Kodak's 16mm Film: Getting Started

Kodak created the first widely available amateur home movie format with 16mm film! A fantastic format that has been used by amateurs and professionals around the world on projects both big and small. Let's look at some cameras, film stocks, and a history of the format in order to understand how it works and what's available today!
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[@quinnyshootsfilm]

Ektachrome 16 is now out and Super 16 anamorphic is an option too now thanks to the good people at Vantage and Panavision.

[@Retrogamer71]

Wait. Do you mean standard 16mm film is still available and can be processed?

[@kirtlandpratt873]

Retrogamer71 wait. Did you watch the video?

[@robfriedrich2822]

It seemed to be easier, to use the part of the film, where usually the sound is, for picture instead to do something similar to Super 8. I wonder, why nonody came to the idea to make a kind of Vista vision, to turn the picture 90° and to get nearly the same size, as a non anamorphic wide screen format on 16 mm

[@jitaudio]

Two things about 16mm, to complement your nice post, • the look is good old film in pure, 35mm is now just another digital intermediate, it's being made in digital standards, finest grain, optimized for digital conversion and reproductions etc. It's hard to differentiate which shots were done in 35mm film, even though many top budgeted movies are digital-film hybrid in production level, recent Dunkirk could be a good example. • 16FPS is a great economical way to shoot in costly film. Earlier movies had this de facto fps, again for the same reason. Even after all these years and technical enlightening, the difference between 16 and 24 fps is hardly noticeable, reminding of the megapixel myth that ruled digital camera scene for some time. And now , we got After Effects, 16 fps can be converted to 24 fps. And, 16 fps makes the movie optimally live with faster pace, compared to 29/30 fps, which many find stagnant and slow unless the exclusive story line demands it. Thanks.

[@TucsonAnalogWorkshop]

This is extremely well researched and presented! (and that's coming from someone who has been shooting S8/16 since before you were born:) One very, very minor nitpick, what you were describing as dynamic range when talking about film stock is more often referred to as exposure latitude. Also, did you hear that Ektachrome 16mm is now on sale...finally!

[@AnalogResurgence]

Thanks! I was actually just working on a video to focus on Reversal film and realized I had been mixing up dynamic range for exposure latitude!

[@baloup571]

Analog Resurgence hey man! I am buying 16mm film. i've your same bolex and i'm not sure which film is better to buy. I am undecided between the 250d and the 500t. I would like the more versatile option, considering that I usually like to film slightly underexposed and not too bright situations. I would like the most versatile option here. What do you council?

[@baloup571]

Analog Resurgence un! And how can i get some “slowmo” footage with Bolex? Pushing the camera to 64 frame?

[@arricammarques1955]

@@baloup571 Increase the frame rate. Test it at lower speeds before 64fps.

[@jbalazer]

@TusconAnalogWorkshop, exposure latitude is not the same thing as dynamic range. Exposure latitude is your freedom to use exposure settings that are not ideal - that is, to underexpose or overexpose the camera or film, and still get good results. For example, if you can underexpose by up to one stop or overexpose by up to one stop and get good results, you have two stops of exposure latitude. Dynamic range is the magnitude of the range of brightnesses (measured in lux-seconds) that the film stock or camera can capture in each area of the image. Dynamic range is typically around 7-14 stops, depending on the camera or film stock. Having a camera or film stock with more dynamic range often translates to more exposure latitude, but not always. It really depends what you're trying to do. For example, if your scene has a large dynamic range and your camera has the same large dynamic range and you want to capture the entire dynamic range of the scene, you have zero exposure latitude.

[@tadonplane8265]

Ah…16mm school films. I was in AV in high school in the early 70s. We had a full auditorium with a projection booth. In it was a 16mm RCA Porto-Arc projector, hand threaded with a carbon arc lamp house. Some of the other AV kids didn’t want to get near the thing but I loved it. Yes, there was a steeper learning curve to using it than a Bell and Howell Filmosound classroom autoloader but man did it put on a big bright show in our large auditorium. It was amazing to me that you could blow those little tiny images on the film up to the size of our stage sized screen and they looked so bright and beautiful.

[@toddteagarden2200]

Wow, I last shot on 16mm in 2005 with the Arri SR3- we shot in Vision 3 200T and it simply was amazing! I miss using film.. is exciting getting your footage back from the lab transferred to Mini DV and seeing what you got!

[@igaluitchannel6644]

I remember one of the contraptions used in our school for viewing film. The projector was inside a metal cart, projected sideways and then reflected backwards onto a front screen on the other side.

[@chrisgavin]

I can confirm that Ektachrome 16mm film is out now (August 2019) and available here in the UK. I've got a couple of 100ft rolls in my fridge already.

[@stuartbaines2843]

Where did you buy it and where would it be processed in the UK ? Thanks 👍

[@The2dudesandacamera]

Keep making videos dude! I love the history of this stuff.

[@nithinsuku]

Thank you. This channel has been super informative. Especially for someone who has no means to ever use film on their projects. Great content man, I hope you get more reach!

[@Bjordgoltor]

I love that you explains all the history of the technology, and the uses that people had of it. I worked on amateur cinema for my thesis when I was in university and I was passionnate about that kind of topics.

[@cinexpiar]

This kind of videos should being more appreciated, Un saludo desde Colombia 🇨🇴

[@andresainderichin6525]

I’ve been shooting digital ever since I started filming. Convenient, cheap, easy. But there always was that mystery of analog. I’ve been Reading up, browsing on eBay, thinking of Super 8. I want to commend you on doing a fabulous job in presenting 16mm filming. You got me hooked!

[@looku4883]

It's not analog! It's chemical! The film it's a chemical stuff! The term "analog" it's about electronic stuff. So, Fim cameras, not analog camaras!

[@junglejulia3365]

Absolutely love this . Keep making these videos .Could you do a second part to super 16?Tips on exposing and projecting ?

[@robfriedrich2822]

When I understand right, Super 16 is only for filming and a source for digital video or for 35 mm blow ups. It uses also the space on the film, that was initially occupied by second perforation, later by sound track, because when you film, you always use a separate, synchronized audio recorder.

[@thysmillan2067]

Love it! My first movie camera was a Cine Kodak Model B and I loved the little thing to death (literally--the spring gave out on me after about two years).

[@russianretard69420]

Thank you. Leaning all I can about 16mm and 32mm, and this definitely cleared some stuff up. Very informative and comprehensive.

[@nzoomed]

Getting sound on your film is the main issue to deal with these days. You used to be able to get 16mm with magnetic sound strips for use with sound cameras.

[@FilmwestOz]

You are spot on and the best Ive seen and so well explained. I knew most of what you were talking about. I can talk about a lot of stories privately with you.I was a close freind of Rune Ericson Im nearly 77. I just started a not profit company "Filmrescue" to save film for the future generations of children. I have a new BMD Cintel and will start digitizing for the future about 2000 cans of 16mm and 35mm film which Ive shot over my life. I am also helping other old camermaen see thier rolls from under the bed. I started Filmwest in West Australian in 1966. At present Im a Cattle breeder and winding down as the drought takes its diasterous toll in maybe 1000 years. But I still make films so please keep your posts going. In my mind Kodachrome was the best stock ever made apart from Technicolor which is 3 film B&W which has to be top of the list but Im not carrying the camera! So follow the yellow brick road Cheers Jon R. Noble ACS The Channon NSW Australia

[@AnalogResurgence]

That’s amazing!

[@ronaldvaughn7087]

Wow !! Whata Blessing To See This 16mm Film Video From A Young Guy Who's At The Top Of His Professions Knowledge Game. Thanks A Million !! Really Enjoyed This.

[@johnkaplun9619]

I'm a musician and I'm obsessed with reel to reels (pro studio audio tape recorders) and now I'm being convinced to try super 8. I'm never going to have money am I...

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

Back when I was learning film in college, a bookstore there used to sell rolls of 16mm for around $30 for B&W Tri-X Reversal. Of course this was over 20 years ago and I'm sure those prices have soared.

[@richardsisk1770]

Thanks. I loved shooting 16mm in the past. I had a Beaulieu R16B. It’s been awhile. 😎

[@tselinsky6452]

Cut my filmmaking teeth on 16mm. Was a lot of fun. I always liked the 70s look of the Ektachrome stocks, not the new E-6 Ektachrome but the VNF/ME-4 era stuff. Too bad you can't get that now.

[@hannabanana9752]

You’re amazing, I’ve been looking for the exact information you gave at 1:56 for a long time and you are appreciated. 😊

[@CentralFloridaBigfoot]

Awesome quick refresher! Answered all my questions of little this I forgot. Like riding a bike.😂

[@BLEKDROT]

like your content and the way you present, i need to see you with millions of followers.....

[@AnalogResurgence]

I wouldn’t mind seeing that myself!

[@smly1685]

If your starting out with 16mm I would recommend shooting at 16fps It's a great compromise between frame rate and run time At 16fps a 100' roll is 4 minutes 400' is 15ish minutes

[@AiryFake]

But I am not sure if 16fps is the right thing for movie production:)

[@smly1685]

@@AiryFake if your really low budget like me it is pretty nice but any lower frame rate looks bad

[@smly1685]

Through a projector 16fps looks fine but on a computer it's more noticeable

[@AiryFake]

@@smly1685 then it is cheaper to use digital and maybe create the film look in post:)

[@smly1685]

@@AiryFake yeah That's something I don't really get if your gonna digitalize it anyway then what's the point? When I shoot film I project it with an actual projector

[@bgcreations6995]

7293 - 200T. Lot of memories.

[@darkstarZ74]

My favorite 16mm motion picture camera is the Panaflex 16 Elaine

[@webstercolcord1231]

I'm impressed by the comprehensive overview you give here, nicely done! Particularly shooting on sound recording stock.

[@frequentlycynical642]

I have quite a few reels of 16mm film that go back to 1928 through 1948. That early one was a family outing on the Hudson River going to Bear Mountain. My grandfather (and then later, my father) was a professional photographer. I'm sure he borrowed the camera, which cost, I've read, as much as a cheap car then. Other reels are from my father while he was a Photographer's Mate in the USCG during WWII, and some color footage of me as a toddler with my mother in 1948. I picked up a newsreel looking back on 1946, from Pathe', my birth year. I picked up a 16mm Bell & Howell 200 camera for $10 some years ago, just cuz it was cool. It uses the Magazine 16 format, which is, sadly, only 110 seconds run time at 16fps. The Film Photography Project www.fpp.com just has started offering Magazine 16 film and service. Not cheap. Fifty cents a second! Sadly, I've had three 16mm projectors die over these last ten years. So there's that side of the equation.

[@martyjackson4166]

Great stuff man! I love how your videos are both super informative and also super approachable

[@LordVuddraw]

First time watching this video. Really impressed by the wide range of references used in this video. 👍🏻

[@kevinmuendo9889]

this is literally the best, well made, well-researched video I have seen about film, as well as an obvious love for the craft, well earned a subscribe, please keep it up.

[@Zzyzxis]

Hey dude, found this video and channel by googling Kodak 16mm film after watching Aziz Ansari's Right Now and I gotta say I love your enthusiasm and wealth of knowledge; instantly subscribed!

[@jortimant]

The catalogue of the kodaskope library you mention is available on the internet archive website

[@robfriedrich2822]

There was an attempt for a 17.5 film for smaller movie theaters. In this case, normal 35 mm film, also nitro stock, was splitted. But it made not much sense, it was easier to use conventional 16 mm film instead.

[@IBEGDL]

you helped me a lot how to understand 16mm films thanks a lot

[@robfriedrich2822]

16 mm film was always on self extinguish stock. 35 mm almost on stock, that burns, unimpressed by water, foam, anything. It will extinguish when the material is eaten completely or theoretical if you could cool down it to very low temperature

[@alexpotiomkin]

Your video is just perfect on explaining everything! Wow. Congrats and keep on making more of these.

[@kylekulla7789]

wonderful video. 16 is the most wondrous medium. I hope one day I can shoot on it

[@pilsplease7561]

Film is better than digital, thats just a fact, just like how music is better when not recorded digitally. And heck even analog metal detectors blow digital out of the water. Analog is more pure less can go wrong. Less in the way to degrade quality.

[@Madmanrun13]

Thank you ! You really go into to depth. We need more ppl like yourself

[@jameslane3846]

Fomapan does super 8mm, 16mm single or double perforation and 35mm BnW motion picture film

[@trascendentalsunset]

Damn 16mm is so sexy, i need to shoot on that format at least once before i die.

[@DethronerX]

Could you please do a video on Digital Intermediate Film that's made for digital post production, the physical properties regarding exposure, colors and protection seals and how different it is compared to the regular film, for grading

[@blainemarcano]

Thank you for this.

[@MichaelCarter]

Thanks, great job. I only shoot 16mm black and white and develop it myself and print it myself. A Bolex may be used as a printer and I have a small printer that can do up to 400 feet. Developing is limited to 100 feet in a Soviet tank.

[@AnalogResurgence]

I was just reading about using the bolex as a printer! It’s things like that, like finding so many uses for these cameras and gear, that makes these formats so interesting

[@gdavisloop]

I used my H16 to print short length to accomplish "effects shots" back in '73. The problem was, if you had more than a short length, the tension between the exposed film and the blank film (if wound together on the same spool) would get too high and it would either jam or break. Then I developed the short lengths in a tray!

[@yorlov]

Can you recommend info on how to process b&w film in a Soviet tank?

[@MichaelCarter]

@@yorlov look on my You Tube page

[@fineart360]

This was worth my time. Thank you.

[@akakakakakak3084]

Very good and clear illustration.

[@EddoPanamenyo]

These videos teach so much! Thanks

[@iirayan7]

You are really explained a lot of things to me .

[@robfriedrich2822]

Interestingly, you could use normal 8 instead 16 mm, because it's in fact a 16 mm film with the double number of perforation holes.

[@blackstone953]

Thanks for a superb video

[@grenzlandtvahaus696]

Dank für den Film! Toll gemacht!

[@petepictures]

A small correction, the reg 8mm or D8mm perfs are exactly the same as the 16mm , just double the amount. . DS8mm film perfs however are slightly different.

[@smly1685]

You should make a video about Caffenol I've been developing my 16mm films with it since 2017 and have gotten some great results The only real difference is that it is a slower developer So it usually takes 15 minutes vs 3 with some professional developers

[@AnalogResurgence]

I don't have any personal experience with it, but I've heard a lot of interesting stuff about caffenol. Definitely something I should focus on in the future!

[@smly1685]

@@AnalogResurgence if you are interested in trying it for yourself I would recommend starting with double x negative You can also develope tri x reversal as a negative because I haven't figured the reversal process of yet but I'm working on it. After it's been in for about 9-10 minutes you can take little peeks to see if the image is good. Then for fixer you just use 70g sodium thiosulfate mixed with water.

[@smly1685]

@@AnalogResurgence I've narrowed it down to the following 1. Pre wash (50g borax) at 40C for 5 mins wind constantly (remove remjet) 2. Developer (in order mix 60g super washing soda, 25g vitamin C powder, and 50g instant coffee) at 29-32C take a look at the film under a red light or low light 12 minutes in for normal exposure if you see nothing quickly put the film back and develope for 50 minutes. This means you underexposed but you can still get an image. (You can reuse this up to 3 times. I wouldn't recommend storing it for long periods of time. 2-3 weeks at the most. 3. Wash until water come out clean. usually 3 times 4. Fixer (70g sodium thiosulfate) at 32C for 8 minutes (reusable but it weakens with use and time) 5. Wash really good with warm water then hang it up to dry. All the chemicals can be found at Walmart except sodium thiosulfate which is pretty cheap on eBay

[@JustLoveFilm]

@@smly1685 this is great info! I was just about to try switching over to caffenol to try that out! Using a Morse tank. If you want to do a scan we will hook you up for sharing this knowledge! WWW.FRAMEDISCREET.COM Frame Discreet instagram @frame_discreet Justin Lovell Associate Member of the Canadian Society of Cinematographers

[@HandcraftPictures]

Really helpful and in-depth, thanks!

[@MAClitit]

Thank youuu🙏🏽

[@markgarcia8253]

Fun fact: The OC was filmed entirely on 16mm except for the pilot episode which was 35mm

[@looily]

thank you.

[@arielo_archivo_audiovisual]

Great video! In my experience collecting old acetate films The orwo movie is much resisting to suffer vinegar syndrome

[@CeruleanFilms]

I wish Kodak would bring back Plus-X Reversal 7276. The contrast was so good you almost didn't have to use filters.

[@JustLoveFilm]

Plus x was so beautiful and fine grained!

[@arvvee1832]

A slip-of-the tongue at 3:15? Didn't you mean that, on the early hand-crank cameras, you had to shoot at 2 *revolutions* per sec?

[@akakakakakak3084]

The lack of 16mm film processing services is a real problem today.

[@Statuskuo75]

More labs are popping up!

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

@@Statuskuo75 Nice if they are. Back when I was learning it, there was a lab out in Maryland I sent my film to called "Bono Film & Video". They have since got out of film developing and can only transfer films to digital. bonolabs.com

[@igaluitchannel6644]

The film "Hurt Locker" and a few others were filmed on 16mm.

[@OmieBlue]

Great Channel Man.Much needed.Can you go over your top 5 super 16 cameras sometime?

[@katrocities]

These videos are spectacular thank you

[@Santillana]

Nice video man! Thanks for the info greetings from Argentina.

[@JonathanHancock]

Informative video keep going

[@Syklonus]

Excellent stuff. As a film maker myself, I'm limited to my choices through cost or convenience, and unfortunately Hi8 is about as far as I can go when I want to record to something analogue. Still, it's nice to know about these vintage formats.

[@arricammarques1955]

Budget for processing, printing, optical effects, sound.

[@peebowl7927]

Weird thing to note but 250D is available on super8 from pro8mm

[@dead_formats]

You didn't mention that television extensively used 16mm for broadcasting and storage of TV programs

[@andrewbarnum5040]

Another great video! Very informative however he did not cover how to shoot film with sound or the 3rd soundtrack type the had a extreamly limited run and that being DTS. It was a topic on film-tech's website about 15+ years ago. Sadly nothing ever came of it. I love 16mm and own about a hundred films, mostly TV shows and movies. He also forgot to say 16mm can and has been used to shoot many popular TV shows such as Walker texas ranger, Star Gate season 1, The Shield, and Scrubs. 16mm can be scanned to produce 4K video as they recently did for The Sield. Many movies such as Clerks and Jackie were shot on 16mm and movies as new as The First Man had parts shot on 16mm. I would love to get a 16mm camera but last time I checked which was about 2 years ago, 16mm was double the Price of Super 8.

[@KAUSTUBH447]

I loveee this video. Absolutely love it.

[@salientfilm]

nice job! subscribed ;) keep up the great work!

[@thavari]

Would love to hear what you have to say about Fomapan 16mm Rolls :)

[@a1illustration658]

Love your channel!

[@alexandermatragos]

Great informative content! Keep it up

[@oldnewpixel]

You have a light resemblance to a young George Lucas to my eye. Congrats for your channel.

[@ClassicalRips]

Great video, really looking forward to getting ektachrome on 16mm!

[@SoccerAddictttt]

It'd be amazing if you made a video on Beaulieu 16mm cameras

[@strangemovies]

Keep up the good work.

[@GeoffreyThomasGonzales]

you sound like the guy from how to train your dragon

[@jaydenbrockington4525]

Now that u say that I can’t unhear it

[@sergiomartinez-vy6ng]

So I should start with super 8, get the hang of using film, then I can use 16mm? Or might as well just use 16mm?

[@elieharriett9078]

You mentioned there was only one lab left that converts 8mm negs to positive, which I am VERY surprised and pleased to see, but you mentioned too that there were still plenty of labs who will do that for 16mm. Could you recommend some favorites? I have not found one and I want to make that jump to 16mm, but I also really enjoy putting the films on an old projector.

[@srenhaandbk7904]

i really like that lo-fi piano music, but near the end, i realized that if you removed it, it would actually just be a normal vid xD

[@NW_Media]

Thank you for the amazing video! I recently got this same camera for free when I purchased a Polaroid sx-70 online! I do have a question, so I know you lose frames at the beginning of the roll from it being exposed to light but do you also lose the last handful of frames you shot on the first side when you swap to the second side? I hope this makes scene

[@joeconnell3760]

Hey. I’ve been offered a 1933 Siemens B 16mm. Does anyone know how the film works with that camera? It has its own Siemens ‘Kassette’ for film. But slightly unsure how to insert different film/how easy it it to develop.

[@petermarkkman3894]

Two 16mm camera sites worth your time. The Bell & Howell 16mm Filmo | www.tfgtransfer.com/filmo.htm The 16mm Eclair NPR | www.tfgtransfer.com/intro.html

[@etms]

Aronofsky’s films are shot on super 16 🤘🏻

[@shadelz3305]

Do you have any experience with standard 8mm film? If so, will you make a video of the format?

[@AnalogResurgence]

I plan to tackle Standard 8 in the future!

[@soheilasiadate2478]

Can you teach me how to shoot super 8 and watch it through my Argus super 8

[@bluefilmsltd]

What's the best black and white film stock for the cleanest and sharpest image?

[@MikeBrunner]

how do I unload a 16mm film from a bolex? can I take out the spool in daylight?

[@kyllepoiencot4361]

For the ARRI 16 S, is there a blimp or something that can quiet the motor for a sound film?

[@NoosaHeads]

I have a Morse developing tank but haven't used it yet. Any suggestions?

[@bigshooter461]

Where can I go in Toronto for this? 😎

[@drstefankrank]

I have the feeling, that many of these old 16fps films are incorrectly played back at 24fps. They run way too fast and I wonder if this is intentional or if the people playing it back or digitizing it didn't notice. Like as seen @4:39

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

That's typically he problem for most "home movies". Many were shot at 16fps but often transferring films to video at that framerate doesn't always work well without extreme flicker problems, at least back in the analog video days.

[@mybetterfilms]

Honestly the only reason I’m interested in shooting film is because you can up convert later to 8K or higher but shooting with a DSLR in 4K now you can’t up convert in the future 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@robfriedrich2822]

But you could fool your eyes.

[@logangladden7846]

Any chance you know the background song that was used throughout this video? Thanks!