To paraphrase Junie B. Jones’s excitement, regarding the results my first Cinestill 800 Tungsten 35mm film roll – Wowie, wow, wow!
Cinestill 800 Tungsten 35mm Film
Despite the fact that I seriously underexposed this film due to my mistakes in calculating exposure with my Sekonic L-398A Studio Deluxe III Light Meter. Go figure. Live and learn. As it is the case with film, you’d rather be overexposing it than under since it is VERY forgiving in the highlights. Here, I could have easily used 1-2 stops of light.
So, the Cinestill 800T film is practically made from the motion picture film stock used by many reputed film makers. The only difference with this stock is that they removed the anti-halation remjet layer making it possible to be developed in C-41 process. In exchange you’ll get the typical glowing halo around high contrast edges, specially visible on street lights sources at night. It doesn’t bother me since I am more interested in this film flexing its muscles in low-light situations and the tungsten balance colors. If you are into that typical Hollywood orange-teal look, this film stock will deliver.
The Cinestill 800T can be shot in many lights situations, ranging from plain daylight (preferably using a 85B filter and rating the film at ISO 500) to indoors and nighttime photography with difficult artificial lighting sources (tungsten, fluorescent, etc.)
It can easily be pushed 3 stops (ISO 3200) for added contrast. Very small grain at ISO 800.
If there’s anything I complain about this film is that it’s a bit pricey. But hey, that will make you even more disciplined in thinking each frame through before you press that shutter-release button.
