Problems with new Cameras- Please Help

nstout · October 25, 2005

Hi all,

I've been trying to make the important jump from super-8 to 16mm in the last couple months.

I have a couple of cameras (an R16 and a Bolex RX-3). I've been doing some test reels with them on PlusX film and have gotten some mixed results. The R-16 test reel was bad because throughout it there is a washy filmy-ness too it (I don't mean a film-look- its like there is a a transparent wavey coat that goes over the image), particularly in the whites and lighter areas, but also in dark ones at times. It is something that seems to move with the film, not like a glare or anything. Its almoost like a transparent vertical waviness that is slight at times and sometimes obvious, sometimes in localized places on the frame and sometimes even throughout. There are a few shots on the roll that don't seem to have a problem with this. I don't know how to approach the problem. Don't know if its processing. Could it be something to do with the pressure plate?

With the RX-3 my footage looks pretty good, but I have some concerns.

For the most part the darker areas look good, but light areas get a little bit gritty. Its really only when an area is blown out, very white (like a bright sky). Is this normal? I can see little tiny scratches and dusty type things- I guess its just easier to see that stuff on over-exposed areas. But how much dust/scratches should I see right after it comes from the lab? What would put little scratches? Speaking of which, there are certain pronounced scratches that go over my dark areas too. I can't see little ones, just every now and then there is a bright line or dot of white light that comes through. How common is normal for this? I'm pretty careful about debris in my camera.

I'm assuming that my 16mm footage should blow me away and look very clear.

Please help. Thanks!

ns

Charles MacDonald · October 26, 2005

Hi all,
I've been trying to make the important jump from super-8 to 16mm in the last couple months.

I have a couple of cameras (an R16 and a Bolex RX-3). I've been doing some test reels with them on PlusX film and have gotten some mixed results. The R-16 test reel was bad because throughout it there is a washy filmy-ness too it (I don't mean a film-look- its like there is a a transparent wavey coat that goes over the image), particularly in the whites and lighter areas, but also in dark ones at times. It is something that seems to move with the film, not like a glare or anything. Its almoost like a transparent vertical waviness that is slight at times and sometimes obvious, sometimes in localized places on the frame and sometimes even throughout. There are a few shots on the roll that don't seem to have a problem with this. I don't know how to approach the problem. Don't know if its processing. Could it be something to do with the pressure plate?

It maight be easier if we could see a sample frame of two. Shuter problems, a malajusted gate, or a loose presure plate could give effects like you describe, as could a processing defect, or even a bad roll of film.

With the RX-3 my footage looks pretty good, but I have some concerns.
For the most part the darker areas look good, but light areas get a little bit gritty. Its really only when an area is blown out, very white (like a bright sky). Is this normal? I can see little tiny scratches and dusty type things- I guess its just easier to see that stuff on over-exposed areas. But how much dust/scratches should I see right after it comes from the lab? What would put little scratches? Speaking of which, there are certain pronounced scratches that go over my dark areas too. I can't see little ones, just every now and then there is a bright line or dot of white light that comes through. How common is normal for this? I'm pretty careful about debris in my camera.

I'm assuming that my 16mm footage should blow me away and look very clear.

Please help. Thanks!

ns

You should not see very much dust and no scratches when the film is fresh out of the lab, if everthing else is OK. TRY a test by running about 10 feet of Fresh film through the camera, And look at it under a maginifer. (Just Pull it off the takeup spool, we are talking about looking at the effect of the camera on the physical condition of the unprocessed film). If you are getting any scratches on the film under those conditions you will have to figure out where they are coming from.

If you can talk with teh lab, they may be able to identify the defects.