[Frameworks] Ektachrome 100D

[David Tetzlaff]

On Jun 28, 2010, at 12:51 PM, Pip Chodorov wrote:

> C.J. Johnson, world product manager at Kodak responsible for  
> Super-8, is excited about the new Ektachrome 100D, though he  
> realizes it's impractical to configure the cameras. I suggested he  
> at least include a blue filter in the box for indoor filming,  
> because the cameras are all equipped only with orange filters for  
> Tungsten-balanced stock,
> and he is considering.

The problem is that filters knock down the light and blue filters  
absorb twice as much as orange. Tungsten stock worked as 'indoor/ 
outdoor' since it was at full ASA indoors where you need the light,  
and got filtered down outdoors where there's lumens to spare. 100D  
indoors with a blue filter is going to take a LOT of tungsten lighting.

I would suggest that a better approach to using 100D indoors is to get  
bluer artificial light. Many manufacturers offer CFL (compact  
fluorescent 'bulbs') in 'Daylight' color. These vary in speced color  
temp., some don't spec a CT at all, and the specs aren't necessarily  
very accurate. They also don't hit full brightness and color until  
they've been on for a few minutes. But they're cheap, they don't take  
much power, and don't generate much heat. You can find 100W  
equivalents at most building supply stores (Lowes, Home Depot) and  
even 150W equivalents sometimes. 150W and up to 300W equivalents are  
available online. When I used to shoot Super8 (30 years ago) I carried  
around several 300W incandescent photoflood lamps, and I'd often get  
the lighting I needed by just replacing the standard bulbs in whatever  
fixtures were in the room with these for the length of the shoot. Now,  
I'd use 100D, and get a bunch of those daylight CFLs, and some  
clamplights to throw up extra light and improvise any control  
necessary (easier to do since they don't get that hot: you could make  
a snoot out of a cardboard tube). I'd probably buy samples of the CFLs  
from as many different sources as possible, and run some kind of test  
to see which comes closest to a proper color temp for the stock. But  
I'm guessing the results from most of the 'daylight' CFLs would yield  
inaccuracies that still fall within a range of minimum acceptability.

Has anyone on the list experimented with these? Comments???

100D is very pretty. The last time I taught 16mm I was bummed that it  
was only available on 400 ft. cores, (Kodak never missies an  
opportunity to shoot itself in the foot) and it was pretty pricey at  
that. But I told my students that if they bought any, individually or  
collectively, I'd run it off onto 100' daylight spools for them. So,  
some of them did, and they and i were quite happy with their footage.  
For some reason, it seemed easier for them to get pleasing images in  
color than with the B&W stocks....