the cartridge. There are only two settings, filter in or out. With the D6, you have to use the filter retracting screw for that purpose as it doesn't have such a device. That suggests to me that the camera will read film notched as 160D as 160 when the filter has been retracted. Inserting, or removing the filter with the screw doesn't seem to have any effect on the notch reading sensor for the film speed.
Alex.

It does affect the aperture however when retracting the filter, reducing the amount of light that reaches the film by 2/3 of a stop. I suspect it'll be read as 160D only when the filter retracting screw isn't inserted. I suppose therefore I might as well lock the exposure before retracting the filter in any given scene.

I will experiment soon, but I'm just trying to theoretically understand what will likely happen.

[alexmuir]

I'm by no means an expert, but the film speed seems to be read by the camera separately from the film type i.e. daylight or artificial. This camera doesn't have the sensor for the film type, so the cartridge notch for that reading has no effect. If it did have a reader, the Wittner cartridge would push in the sensor to remove the filter. On the D6 you have to do that manually with the screw. I think that the film speed, therefore, as read by the camera will be the 160 stated by Wittner. Leaving the filter in place will, of course, lower the effective speed and affect the colour balance.
Alex


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