Technical Data

KODAK Panchromatic Sound Recording Film 2374 (ESTAR)

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Contents

• Description
• Base
• Darkroom Recommendations
• Storage
• Exposure
  • Analog Sound Negatives:
  • Digital Sound Negatives:
• Processing
• Identification
• Image Structure
  • rms Granularity
• Available Roll Lengths
• Graphs
• Printable Curves

Description

KODAK Panchromatic Sound Recording Film 2374 is a high contrast, panchromatic black-and-white film designed for recording variable-area sound track negatives with a tungsten light source, and/or producing digital sound track negatives. Analog negatives made from this film produces an excellent silver-, high magenta-, and cyan only- soundtracks. It is optimized to produce all three types of digital soundtracks negatives: DTS (Digital Theater Systems), DOLBY Digital, and SONY SDDS (SONY Dynamic Digital Sound).

This film gives excellent results when exposed and processed to print sound tracks on any of the following films:

KODAK VISION Color Print Film / 2383.

KODAK VISION Premier Color Print Film / 2393.

KODAK VISION Color Teleprint Film / 2395 (35 mm) and 3395 (16 mm).

KODAK Black-and-White Print Film / SO-302.

EASTMAN Fine Grain Release Positive Film 5302 (35 mm) and 7302 (16 mm).

^[1] This feature is evident in the KODAK D-97 Process, but the magnitude of this benefit can vary as the photo-processing chemistry deviates from D-97.

Base

KODAK Panchromatic Sound Recording Film 2374 is coated on a 4.7 mil gray ESTAR safety base with a process-surviving anti-static layer.

Darkroom Recommendations

Do not use a safelight. Handle unprocessed film in total darkness.

Storage

Store unexposed film at 13°C (55°F) or lower. For extended storage, store at -18°C (0°F) or lower. Process exposed film promptly. Store processed film according to the recommendations in ANSI/PIMA IT9.11-1998 or SMPTE RP131-2001: for medium-term storage (minimum of ten years), store at 25°C (77°F) or lower, preferably below 21°C (70°F), at a relative humidity not exceeding 60 percent; for extended-term storage (for preservation of material having permanent value), store at 21°C (70°F) or lower at a relative humidity of 20 to 50 percent. For active use, store at 25°C (77°F) or lower, at a relative humidity of 50 +/- 5 percent. This relates to optimized film handling rather than preservation; static, dust-attraction and curl-related problems are generally minimized at the higher relative humidity. After usage, the film should be returned to the appropriate medium- or extended-term storage conditions as soon as possible.

For more information about medium- and extended-term storage, see ANSI/PIMA IT9.11-1998, SMPTE RP131-2001, and KODAK Publications No. H-1, Kodak Motion Picture Film and No. H-23, The Book of Film Care.

Exposure

Analog Sound Negatives:

This film should be exposed to tungsten illumination to produce a sound-track visual negative density (including base density) between 2.8 and 4.2¹ which provides cross-modulation cancellation when printed to achieve the required print density. The optimum print density is that which provides the best combination of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and high-frequency response. These measurements should be performed for silver-, high-magenta-, and cyan dye tracks, as required, and confirmed by listening tests.²

Digital Sound Negatives:

As with analog tracks, the optimum negative density is determined by recording a series of densities, and then printing them. The best quality is then determined through playback on the Quality Control system being used in each instance.

The visual negative densities recommended by the manufacturers of digital sound equipment are as follows:

^[1] Optimum negative density should be adjusted to each individual system by using an optimization test. The Kodak tests show that a higher negative density yields better performance in print as measured by DQI (the DOLBY Quality Index).

For further assistance with optimum negative track and print densities, please contact your Kodak representative.

Processing

The following process recommendations should be used as starting points for a typical continuous-immersion processing machine using formulas presented in KODAK Publication No. H-24.15, Manual for Processing KODAK Motion Picture Films, Module 15. The processing times may require modification for a particular machine.

Notice: Observe precautionary information on product labels and on the Material Safety Data Sheets.

^[1] Provide agitation in the developer and fixing bath by recirculation through submerged spray jets that impinge on the film strands. 
^[2] An ascorbic acid developer is an acceptable alternative to HQ. 
^[3] Do not overdevelop this film to the point where it greatly increases fog level. This will cause a reduction in sound quality. 
^[4] Use a countercurrent flow of fixer-laden water overflow from the wash tank, pH about 6. 
^[5] Drying depends on many factors such as air temperature, relative humidity, volume and rate of air flow, flow distribution pattern, squeegee set-up, etc. In a typical motion picture film drying cabinet with air at about 35°C (95°F) and 40 to 50 percent RH, satisfactory drying will require 15 to 20 minutes. Film leaving the drying cabinet when it has reached room temperature should be in equilibrium with room air at approximately 50 percent RH.

Identification

After processing, the words 'KODAK Safety Film', the strip number, and year symbol are located in the center, along the length of the film.

Image Structure

The modulation-transfer and the diffuse RMS granularity data were generated from samples of 2374 Film exposed with tungsten light and processed as recommended in KODAK Developer D-97 at 24°C (75°F). For more information on image-structure characteristics, see KODAK Publication No. H-1, KODAK Motion Picture Film.

RMS Granularity ³

Refer to curve.

Available Roll Lengths

For information on film roll lengths, check Kodak's Motion Picture Films for Professional Use price catalog or see a Kodak sales representative in your country.

Graphs

These graphs are designed to be printed in landscape mode. They will print properly on most printers in their current page set-up of 100%. However, some printers may require adjustments to the browser page set-up in order to have the graph print on a single 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet of paper.

Characteristic

Exposed at 580nm for 100 microseconds

Exposed at 660nm for 100 microseconds

Exposed using Tungsten (2850K) plus KODAK Heat Absorbing Glass, No.2043,1/1000 sec.

MTF

 

Note: These photographic modulation-transfer values were determined by using a method similar to the one described in ANSI Standard PH2.39-1977(R1990). The film was exposed with the specified illuminant to spatially varying sinusoidal test patterns having an aerial image modulation of a nominal 35 percent at the image plane, with processing as indicated. In most cases, the photographic modulation-transfer values are influenced by development-adjacency effects and are not equivalent to the true optical modulation-transfer curve of the emulsion layer in the particular photographic product.

RMS Granularity

 

Note: To find the RMS Granularity for a given density, find the density on the left vertical scale and follow horizontally to the characteristic curve and then go vertically (up or down) to the granularity curve. At that point, follow horizontally to the Granularity Sigma D scale on the right. Read the number and multiply by 1000 for the rms value.

Spectral Sensitivity

Time of Development (TOD) in D-97 at 75°F

Printable Curves

Note: The Kodak materials described in this publication for use with KODAK Panchromatic Sound Recording Film 2374 are available from dealers who supply Kodak products. You can use other materials, but you may not obtain similar results.

The contents of this publication are subject to change without notice.

KODAK, Eastman, VISION, 2374, 2383, 2393, 2395, 3395, 5302, 7302, and Estar are trademarks.

(Return to Table of Contents)

Footnotes / Notices

¹ Exposures other than white light will yield a lower analog negative density value.

² J. O. Baker and D. H. Robinson, "Modulated High-Frequency Recording As a Means of Determining Conditions for Optimal Processing." Journal of the SMPE, 30:3-17, January 1938, or SMPTE Recommended Practice RP104-1994, "Cross Modulation Tests for Variable-Area Photographic Sound Tracks," obtainable from SMPTE, 595 W. Hartsdale Avenue, White Plains, NY 10607-1824, tel (914) 761-110, web site URL: http://www.smpte.org.

³ Read at a net diffuse visual density of 1.0 using a 48-micrometer aperture.

NOTICE: The data in this publication represent product tested under the conditions of exposure and processing specified. They are representative of production coatings, and therefore do not apply to a particular box or roll of photographic material. They do not represent standards or specifications that must be met by Eastman Kodak Company. The company reserves the right to change and improve product characteristics at any time.

©Eastman Kodak Company 2001