Pushing Reflx Lab 800T

Pushing Reflx Lab 800T will look at how the emulsion looks when pushed to ISO 1600 and 3200. Reflx Lab 800T is one of the few color films readily available here in Japan so I wanted to test its boundaries. Made from fresh 5219 motion picture film and the rem-jet layer removed, Reflx Lab 800T is a tungsten balanced film that has that distinctive halation effect a la Cinestill 800T. Have you ever wondered how it would perform when the light is dim and you need that extra gear in light absorption?

This year’s JCMC (Japan Cycle Messenger Championship) was held last weekend at Akarenga in Yokohama so I thought it might be a good opportunity to try pushing Reflx Lab 800T one and two stops to document the action on the ground.

Reflx Lab 800T +1 (ISO1600)

The messenger race started around 3pm and with it being early winter, the sun fades goes down early. I figured I’d try 1600 for the around dusk scenes and try 3200 for the Crit Race from 7pm. Shot in a Leica M6 with 50mm Summicron v4, developed with Cinestill CS41 and scanned on a Plustek Opticfilm 8200i.

Reflx Lab 800T +2 (ISO3200)

After finishing the first roll shot at 1600 around 5pm, I put in another roll to shoot at 3200. Natural light was pretty much gone by this point so everything from here was lit by fluorescent and LED lights.

Final Thoughts

With many a color film in scarce supply, we’re pretty much at the point where any color film you can get your hands on is a good one. Choices get especially scant when you need the speed. So while Reflx Lab 800T is essentially Cinestill 800T but available, it is a matter of if you buy actual Tyenol or the generic store branded paracetamol.

It is a decently pushable emulsion and results can be good even at 3200. Shadow details get muddled and the grain is rather pronounced but does indeed have a nostalgic underground vibe. Proper exposure is key and there isn’t much wiggle room almost like slides. These were self-developed with Cinestill CS41 so I would be curious to see what pro lab results would be like. What are your experiences with pushing 5219 motion picture film? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

MN