Camera Magazines,35mm

[Greg Gross]

When I shot medium format photography many years ago, I

always would check my camera backs for light leaks and usu-

ally I would check them in the dark room. Now I shoot most of

my still photography with a 4X5 view camera or Nikon 35mm and

Nikon digital camera. I occasionally check my bellows and back of

the view camera(where film slide inserts) for light leaks. I have not-

iced that almost every time I see a panaflex camera in a photo,the

magazine is taped. Have not noticed it in Arri photos. Is this just done

for safety? Or has someone already determined that the magazine has

slight leaks and fogs film?

[Josh Hill]

The tape is a precaution against light leaks, but the color also provides a quick reference for the type of film thats in the magazine (I can't remember the color scheme off of the top of my head).

 

I've seen pictures of mags that weren't taped, and I think sometimes it depends on the AC, but common practice is to tape the mags as far as I know. I've seen pics of Arri mags that were taped, and when I worked with an Arri-III the mags were always taped just like the Panaflex A-camera.

[Landon D. Parks]

here is an image of an Arri Mag taped:

 

http://www.alostcookie.com/posthuman/image...drew_camera.jpg

 

Image from the film "Post Human" shoot. A Lost cookie production.

[Greg Gross]

Thanks Josh and thank you Landon for the photo of the taped

Arri magazine.

[Landon D. Parks]

No Prob man!

[John Pytlak RIP]

Kodak color codes the tapes used on the raw stock cans:

 

5229 Lime Green

5218 Copper

5217 Maroon

5212 Green

5279 Gold

5277 Gray

5274 Mauve

5246 Blue

5245 Gold

 

And the film ID is printed (code-emulsion-roll).

[Greg Gross]

Thank Mr. Pytlak! I wrote down the film/color codes. May be my

first lesson in learning motion picture cameras.

[John Sprung]

Is this just done for safety?

Yes, it's mostly just belt-and-suspenders cheap insurance. Except for the old Eclair NPR and Moskinap 8M, most mag covers won't fall off during normal handling, or leak light. Certainly the Arri and Panavision stuff works just fine without tape. A really beat up Arri I or II would sometimes leak a little at the throat, but only noticeable at camera stops.

 

So why do we do it? Consider the cost of re-shooting a mag's worth of work on even a medium budget feature. Compare that with the cost of two feet of camera tape. To be really correct, the accountants should put about half the camera tape in the insurance account.

 

 

 

-- J.S.

[Carlos M. Icaza]

Wow, this thread is awful similar to

 

http://www.cinematography.com/forum2004/in...?showtopic=1969

 

:-)

 

c.-