REVIVING 220 FILM: CineStill 400Dynamic in 220
Posted by Steve Carter on
CineStill is excited to announce a new film format for our 400Dynamic film stock: 400D in 220! In order to give the community an opportunity to achieve this goal, the Film Maker crowdfunding campaign is being extended one more week. 400Dynamic is a 400 ISO daylight-balanced color film that CineStill is making available to photographers for the first time ever.
Because of the incredible response and support from the analog community, 400D in 35mm, 120 medium format, and 4x5 large format has been fully funded — and now that we reached 10,000 backers, we are unlocking this film in the beloved 220 format, making it possible to shoot a new color film in all the cameras that use 220.
CineStill has always been passionate about making film more accessible and has been investigating a way to make this format available to photographers again. 220 film was originally introduced in the 1960’s and has only been available through expired film stocks and very few black and white film manufacturers in recent years. It is the same width as 120 film, but has double the length (144 cm), allowing photographers to have twice the number of exposures per roll, making it an ideal film format for wedding, documentary, and commercial photographers.
As the Film Maker campaign progressed, and we approached our initial goal of 10,000 backers, we planned to unlock an additional stretch goal to gauge the demand for 220 format. We have been working with partners across the world to develop solutions that are both viable and cost effective and we have found a path forward, but there are still plenty of risks in trying to bring back this format. That is why we need the community to show us how many backers want 220 film. This helps justify the resources, time, and training it takes to make this film format available again. If successful, we expect to have completed testing and begin the manufacturing process in the fourth quarter of 2022, with expectations for fulfillment beginning in December 2022. If lack of demand or development roadblocks prevent this from being a viable option, CineStill will provide backers of these 220 tiers with double the amount of 120 rolls in return.
If you help us determine there is true demand through the support of this campaign, 400D in 220 will only be available in limited quantities initially as we determine the scale of production for this format. This means 220 will be exclusive to the Film Maker campaign at first. Once again, we are inviting you, the film community, into the process of creating this new film by becoming a CineStill Film Maker. We are extending the campaign for 7 more days with the desire of making 220 a reality for years to come. The more participation we see in the Film Maker crowdfunding campaign, the more we will know how to strategically invest our efforts to serve the community — and 220 is no different.
The Film Maker crowdfunding campaign for 400Dynamic has raised over $650,000 and more importantly has garnered over 10,000 backers — which has made it one of the most successful analog photography crowdfunding campaigns of all time. The analog photography market has proven once again to be growing and thriving. CineStill is dedicated to bring innovation and make creative tools available and accessible for a community that demands it. This groundswell of support from the analog community has made this film a reality — and now gives us the opportunity to try something that hasn’t been made possible in years.
By becoming a CineStill Film Maker, you will be able to pre-order this new film in all the various formats, with the ability to also receive exclusive benefits. 400D in 220 is available to back in 2 tiers: a twin pack and a 5-roll “ProPack".