Kodak Double-X 2405

[snaggs]

Ive just bought 5 x 150 rolls of this. Is this at all similar to the motion picture stock?

http://motion.kodak.com/motion/produ...Films/5222.htm

[MartinP]

That would be the stuff described in this Kodak link...

http://www.kodak.com/ek/US/en/Aerial...SCONTINUED.htm

[snaggs]

Yes, I know its aerial film, but its got to be similar to other normal film lines. Aerial Tri-X was still basically Tri-X, Aerial Plus-X was based on plus-X and so my question was, what is Double X? Is it basically Tri-X?

http://www.project-double-x.org/about.html

But it is the look of Double-X that makes it that little bit special and with users exposing it at and beyond its designed exposure index and in various developers, the images it produces are beautifully rich in tones and clarity.

Motion picture films using the Eastman B&W film stock (5222 & 5231) include: Schindler's List (1993), Memento (2000), Kafka (1991), I'm Not There (2007).

The opening black and white scene of the James Bond film, Casino Royale (2006) was shot on Double-X. The English Cinematographer, Phil Méheux, BSC, talked about the scene, in 2006, for the magazine of the American Society of Cinematographers. YouTube have the opening sequence online, a fuller version and the extended original intoduction with the cricket match scene! This was cut in the finished film.

Daniel.

[snaggs]

Found some interesting articles written by a film director Ryan O'Hara. Lots of details on Kodak B&W film stocks.

http://www.ryanpatrickohara.com/down...lackwhiteI.pdf
http://www.ryanpatrickohara.com/down...andwhitep2.pdf

And I found ONE photo on the internet comparing to Tri-X. Looks good!

[Gerald C Koch]

Yes, I know its aerial film, but its got to be similar to other normal film lines.

Why does it have to be similar, because of the similarity of the names? The two emulsions are very different. Aerial films have a different spectral sensitivity which can be a problem when the film is used for general purpose photography. Their sensitiztion is designed to cut through haze.

[polyglot]

The Aerecon has extended-red sensitivity therefore a 2-stop filter factor with #25A instead of 3-stop. Hard to tell much from that comparison image since the contrast is different but maybe there's reduced green sensitivity. Maybe not.

[Gerald C Koch]

From the technical portion for this film.

Aerial film speeds (ISO A or EAFS) should not be confused
with conventional film speeds which are designed for roll
and sheet films used in pictorial photography. The
characteristics of aerial scenes differ markedly from those of
ordinary pictorial or ground scenes because of the smaller
range in subject luminances, atmospheric haze conditions,
and other factors.

The film might be useable but don't expect normal rendition of colors. The spectral sensitivity curve looks very strange.

[Gerald C Koch]

Over the years Kodak has had a number of films named Double-X varying in format from 35mm to sheet film. AFAIK none of these have been the same emulsion.

[snaggs]

Well, we all know marketing departments do all sorts of things to "make new product". Its hard to know how much difference there really is. Anyways, there is one guy on flicker who's posted some photos. Certainly a nice rendition of the bridge.

Would be nice to see some portrait shots, I guess that will fall to me unless someone else here actually has some experience with this film as opposed to reading off the Kodak sheet?

[polyglot]

Is anyone else seeing ic-racer and Gerald's posts hidden above? I'm seeing Gerald at #7 (film speeds), two greyed-out boxes (ic-racer, Gerald at 11 minutes apart) then Gerald again ("over the years") as post #8. It's very odd.