Where the 800T look comes from
CineStill 800T is Kodak motion picture film adapted for ordinary still cameras. Movie film carries a dark backing layer that stops light bouncing back through the emulsion. CineStill removes it, and as a result bright lights bloom with a red halo, an effect called halation.
The film is balanced for tungsten light, so it suits evenings, neon, bars and city streets. That mix of night scenes and glowing highlights made it hugely popular.
What this preset does to your photo
Red and green are lifted while blue is pulled down, and a strong warm temperature shift adds to it. Contrast and saturation both rise, giving a rich, filmic image rather than a flat one.
The key effect is halation: the brightest parts of your photo are blurred and blended back over the image, so lamps and windows get a soft glow. The glow takes the color of the light itself, warmed by the grade, rather than the pure red of the real film. Grain and a firm vignette complete it.
How to get the best result
Include a light source in the frame. A desk lamp, fairy lights or a phone screen behind you will give the glow something to work with. Without bright highlights, the preset reads as a warm, grainy grade.
The Darkroom frame suits this moody look, and a Classic Strip of four shots feels like a night out caught on a roll of film.
Tips
- Put a lamp or string lights in the background.
- Keep the room dim so the lights stand out.
- Avoid bright daylight. The look is built for evenings.
- Try the animated GIF export to flick through the shots.
Questions
Why don't I see any glow?
The glow only appears around very bright areas. Add a lamp or other light source to the frame and it will show up around it.
Is the glow red like the real film?
Not exactly. Here the glow keeps the color of the light it comes from, shifted warmer by the preset. It gives a similar dreamy bloom without a separate red tint.
Does it work in daylight?
It works, but the warm shift can look heavy on sunny scenes. For daytime, a look like Portra 400 or Golden Hour usually fits better.
