Webster Colcord

On 10/15/2020 at 3:21 AM, Stephen Perera said:

“We were shooting on ARRI Arricam LT cameras and ARRI only makes an aluminum pressure plate for two and three perf. Since the 5222 didn’t have an antihalation back what would happen is any strong light source would come in, expose the film, bounce off the pressure plate, re-expose the backside of the film, and we would end up with these crazy vertical flares. We had to shoot four perf because ARRI only ever made an anodized black pressure plate in four perf.....”

Seems like there's some information missing. If they wanted to shoot two or three perf, why didn't they just get the existing pressure plate anodized black? There must be more to that part of the story. Looking forward to viewing the movie on Netflix!

Some cool tricks in there. The first macro shot where the hand grabs the bottle, and one later close-up has a lot of chromatic aberration - I have an old Pan Cinor that does the same. Also I think there's many shots where the camera is shooting into mylar that's being wiggled? Maybe one shot with vaseline around the edge of the lens, or a hole cut in a plastic bottle?

Sorry for the lengthy topic wording. I didn't want to call it "Camera Movements" as that would be mistaken for something else. I'm sure this has all been covered in the forum previously, but perhaps not under one topic thread (I searched).

From what I have learned over the years, there are four basic types of camera movements (film transport mechanisms) in professional cameras with many variations:

1. pull-down claw - usually driven by a cam, variations include the Bolex' "trailing claw" and the Auricon's claw with bearings in the gate which have a stabilizing function. 

2. claw with pins mechanically linked - does this have a better name? I'm thinking of the "Mitchell-type" mechanically linked pull-down claw with registration pins. In the J.M. Wall camera this was designed to all fit in a compact module that could be taken out of the camera easily, the Arri BL had a similar design. The Arri-S and Milliken come to mind as other variations with a mechanically linked registration pin. 

3. fixed pin shuttle - used in the Bell & Howell 2709 and animation cameras, also used in optical printers

4. prism & drum - specifically for highspeed cameras

- please correct me/mansplain-away!

I just got my inaugural test roll back for a Gic 16 - and my first time shooting the new Ektachrome. Lots of problems, and have since sent off the camera to Mr. Wyss for repair. The take-up was inconsistent, so every 5 feet it would back up and (since there's so little room in there) jam. So I had my changing bag with me and would pop the camera into it after each 5 ft, and manually adjust the take-up. Unfortunately, it turns out that this changing bag was not 100% light-tight! It was also an extremely bright day, so I'm not too surprised. E100D, processing by Dwayne's, 2K scan by Nick Coyle. Lens was an Angenieux 17-68 with side finder. Camera's speed is supposed to be 16fps but I have adjusted the speed in the edit to 15fps and it feels correct. It's really just a novelty camera, cheaply made but fun and *tiny*. 

Arthur, I really love the "Omni 16" option that you show on your site. I'm wondering - is it the same price as your Super 16 conversion and does it involve re-centering the lens just like the Super 16 conversion does?

- Webster

I shot a roll for fun with my Filmo Superspeed, 128fps on a spring motor. No editing. Processing and scan by Cinelab Boston

@Frank Wylie Do you know if it's possible to adapt Mitchell mount lenses to a J.M. Wall mount, or vice-versa? I know that both use screws, but how different are the mounts? Sorry, my cameras are in storage at the moment so I don't have easy access to compare. I know the flange focal distance is *almost* the same from the Mitchell standard to the "new" Wall.

Maybe someone can answer on a related topic, as I found another one of these lenses - is this what it looks like, a dual mount for a BNC and a standard? It's pretty obvious that the larger four flanges (one of which, looking at another photo that I didn't upload here, has a notch) is the BNC mount, but I am not quite sure what I'm looking at with the smaller mount on the end, with what looks like screw holes (I have not bought this lens yet and tried to fit it to anything).

@Pavan Deep was selling a couple of them

Whatever happened to your lens, Patrick? I saw one of these for sale on Ebay about a year ago, dogleg finder but specifically for a BNCR, it said.

This is a more illustrative picture of the Nato rail. It needs to have that slot in it, for the screws that hold it into the Bolex mount.

Just to chime in here; the official Bolex rails are sometimes hard to come by. I figured out how to rig normal lens support rods to a Bolex without using a cheese plate. The key was a Nato rail, attached to the Bolex with M6 metric screws. All cheap SmallRig components. The Nato rail I got was 7cm long, but I would go for a slightly longer one. 

15 hours ago, Shane C Collins said:

My Elmo Super 110 is an all metal camera and operates like new. It's also one of the quietest cameras I own. 

I picked up a Super 110 (cheap!) after someone recommended it and it's a fantastic camera, I'm surprised they don't get mentioned more often. 

Simon, are all Europeans known for being open and direct? Surely not the British, right? I mean, when a Brit says the lovely-sounding phrase, "With all due respect"; he's about to lob a huge insult at you. 

I just used Google translate. I have a good friend over in Germany who could translate it, if you want - I'll put you in touch with him. 

1 hour ago, Simon Wyss said:

It’s 140 degrees. https://www.filmvorfuehrer.de/topic/27598-der-chic-der-gic/

All the information is there, thank you!

Indeed, it's odd that the black anodized turret is so weakly mounted.

On 6/14/2018 at 3:20 AM, Doug Palmer said:

Well thanks to Simon in Switzerland I'm now the happy owner of a GIC 16mm camera that runs at very nearly 24 !

https://filmisfine.com/blog/16mm-exploits-with-the-g-i-c-camera/

I just got my hands on a GIC and I'm happy with the 16fps - but I'm just now doing my first test shoot with it. I am guesstimating that the exposure time will be about 1/30th, but I think the shutter angle is smaller than 180 so maybe it's shorter? 

Hi Phillip, 

I sent you a message, please check your inbox.

- Webster

Thanks Dom! 

I'm curious about the mount on this Canon 12-120MM C-16? Any idea what this is?

There's very little info on the Super 8 wiki about them:

http://super8wiki.com/index.php/Pentacon_Pentaflex_8

But the brilliant Marco Kroger posted this video

https://youtu.be/HKN97YfmtAc

...and there's a link to a super informative page which is where the reflex diagram appears to have come from:

https://zeissikonveb.de/start/kameras/schmalfilmkameras/pentaflex 8.html

He also posted a diagram of the reflex system. 

Attached is an image of the Pentacon from Chosei. 

Erren, I'm close to you in the San Francisco area. Would love to know where you're sourcing your film stock - 8mm is rather hard to find. Here's an image of an H8 RX4, a beautiful machine. But something I didn't know until Chosei Funahara pointed out recently on a Facebook post, there's one 8mm camera with a spinning mirror reflex - the Pentacon Pentaflex. They made a 16mm version that can be found rather inexpensively on eBay, but I'm not sure how rare the 8mm version is or if it's the only spinning mirror reflex 8mm camera. 

H8 RX4

I asked this question recently to a couple of pros and they said to store your lenses on a shelf. That's not always practical, of course, so I ordered some of the desiccant to keep in my pelican cases.