Neon Lights With CineStill 800T Film

One of the most interesting 35mm film stocks that I have been shooting with lately is CineStill 800T. I’ve taken pictures of city streets, store windows and hotel lobbies at night with this film, and the end results are enchanting and almost dreamlike. Subtle lights have a stunning glow effect, fine details are rendered perfectly, and the large grain keeps everything in check. This is no more evident in the pictures from this roll of CineStill 800T that I shot with my Yashica T5 camera. I purposely shot every frame at night, or in otherwise dark conditions, without using my Yashica T5’s built-in flash.

I took these pictures of neon signs and poorly-lit interiors in various parts of Southern California, including Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Carlsbad, and Orange County.

The film’s tungsten balance altered the look of certain types of neon lights (i.e., fluorescent) but it served up nice results. Some of the neon signs look completely different in my prints; their color changes look cool and experimental.

One interesting thing to note is that CineStill 800T can produce halation effects. I’ve seen colorful red, orange and yellow halos and streaks appear in pictures that were taken at night, and indoors with minimal light.

If you are looking for an interesting film stock that is created from motion picture cinema film, CineStill 800T is definitely worth trying out. CineStill 800T can be push processed based on your needs, and you can get it developed at any professional photo lab that uses the C-41 process.

Cinestill 800T costs more than most premium film stocks, but the end results are what count. I hope you enjoyed this article and the images.