Wanting to shoot some 16

[Tokarsky]

I've been wanting to shoot something on 16 for awhile now, I think I might as well give it a go since I have access to a whole lot of 16mm equipment at school. I can use anything we have in our now rarely seen FILM CUTTING room as it says on the door and has cutting tables in there too. My professor last semester who left for whatever said I was the first person in atleast 6 years to even ask about it. We have quite afew cameras, not sure what all is hiding down there but we have REX5's and 6's and I belive afew Eclaires or whatever, along with tons of gear for them. Was interested in what types and brands of film are forgiving if I may, which ones have a good lattitude and all. I know very little on the specifications of films. I would like a black and white film with decent contrast and lattitude. I hope you guys can help, every other post I had a queston about whatever always helped me alot. I know somebody thats into film or was into film can help me out.

Thanks in advanced, Corey

[Ryan Patrick O'Hara]

One problem about black and white film is that they have not really made any new stocks since the early 1960's. They tend to be more contrasty and have less latitude then their current color brothers.

If you want to shoot black and white negative stocks 7222 and 7231 I believe are the only two offered.

If you didn't know, when choosing a Kodak stock, only the last two numbers are the stock. The '52' or '72' prefixes just mean 35mm or 16mm. 7222 and 5222 will be the same black and white stock, just cut into different sizes.

With that said, if you shoot b&w be prepared to provide lots of fill light, or do some camera tricks to help reduce contrast, such as pre-flashing, a flexlight lightflex type of system or etc.

Otherwise, you might want to shoot color stock such as VisionII or VisionIII platform films which give the greatest amount of latitude, depending on what you choose. This would require a DI process or a black and white print stock.

[Tokarsky]

Hey Ryan, havent talked to you since before I was done with school last semester. Like I said, I don't know too much about the different types of film stock thats avalible. I should really learn what all the technical info means, that would help with my photography in one way or another I'm sure. If the B&W stocks you mentioned don't have much lattitude, then I think I should steere away from those then. I really can't afford to waste even 100' of film if I mess up the lighting... If I can get more lattitude from color then that is fine.


One problem about black and white film is that they have not really made any new stocks since the early 1960's. They tend to be more contrasty and have less latitude then their current color brothers.

If you want to shoot black and white negative stocks 7222 and 7231 I believe are the only two offered.

If you didn't know, when choosing a Kodak stock, only the last two numbers are the stock. The '52' or '72' prefixes just mean 35mm or 16mm. 7222 and 5222 will be the same black and white stock, just cut into different sizes.

With that said, if you shoot b&w be prepared to provide lots of fill light, or do some camera tricks to help reduce contrast, such as pre-flashing, a flexlight lightflex type of system or etc.

Otherwise, you might want to shoot color stock such as VisionII or VisionIII platform films which give the greatest amount of latitude, depending on what you choose. This would require a DI process or a black and white print stock.

[Ryan Patrick O'Hara]

The b&w negative stocks have less latitude then modern color negative film, but nothing as bad as color or bnw reversal.

[Ryan Patrick O'Hara]

This is everything (almost) i know about formats / shooting black and white. I hope it helps.
http://www.ryanpatrickohara.com/Download/BlackandWhiteP2.pdf

BTW: Did you ever get your hands on the AC Manual 9th ed?