THE CORRECT USE OF KODAK VISION SUPER-8 FILM

Not all motion picture stocks age — or behave — in the same way. Take, for example, Ektachrome 7294 reversal film. From the moment it leaves the factory, it can easily withstand room temperature storage (20ºCelsius) for about two years without any noticeable loss of quality. It doesn’t require refrigeration between shooting and development, as it holds the latent image remarkably well. That stability is one of the reasons reversal film has always been so popular with prosumers and independent filmmakers: it tolerates a more casual workflow.

Kodak Vision films, however, are a different story. These negative stocks are based on a different chemical technology than still-photography negatives, and as such they require a stricter set of precautions:

1. They should ideally be used within six months of manufacture.

2. They must be refrigerated both before use and after exposure, if there is any delay before processing. 

   

   Kodak Vision 50 AHU ready to shoot with the Beaulieu 9008

   
   

Why? Because Vision films are not built with the same chemistry that still-photography negatives enjoy. Their electron traps are shallower, which means that over time — and especially at higher temperatures — photons (electrons) can migrate from one silver grain to another. The result: that grain may not develop to its full potential.

With longer delays, other issues may arise: chemical migration between emulsion layers, leading to a loss of contrast. Vision3 stocks are much improved over earlier ECN series, but they still cannot be considered “time-proof.”

By contrast, Ektachrome is engineered for a longer Latent Image Keeping (LIK) time, precisely because it was targeted to prosumers who might not rush their rolls to the lab. 

And yet — here’s where practice diverges from theory. In my own work, during the filming of "Perfect Antarctic Madness", my Kodak Vision films endured a far from ideal situation: a month and a half of shooting in Antarctica, with two months at room temperature in a cabin before I could develop it. And the results? Flawless.

So, while the rules for Vision stock should be respected, real-world experience shows that the films are tougher than they sometimes get credit for. Respect their limits, but don’t panic if the icebreaker ship return home takes a little longer than expected.

• Thanks for the advise of Kodak´s technician Fred Knauf 

  

  Fresh Vision 50 AHU