Cinestill800t Berlin
I hesitated for a long time before sharing this photo series: a selection of self-scanned images from 2019, capturing my nighttime walks through Berlin. Armed with my 35mm camera and always carrying a roll of CineStill 800T, I set out to capture the city's nocturnal atmosphere.
Admittedly, the scans could be a bit cleaner—I ask for your understanding. But in a way, these imperfections add an unmistakable authenticity to the images. The CineStill 800T film proved to be the perfect companion for capturing the essence of the night.
In this post, I invite you to join me on my nighttime wanderings and share some of my favorite shots.
CineStill 800T: The Perfect Film for Night Photography
As a lover of analog photography, I am always looking for new ways to experiment with different types of film. When I first heard about CineStill 800T and its impressive low-light capabilities, I was immediately fascinated and knew I had to try it.
Originally developed for the film industry, this film has also gained popularity in the photography world. Many photographers appreciate it for its exceptional ability to capture brilliant images even in challenging lighting conditions.
Photographing Berlin at night is always an adventure for me. The city reveals a different side of itself, as if shedding a mask to show its true face. Illuminated buildings whisper stories from the past, neon signs flicker in the alleyways, and the restless nightlife hums quietly in the background.
In the deserted, silent streets, the architecture takes on a different character. Some buildings seem to rest peacefully in soft light, others appear to be waiting for their imminent demolition, while some proudly stretch their glowing windows into the night. As you wander through the alleys, you might catch a glimpse of a rat darting briefly across the pavement.
These moments of stillness have inspired me to reach for my camera and capture the unique atmosphere of the night.
In my photos, I always tried to slightly overexpose to capture the light more effectively and achieve the best possible result.
Tips for Using CineStill 800T
Using Artificial and Mixed Light: CineStill 800T is a tungsten-balanced film designed for artificial lighting with a color temperature of 3200 Kelvin. When used in daylight, it produces cool, blue tones. If you want to correct these cool tones in daylight shots, an orange screw-on filter can be helpful.
Experimenting with Exposure: This film handles overexposure well (try rating it at ISO 400 or 200). In darker environments, slightly overexposing can help bring out more details.
Using a Tripod: In low-light conditions, longer exposure times may be necessary. Having a tripod on hand can be useful to prevent motion blur and ensure sharper images.
Doing a Test Run: If you’re using this film for the first time, it’s a good idea to shoot a test roll. This will help you understand how the film reacts to different lighting conditions.
There is something special about walking alone through a city like Berlin at night. The streets are quiet, the air is crisp, and you feel both free and connected to the city itself.
Night photography can sometimes be challenging. But I also find it exciting to venture into the dark streets of the city and let my camera guide me.
In mid-2019, I temporarily put my passion for analog photography on hold. As much as I love and appreciate the art of shooting on film, I found the price development for film and processing disproportionately high compared to previous years.
It’s not about the value itself—photography and what I can express through it are very important to me. But after being accustomed to certain prices for decades, it was difficult for me to accept the current price increases, no matter how much I love film.
