Kodak Vision 3 500T 5219/7219 is a color-negative film designed for motion picture cameras. Although its primary purpose is for filmmaking, it has gained considerable popularity among still photographers due to its tungsten-balanced color palette, fine grain, high ISO, wide dynamic range, excellent response to cross-processing, and because it's a key component of the CineStill 800T film. In this review, I will discuss all the technical specifications and creative possibilities associated with Kodak Vision 3 500T, make comparisons with CineStill 800T, and outline Kodak’s recent restrictions on selling this film to individual photographers. The samples of 500T showcased in this article were cross-processed in C-41 (with a remjet removal using Flic Film borax mix) and inverted with film Q. This review includes: Information on tungsten color balance, details about Kodak Vision 3 500T 5219/7219, Cinema Shorts 500T, dynamic range and color performance, cross-processing in C-41, grain and resolution, a comparison of Kodak 500T and CineStill 800T, studio lighting considerations, and Kodak Alaris's crackdown on motion picture film sales. It will also provide guidance on where to purchase Kodak Vision 3 500T 5219/7219. Support this blog and enjoy premium features by becoming a GOLD member!
About tungsten color balance: Indoor lighting, especially from yellow and orange tungsten bulbs, casts an orange glow that our eyes can adapt to. However, this poses a challenge for color film since the lack of blue affects its sensitivity. The result is often a significant green tint and reduced saturation. Correcting film scans taken with a typical daylight film under artificial lighting can be particularly difficult or even impossible. For instance, attempting to balance the green cast by adjusting colors to be more red may leave some areas of the image still green while others turn orange or purple, creating an unnatural look without resorting to converting the entire image to black-and-white. Green casts caused by indoor lighting on daylight-balanced films can be tricky to correct. For example, even if the colors seem satisfactory at first, fixing the excessive blue in other areas can lead to undesirable shifts in color.
Since color balance adjustment in a darkroom can be even more challenging than with digital scans, several solutions have been developed to aid photographers and filmmakers in managing artificial lighting, such as additional magenta layers in Fuji Pro 400H and using blue lens filters. However, the most practical solution is to opt for tungsten-balanced color film. Tungsten-balanced color films, like Kodak Vision 3 500T, possess increased sensitivity in the blue layer, allowing for proper saturation around 3200°K. This modification counteracts the orange tones in artificial lighting directly at the source, eliminating the need for filters that would otherwise reduce the film's sensitivity.
The opposite occurs when using tungsten-balanced color film outdoors in daylight, as the increased blue sensitivity results in blue or teal scenes. Fortunately, this blue shift tends to be less distracting and is generally easier to correct than the green cast found in daylight film used indoors. Additional reading: "How to Shoot CineStill 800T in Daylight" discusses the best practices for shooting tungsten-balanced color films in daylight scenarios.
Kodak Vision 3 500T 5219/7219 details: Kodak Vision 3 500T is one of only two tungsten-balanced color-negative emulsions available today (excluding products like CineStill 800T made from the original Kodak stock). The 500T represents one of the most sophisticated color chemistries that is still in production. However, sourcing and developing this film can be difficult as Kodak no longer sells it to anyone other than movie production studios, and not every lab is equipped to handle the remjet layer removal.
Vision 3 films are intended for motion picture use and are typically distributed in large rolls ranging from 200 to 1,000 feet, which is not suitable for standard still cameras; even lengths longer than 100 feet for bulk loading can pose challenges. Cinema Shorts is a hand-rolled 35mm version of Kodak Vision 3 500T (also available in 50D) packaged in designer labels on recycled film canisters. More information about this film will be covered in my next article. Other brands also offer pre-rolled Kodak Vision 3 film, with additional options accessible through the links in this review. Sadly, Kodak has recently halted sales of this film to all but motion picture studios.
Dynamic range and colors: Kodak Vision 3 500T has one of the broadest dynamic ranges among color-negative films, boasting ~10.8 stops, nearing Kodak Portra 800’s 12.5 stops, the highest of any color negative film. Dynamic range is particularly crucial for film intended for artificial and mixed lighting as the brightness variation in highlighted areas compared to shadows in poorly lit spaces is considerably greater than what is
While it was originally intended for filmmaking, this film has gained significant popularity among still photographers due to its tungsten-balanced color palette, fine grain, high ISO, wide dynamic range, and excellent response to cross-processing. In this review, I will explore all the technical characteristics and creative potential of Kodak Vision 3 500T, compare it with CineStill 800T, and discuss Kodak's recent restrictions on the sale of this film to individual photographers.
