John Sprung

The unexpected success of DSLR's revealed that there's a substantial market for a motion camera at this price point. It looks like Blackmagic decided to shoot for that segment. With Red and Canon hitting substantially higher price points, I'd expect them to do very well indeed. -- J.S.

I'm not worried any more.... ;-) -- J.S.

I love the 1950's retro style. But I worry about the CCD chip, it's from a bankrupt company. -- J.S.

Just an off the wall thought -- If a lens with fungus were left inside a house that's being fumigated with Vikane for termites, would that KO the stuff? I believe it kills the dryrot fungus, so maybe it would be worth a try.... -- J.S.

A quick pre-production test you can try: Given that you're shooting with a 180 degree mirror shutter, just take an empty camera body and lens, and see if you get flicker in the finder. -- J.S.

I'd expect this to be a temporary supply issue, nowhere near as big as the earthquake/tsunami in Japan. Back to normal in 2Q12.... -- J.S.

Yes, that's why I'm thinking some kind of variation on the Autochrome process, which only needs B&W chemistry.

Yes, those are the places where the number should be. It's a nice paint job, but probably not original, because you can't see the number. They weren't stamped very deep, and it's easy to sand or file the number off. Dissolving the paint would be the safe way to go. If you find a light green under the black paint, that was the original finish on the WWII Luftwaffe cameras. -- J.S.

Um.... It has that delicate little gear that's supposed to drive the magazine. The mag lid latch isn't all that secure. I don't think it compares with the Arri I and II line for durability and reliability. I've owned both, and still have Arri's, though only as antiques. -- J.S.

Hmmm.... Does the progression go from mainstream to extinction, or mainstream to niche? Hand crank cameras still exist, and with heavy cyan filtration on B&W film, the ortho look could be recreated. It'll never be mainstream again, but if somebody wanted the look the could get it. Arri's Alexa has nailed the dynamic range issue. Perhaps Red Epic, too, though I haven't personally had a show on it. The general trend seems to be for new technologies to push their predecessors into high end niches. Photography didn't kill painting and drawing. It brought portraiture to the masses, with painted portraits the province of the rich. Digital wristwatches brought accurate time to everybody, but Patek Phillipe and Rolex are doing quite well in the high end. You can be playing a digital keyboard for well under a grand, but Steinway, Boesendorfer, and Stuart & Sons are alive and well for those who have a few hundred grand to spend. Film killed vaudeville, the top stars like Charlie Chaplin went into film. But you can still see live plays and operas, they just cost more than movies. Coating B&W film is certainly in the range of possibility for a niche market. Color as we've known it perhaps less so, but maybe a variation on the Lumiere Autochrome process....? -- J.S.

Yes. DVD is SD only, it's at the end of its useful life. You may want to consider going to a file based HD system. -- J.S.

It's because all of broadcasting here still operates at 29.97. The reason for that is the downconverters and cable boxes that feed the remaining NTSC sets still in use. Theoretically some day we might be able to change to 30.00.... But it looks like "point nine something" will remain for a long time like a wad of bubblegum stuck on the sole of the shoe of television. ;-) IIRC, the French 819 line system was black and white, not PAL or SECAM. -- J.S.

In reality, you'd barely see the smoke at all in daylight -- or pretty much any lighting condition. Maybe it would be something to bring in as a last subtle touch after you get the flame right. But at this point, it's way too heavy. -- J.S.

Try the major rental houses in your area, the ones that have machine shops. If they have the time, it would be to their advantage to take on paying work. Here' I'd ask Clairmont. -- J.S.

To make a pixel level array out of it is theoretically possible, but it would be expensive -- so expensive that pitching your idea to Jim Jannard would be your best hope. As for sharpness, it's no problem at all -- equivalent to a UV filter. -- J.S.