Nicholas Kovats

This is the first officially commissioned UltraPan8 music video as per flutist, Rozalind MacPhail. It is called "Limitless". Rozalind wanted to invoke her wonderful upbringing on Toronto's mystical and beautiful Ward Island. The film is part of her national DVD audio/video release and tour called "Head First", i.e. http://seaandbescene.com/2013/11/rozalind-macphail-launches-her-head-first/ You can find the film here, i.e. https://vimeo.com/81306448 Technical: UltraPan8 2.8 Bolex camera w/ 10mm Zeiss Tevidon. Camera modification by Jean-Louis Seguin (bolextech@gmail.com). I purchased the last remaining local rolls of Ektachrome 100D color reversal for this video. I used a variable ND filter at f5.6. Mostly tripod mounted. Processing by Niagara Custom Lab with scan by John Gledhill at Bitworks.org.

Toronto filmmaker, James Gillespie, treated me to his wonderful work in progress - a very special modified 1950's Specto all metal projector specifically for the ultrawide UltraPan8 film format. Extra rollers, modified step down transformer, brighter 300w halogen bulb and blue LED fans! 8fest is in for a treat next year (Jan, 2014). Photos -> 8Fest -> http://www.the8fest.com/ Cheers! Nicholas

Brilliant! We deeply appreciate your willingness to work with our very enthusiastic film community.Cheers!

Friedemann, I would be happy to fund a scan of your test footage at bitworks.org. Let me know. It would be intuitive to provide an overscan to observe the frameline and perfs. Nicholas

I suspect most of us are here on this forum to conduct one singular activity..wait for it..shoot "film". The design might be semi-practical as a gate/optic inspection device? I like the remodeled cartridge design. Perhaps as a basis for a pico lens test projector for Super 8 cams w/ fixed optics? :) Onwards.

To The Members Of This Forum: The amount of passionate back and forth on this thread is impressive. The dream of professional Super 8 technology is alive and well. The amount of detailed infor regarding the Kodak co-axial cartridge is short of breathtaking. We are ready for a newly engineered Super 8 camera. Let the passionate small format image making begin. To Tom, In my original reply I did not ascertain nor posit a lack of technical experience on your part with specific 16mm camera platforms. I contemplated a post detailing a lengthly list of my Super 8, UltraPan 8 2.8/3.1 and 16mm actual shooting experience and perhaps my passion for camera engineering excellence. Or details of my handheld 14 perf 70mm camera but I have decided against it. Some of my personal cameras are double/single pin registered most are not. Much of my work and experiments are online (Vimeo). Including reperfed V3 50D color negative shot in a specially modifed 8mm camera sans pin registration. I am personally striving for technical simplicity in my methodologies and shooting. The Kodak engineered cartridge is over engineered and contains too many plastic interdependent parts. My preference is for the classic simplicity of co-axial magazines or supply/take-up spools in 8/16/35/70 cameras with a properly machined pressure/shuttle gate with pin registration. Most of my past work to date has been absent the coveted pin. I will be undertaking tests and producing films with noted pin registration in the coming year, e.g. Arri SR2, Aaton XTR Prod (absent pin), Arri III/BL4, Photo-Sonics 16mm A500, Photo-Sonics 70mm-14S, etc. Cheers! Nicholas PS: And if I am "lucky" the hotly anticipated and the first newly engineered Super 8 camera in 32 years!

Tom, Pin registration and pressure plates are long term design principals in motion picture transport. They work well and have done so for a long time. Respectfully, your statement is without merit absent factual data. Whether intentional or not, Lasse and his Dad have emulated the famous Mekel Engineering SP1 Super 8 camera transport whereas film is pulled out from the standard plastic 50ft Kodak S8 cartridge and laced around a precision PPL motor drive shaft/cog. That in itself removes the plastic cartridge co-axial platters and "dinky" back plate (spring loaded?) out of the equation. The traditional method of moving film through this Kodak system is dependent on optimal conditions involving injection molded plastic innards. I suspect there is considerable induced friction. That the tiny Super 8 film is laced around a precision control PPL digital motor in Lasse and Terry's prototype is excellent. The reported resolution of the motor appears to be very high as per the article. Plus the pin registration. One of my many projects involves attempts to produce or acquire Mekel SP-1 footage to be scanned for public discussion and I suspect that the Mekel's 1970's era PPL "digital" motor in conjunction with pin registration will eventually hold muster. Considerably. This wonderful new S8 project may inspire a few of us dormant SP-1 owner/operators. Regards, Nicholas

Erkan, One can definitely impact exposure and DOF with varying shutter speeds. Not as apparent as changes in the iris but measurable and visible. Cheers! Nicholas

Excellent report by Friedmann. Thanks, Jean-Louis. Very impressive application of a digital stepper motor. Digital PPL comes to Super 8! This will allow phasing such that speed ramps (!) coupled with the shutter will allow precise on the fly exposure compensation of changing frame rates. And the bloody registration pin. Whoa. This is not going to be your family's home movie camera. Looking forward to Friedmann's film tests!

Excellent news, Nick! So happy it turned out ok.

In 100ft rolls? Regular 8 or standard single perf 16mm? I am aware it was discontinued. Wittner is charging big bucks for their remaining supply.

Hilarious! Thank you for that.

I am not sure of the exact dimensions of the Lilliput monitor depicted in Lasses's original posting but check out the P+S Technik Universal Finder Option for 5-6 inch screens. It has diopter adjustment i.e. http://store.pstechnik.de/home/finder-option-for-5-6-displays-loupe/ While not optimal relative to a WYSIWYG OVF it does improve focusing/framing for the operator. I would recommend a higher resolution mini-LCD screen than the "stock" Lilliput referenced above.

Here is an Australian YouTube video illustrating the P+S Technik B4 optical viewfinder in action, i.e. This precision optical viewfinder (OVF) replaces the entire standard IMS to B4 assembly also manufactured by P+S Technik. Here is a picture of forum member Alexander Kirch's personal unit, i.e. http://www.aa-w-transfer.de/download/IMG_7563.JPG Note that P+S Technik employs former Arriflex engineers.

Check out this pricey alternative to the "dog ear" optical viewfinder concept as referenced by Erkan. P+S Teknik actually made an optical viefinder in a Sony B4 bayonet mount (FFD = 48mm). Another forum member, Alexander Kirch had previsouly posted his own unit for sale this past spring. It eventually sold for just over 1,000 EUR (9,000 EUR new) i.e. http://www.aa-w-transfer.de/download/IMG_7568.JPG MTF Services (UK) manufacture a B4/C Mount (FFD = 48mm/17.52mm) adapter, i.e. http://www.lensadaptor.com/b4-23-c-mount-adaptor I would recommend a 15mm rail system with lens support for such a setup.

Thank you kindly, Josh. It can be hard to keep up considering the volume of info streaming by in today's world. There is also a second "smaller" variation which is actually the original format called UltraPan8 2.8. Same principal as UP8 3.1 but it uses the larger perforations of Regular 8 film, i.e. http://vimeo.com/39417454 Jean-Louis Seguin (Montreal, Canada) has built 10x UP8 2.8 and 2x UP8 3.1 Bolex cameras to date. He can be contacted directly at bolextech@gmail.com. The re-manufacturing/adaptation/conversion costs are quite modest relative to typical custom work. He can be contacted directly at bolextech@gmail.com. Various owners have reduced their costs by supplying their own Bolex H8, H16 or DS8 cameras. Don't hesitate to contact me if you need farther assistance, i.e. nkovats@gmail.com. Cheers!

Ernie, Are you aware of the UltraPan8 3.1 Double Super 8 format? It is a spherical film format with a native aspect ratio of 3.1 which is wider than both Cinemascope and Cinerama. The cameras are modified hybrids consisting of Bolex H8 (DS8 mod) and H16 cameras. The machined gate's dimensions are as follows, i.e. UP8 3.1 (Double Super 8) AR = 1:3.1, FRAME = 13.00mm x 4.22mm; AREA = 54.86 square mm Note that the frame width is wider than Super 16 and technically requires re-centering of the lens mount. It utilizes the full 16mm width of Double Super 8 film with the classic Super 8 pulldown. I originally announced the camera system here, i.e. http://www.cinematography.com/index.php?showtopic=57048. Here is an uploaded example of the format. The lens mount was not re-centered and I utilized a Zeiss Tevidon 10mm C-Mount lens, i.e. http://vimeo.com/45620380 By the way the UK Widescreen Association originally interlocked 3x Super 8 projectors many decades ago to simulate classic Cinerama. Cheers! Nicholas - Toronto facebook.com/UltraPan8WidescreenFilm

Benjamin, There are approximately 12-13 Bolex UP8 camera that have been professionally adapted, machined and in use globally. It is a viable precise format with practicable attributes. And it works quite well. Lot's of evidence on Vimeo to back up the previous theory. This Swiss "inventor" cannot expose full width 35mm Academy in a Bolex with a 16mm wide frame/transport system. Think about that statement. I believe the actual discussion revolved around the slitting of raw 35mm stock into multiple 16mm strips. Two minimum. Some of my European colleagues on this forum can potentially clarify this as the original discussion thread was in German. It is possible to mount a 16mm anamorphic projector lenses ( 2x squeeze) on a prime lens attached to a Bolex UP8 camera to achieve an aspect ratio of 1:5 or greater if one is so inclined towards extreme verticals/horizontals.

Benjamin, This forum tends to be an educated interchange amongst film peers. You did not even bother to read my post. UltraPan8 is not a Super 8 camera. It has no relationship to Max8 as it utilizes the full 16mm width of either Regular 8 or Double Super 8 film stock. Are you familiar with these specific stocks? There are no 16mm projector anamorphic lenses used. As I previously stated only standard full frame 16mm optics are utilized. Not Super 16mm, Super 8 or Regular 8 format lenses. Nada. It uses the optical center of standard 16mm optics. There are two perforations per UP8 2.8 or 31 frame. I concur with David Cunningham's post that one could potentially compare it to the long discussed concept of 2-perf 16mm. Another historical antecedant would be Sergio Leone's 2-perf 35mm Techniscope system which is half the height of the classic 4-perf 35mm Academy frame. Here is an overscan example of the Regular 8 perfs in UP8 2.8, , i.e. http://vimeo.com/36944151 Here is an overscan example of the Super 8 perfs in UP8 3.1, http://vimeo.com/45622450

If your interested in zero curvlinear and minimal ultrawide distortion check out the UltraPan8 2.8 format that utilizes the full 16mm width of Regular 8 film in conjunction with 8mm pulldown. The 10.52mm x 3.75mm frame produces an ultrawide native aspect ratio of 2.8, i.e. In this example I am used a Standard 16mm film format wide angle lens, i.e. Angenieux 5.9mm (Cameflex/Bolex Bayonet Mount/Adapter). Since the UP8 2.8 frame dimension is half the height of the standard 16mm frame I used the best part of the optics - the optical center. To calculate the horizontal angle of view specific to the UP8 2.8 format: UP8 2.8 (Regular 8) AR = 1:2.8, FRAME = 10.52mm x 3.75mm, AREA = 39.45 square mm angle = 2 inverse tan( 0.5 w / F) w - width of film (10.52mm) F - focal length (5.9mm) angle = 2 inverse tan( 0.5 * 10.52 / 5.9) angle = 2 inverse tan( 5.26/5.9 ) angle = 2 inverse tan ( 0.8915) angle = 2 * 42 degrees angle = 84 degrees (rounded) The larger UltraPan8 3.1 format utilizes Double Super 8 film. It is wider than Super 16mm and technically requires re-centering of the lens mount. In this example I utilized the Zeiss Tevidom APO Telecentric 10mm lens (C Mount). The lens mount was not re-centered and I shot range of f-stops (f/8-22), i.e. UP8 3.1 (Double Super 8) AR = 1:3.1, FRAME = 13.00mm x 4.22mm; AREA = 54.86 square mm angle = 2 inverse tan( 0.5 w / F) w - width of film (13.00mm) F - focal length (10mm) angle = 2 inverse tan( 0.5 * 13 / 5.9) angle = 2 inverse tan( 6.5/5.9 ) angle = 2 inverse tan ( 1.1017) angle = 2 * 48 degrees angle = 96 degrees (rounded) All Bolex conversions and machined gates carried out by Jean-Louis Seguin (bolextech@gmail.com).

Then there is the Century 3.5mm extreme wide stuffed into a PL Mount. He is asking alot of monies for this scuffed example. Note what appears to be separation of the front element. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/ARRI-Arriflex-CENTURY-Extreme-Wide-3-5mm-f-1-8-EPIC-RED-C300-C500-F5-ALEXA-/370835478160?pt=Camera_Lenses&hash=item5657845690&_uhb=1

Star Wars Episode 7 to be shot on Kodak 35mm Vision 3 500T color negative film (5219) by J.J. Abrams cinematographer, Dan Mindel ASC, BSC. http://www.bobafettfanclub.com/news/film-tv/exclusive-star-wars-episode-7-to-be-shot-on-film-by-dan-mindel/

Once again, Carl, you hit it out of the park! "One way to create a ribbon of low bit sensors is to use nano-technology. For example one could use light sensitive silver bromide particles, perhaps suspended in cellulose acetate."

The prior table did not format correctly. Here it is once again, i.e. No. Part No. Lens Mount FFD (mm) EUR 1 20506 Mitchell BNC-R Mount 61.468 560 2 18384 Panavision PV Mount 57.150 415 3 18431 PL Mount 52.000 280 4 22600 Sony B4 Mount 48.000 500 5 18380 Leica R Mount 47.000 415 6 23499 NIkon F Mount 46.500 420 7 18382 Canon EF Mount 44.000 320 8 22646 Canon FD Mount 42.000 320 9 19906 Leica M Mount 27.800 500 10 22605 C Mount 17.526 70

Thank you for taking the time to answer my previous queries, Lasse. I would like to bring your and your team's attention to the modular PS-IMS lens mount system devised by P+S Technik of Germany. It is essentially a simple robust modular mounting system consisting of an intermediate camera side mount + various lens adapters. They have positoned the intermediate camera side mount as an open standard with various OEM manufaturers. So far the following camera manufactures have been adapated, i.e. SONY PMW-F5 / F55 / F3 Ikonoskop A-Cam RED One PS-Cam X35 WEISSCAM HS-2 / HS-1 SI-2K MINI35 They could potentially manufacture the specific intermediate camera side mount for your camera. This would introduce a much larger range of global users. I have complied the following table for your examination. Note the relatively low cost of the common C-Mount (70 EUR). I suspect that economies of scale would apply. No. Part No. Lens Mount FFD (mm) EUR 1 20506 Mitchell BNC-R Mount 61.468 560 2 18384 Panavision PV Mount 57.150 415 4 18431 PL Mount 52.000 280 5 22600 Sony B4 Mount 48.000 500 6 18380 Leica R Mount 47.000 415 7 23499 NIkon F Mount 46.500 420 8 18382 Canon EF Mount 44.000 320 9 22646 Canon FD Mount 42.000 320 10 19906 Leica M Mount 27.800 500 11 22605 C Mount 17.526 70 Relevant links: 1. Pictures of Lens Mounts: http://www.pstechnik.de/downloads/24404_IMS_Mounts_Packlist_110512_web.pdf 2. A Vimeo video detailing the "PS-IMS-FZ rear element assembly" for the Sony F3 camera. 3. On-Line Store: http://store.pstechnik.de/home/interchangeable-mount-system-ps-ims/all-ps-ims-lens-mounts/#cc-m-product-6012043986