viewfinder vs frame

[tom lombard]

This is a Bolex EL specific question... Is what you see in the viewfinder exactly (or very close) to what exposes on the film? Or is there a significant difference and in what direction? Examples: If I have a boom mic just outside of my field of view thru the viewfinder, might that mic still be in the shot? Conversely, might a prop that is just within the field of view thru the viewfinder actually be out of the shot? Thanks, Tom

[Simon Wyss]

Good question! A factory adjusted camera or one serviced by a properly equipped technician will record on film quite precisely what you see in the reflex finder. Since the camera image aperture is a bit wider and higher than the projectors’ you can be sure to have an object just on edge with shooting invisible with screening.

[tom lombard]

This may be bordering on blasphemy but what I'm wanting to film this Summer will be digitized & edited digitally so there won't be a "projector" involved. If something like a mic does show up, I can fix it in post (pretend I didn't really actually say that) but am concerned about stuff I'd like to be in view but at the edge of my shot. It's likely that I shouldn't be trying to shoot that too precisely anyway so this may be more of a technical matter than a practical one.