Marc Roessler

Hi everyone, I just bought hetron video synchronizer (vsf 151, pickup unit and sync/phase box) for quite cheap from ebay (from a reputable seller, luckily). You can use it to phase sync your camera to CRT displays. The synchronizer came with a cable for an Arri SR3 (hetron 8 pin (Lemo) to Arri Fischer connector), but I'd like to use it with my XTR Prod. Now I'm wondering: #1 where does it connect at the Aaton? The sub-d 9 pin plastic video sync connector or the Lemo 8 pin speed controller connector? #2 what's the pinout of the 8 pin lemo connector at the hetron? Is it the same as with the XTRProd so I just can connect it one to one, or do some pins need to be re-routed? If someone knows the Pinout of the ARRI Fischer connector I can use that info to measure the cable using a multimeter and determine the pinout like that. #3 Has anyone got a manual for the hetron, or ever used one? Thanks, Marc

I'm planning a shoot on a tramway.. the setting is daytime, natural light. Due to the low speed stock used (64 or 80 speed, b&w) I will need to fill quite a bit with all this gray weather (unless we're really lucky and it's sunny or snowy). Now you all know how the typical tram shakes and bounces, especially when going across intersections. I might be able to get mains power from the tram, but I guess the filament of a mains powered redhead or reflector photoflood or fresnel would pop right away with all the vibrations. An obvious solution would be low voltage lamps as those are more sturdy, but I only one I know is the Dedos, and those are not quite powerful enough for use in daylight. Kinoflos are probably not bright enough. Or should I consider LED lights? Due to the b&w stock used I'm not concerned about color balance. Ideally the lamp could be powered by a 12V or 24V battery belt. Any ideas? Greetings, Marc

There is a petition for them being supported as cultural heritage here: http://petities.nl/petitie/analoge-film-van-industrie-naar-cultureel-erfgoed

Thanks John! It must have been exciting to be there! By the way, is that you about 1 second into the clip putting the LTR on the stairs in the background behind Sting? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9JzNjIgFfQ&feature=relmfu

most important: if the negs are dirty, don't let them dry. Keep them wet until you can clean them! I suggest to re-wash them (with de-ionised water and some Photoflo) and let them dry. Bent paperclips are a great way to hang the strips (hooking into the perforations).

That season of the year is approaching again... (well it's still a while...) Clip in HD resolution (with apparently a bit too much edge enhancement...) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDKSrD4Zarw I'm curious about the stock used... in the credits it lists Agfa Gevaert and Kay Labs, so I suppose it was Agfa stock processed at Kay Labs. It was shot November 1984, so XT 320 might be it.. but that's just guessing. Anybody know any specifics? What I know is that is was 16mm - an ARRI SR is recohnizable from the carrying handle and mattebox style, and in the making of an Aaton LTR can be seen.. Greetings, Marc

Hi everyone, what's your take on the Canon 7-63 vs. the 8-64? I know that the 8-64 is a tad faster (T2.4) than the 7-63 (T2.6 to T2.9) and that the 7-63 is newer.. but how do they compare image wise? Also I'm wondering, the manual lists the 7-63 as T2.6 at 7 to 50 mm, and T2.9 at 50 to 63 mm. But I can set the aperture ring to 2.6 even above 50mm. Does that mean that the image will just get a tiny bit darker when zooming in, despite the stop being set at 2.6? Thanks, Marc

Are you sure about Cineco Amsterdam? Their webpage doesn't say anything about this, and they still list negative and positive processing for both 16 and 35.

Picking this up again... How do you all feel about this subject a few years later? Are the zooms vs. prime arguments still valid, even with new zooms (Angenieux, Alura etc) and digital cameras with high base ISO values?

Hi, I just noticed my 16mm Angenieux 5.9mm doesn't seem to have filter threads.. Visual Products lists the same lens type for sale as having a 93mm front thread (here: http://www.visualproducts.com/storeProductDetail02.asp?productID=73&Cat=3&Cat2=16). Has the lens they offer been customized to have this filter thread? Or are there different versions of this lens? Greetings, Marc

Had checked that before installing lamp, all looked good. Good tip though, will check them once in a while.

Thanks guys. Tried another bulb (luckily I ordered two of them), this one worked. When switching on still tends to blow the 16A fuse one the other time due to the inrush current, otherwise works like a charm. Seems it was a bad bulb.

Hi, is it a requirement to use some fort of soft-start or dimmer for a 2k Blonde (230 Volts version)? I never had any problems with any 2k wattage lights so far, but this blonde I just bought seems to give me trouble. Just installed a brand new Osram FEX bulb in it (without toughing the glass envelope of couse) and the bulb blew within 2 minutes: it seems upon startup, one of the ends of the filament burnt loose (with a small blue flash). The loose end of the filament managed to fall right on the metal connector inside the bulb, so it continued to burn until I switched it off after 2 minutes - this is when I saw the problem. The lamp was in upright position and there was no vibration (light stand was used). Are the FEX 2k bulbs for the Blonde more finicky? Or did I just happen to get a lemon as a bulb? Do they need a dimmer/soft start? The filament does look a bit more sturdy (though less well supported mechanically) than the 2kW's commonly used in fresnels, so does this maybe cause it to have a higher inrush current when switched on? Greetings, Marc

Thanks David! I guess it all boils down to testing the flourescents at hand with the film stock to be used.

Hi, on its webpage, Tiffen states: "Use FL-D with daylight film and FL-B with tungsten film". Unfortunately, nothing is stated about the type of flourescent (cool white, warm white, daylight). (And nothing about how bad the green spike is) In principle, you could encounter the following scenarios: 1 warm white (< 3300K) -> tungsten film 2 cool white (3300 - 5300k) -> tungsten film 3 daylight (> 5500k) -> tungsten film 4 warm white (< 3300K) -> daylight film 5 cool white (3300 - 5300k) -> daylight film 6 daylight (> 5500k) -> daylight film So where would you use which filter? Greetings, Marc

Chris, do you know any details about the post processing used? The BMW spot didn't look like typical 7239.. was this done digitally? Reminded me a bit of a bleach bypass look.

Hi everyone, I was wondering why the VNF stocks (7239, 7240, 7250, 7251, ..) have so poor color, sharpness and grain (even back then when fresh stock was still available). Are these effects inherent when designing a low-contrast reversal stock, or is it just because those are old emulsion designs? Has anyone ever tried pushing Ektachrome 100D (7285) 2 stops to EI 400? Would this look any better than the true 400T 7250 VNF? Greetings, Marc

And, yes, there's actually a table football in that club B)

Just to let you all know how it turned out... I shot that project last August on some leftover 7219 and 8647 (both fridge stored for 1 year). I had the 7219 pushed 1.5 stops. The 8647 was processed normally. The neg was scanned on an ARRISCAN. In the end I "printed down" the 7219 digitally to around what would have been its usual exposure index, because the grain and elevated base fog of the pushed stock was too much for me (probably because it wasn't really fresh stock!). Shot documentary style on-location with an Arri 16S, lenses always wide open (which is why it's all quite soft). Unfortunately the h264 video compression blocks the grain up a bit.. but I think you get an idea of what the original looks like :) P.S: I suggest to watch it directly on vimeo, the postage sized video window shown here doesn't really show much...

As far as I know, Cineco is the only (commercial) film lab in Amsterdam. Had some 16mm test material processed there some years ago. I was very pleased with their work, very nice people too. Cineco B.V. Willem Fenengastraat 39 1096 BM Amsterdam http://www.cineco.nl/ Grettings, Marc

See topic...

Isaac, thanks for your thoughts on this! I didn't use an SR as a shoulder camera yet, so I have to admit I don't really know how it rates compared to the XTR. So the SR might be much worse than the XTR in this regard. Maybe I'll be able to break my habit of snugging it against my neck (hmm, cat on the shoulder, purrr..) :D Greetings, Marc

Hey everyone, I'd like your thoughts on the XTR Prod. It's got a reputation as the "cat on the shoulder", but I always find myself struggling with it. When I put it on my right shoulder and put it snug right against my neck so there's additional stability, I have to turn my head to the left and upward to be able to watch through the viewfinder. Otherwise the viewfinder will end up somewhere where my nose is. The viewfinder having a very small angle from which it is viewable doesn't really help either. Operating the camera like that feels and looks awkward. When I set the camera farher away from my neck, there's much less stability for the camera, somehow this doesn't feel right. I'm also wondering about the handgrip. I feel when mounting it to the front rods, it is too far up so you have to extend your arm upwards in weird way (could be fixed by additional grip stuff of course). Also I find it quite hard to operate the small switch in the hand grip, because it ends up somewhere under the middle of my thumb and not at the tip of it where I'd be able to apply controlled pressure. Has this particular XTR been set up/configured in a strange way or am I just incompatible with its proportions? Greetings, Marc

What's your approach for shooting with neg film under flourescent lighting? Do you use FLBs / FLDs or rather color correct in post? What are the pros and cons of both approaches? Greetings, Marc

I just was wondering about using UN54 as reversal... I've been told the base is not that transparent, so it's not that suitable as a reversal stock when inteded for projection. Or did I get this wrong? Asking because I have bought a roll of UN54 and I'm yet undecisive whether to better use it as neg or reversal. Greetings, Marc