Steven Budden

You could process a short test segment, but you're probably better off to use that processing money to buy new film and shoot again. Steven

Depends also on what you're shooting. If you're doing a documentary, switching primes might not be an option. But for a feature, where there is ample set up time, primes might work even better than a zoom in some ways. Steven

I've asked this before but it was sort of a side question in a much longer post, so I thought I would focus on the question a little. I'm shooting regular 16mm for projection on 16mm (for now). I am interested in using both color and black and white in my shorts. One short is Kodak black and white negative and 50D color negative. The other is fomapan and tri x reversal (I haven't shot color for this one yet). Anyway, what are my options? I know these ones... 1. Cut in the color with the black and white on the negative, and then print on color print film, but suffer the color cast in the black and white portion. 2. Make release prints and then splice those together (cement?) I think that's it. I'm only making a few prints to start, so I wouldn't mind doing a little labor on each one. Any help appreciated. Thanks! Steven

Also, super 16mm isn't really for projecting on regular 16mm equipment. Even on modified projectors, it can have no sound. So pretty much it is only for blow up to 35 or transfer to digital. Steven

I'd look for a bolex REX 4. I just sold one to a Korean filmmaker on ebay for $500 in original box with a 25mm switar. You can probably find another for around $500 with a prime or maybe even a lower end zoom. I got a bolex a year ago and I've shot a lot since then. I've also bought a few others to resale and they all seemed to work well. Even old ones from the 50's. But RX 4 , 5, SB, and SBM will give you 10 x viewfinder (or 13x for $300 extra). Don't go for the magazine option yet unless you know you'll need it, because you'll pay a lot more for the camera for something you may or may not ever use. If you do decide to do sync sound eventually, you can upgrade to another camera down the road. Might as well just get something affordable and see if film is your thing. Bolex's hold their value fairly well too for the resale. Steven

Thanks. I'll hold off on shooting it for the time being. Steven

Thanks. So it may be safe to use such old film? i've heard of people using 10 year old Kodachrome that came out just fine, but not this old... Steven

I just got some old rolls of Kodachrome II with a camera. By old I mean the box says process by 'May, 1969'. I've heard that Kodachrome lasts a really long time, but what might be wrong with this film if I shoot and process it? I'm an experimental filmmaker so I don't mind an unconventional look, but I was just wondering if I could get a vague idea of what that look might be? Does it tend to go red? Also, one of the boxes is kodachrome II photoflood. Is this the same as tungsten? What filter do I use to enable me to use photoflood film in daylight? Thanks! Steven

I believe procam has them in stock for not too expensive. Steven

I Think it depends a little on the conversion too. Any variance will show up at the edges of the 10mm. I had a super 16mm sbm and the 10mm shots looked bad. Steven

marked 8 inches. Steven

Also, the new tobin sync motors are designed to work with the 8:1 shaft so you can use them on older bolexes. Steven

For more versatility in a bolex I'd do a wind up one with a sync motor. So when you need mos shots you can take it anywhere and wind it without the large cumbersome battery packs. Steven

Les bosher in UK. Guy at cameras pro in US. Much much cheaper than the factory. Steven

Or like many filmmakers did in the sixties, change the frame rate and let the exposure change for effect. Steven

Thanks for the advice. Since I'm handprocessing in a daylight tank workprint is a huge expense, so I'm trying to get away with using the reversal original. But as it stands I have a lot of neg and reversal b and white footage I'm trying to put together into something. I was flipping the neg not to reverse the image alone but for effect... the jitter of switching back and forth. Seems to work for that alright. Thanks! Steven

Mechanically it works... I do it all the time, but run some tests becase the exposure will change slightly (or a lot). Steven

Thanks. I did notice a little softness in the image when i flipped them. Darn. Also, how will the tape stretching effect the print? I was afraid it might jump or something as it does in my projector. For printing reversal I suppose I should splice each side? Because I'm editing original reversal and then making a few release prints. So there is no way to splice reversal into a negative film the same way as it was originally shot without flipping the internegative? Is this negative flipping a common practice? What about documentary filmmakers who end up with some negative and some reversal footage? The reversal footage is always shown backwards? It is regular double perf 16mm. Thanks! Steven PS. What projector will take splices better than my Bell and howell autoload filmosound thing? It jumps on every tape splice.

Title says it all. Any brand will work. Want to shoot some time lapse stuff and I don't want to pay retail for a new motor. Thanks! Steven

Hola, I have a few questions about printing a release print from negative. Can I turn the negative around and resplice it into a shot to reverse the picture? Will the width of the film plane effect focus? I'm trying to do it so a figure is on one side of the screen, and then on the other side (picture reversed) and then back again. It works in the work print but I'm just double checking? Also, what is the best way to combine reversal and negative (black and white)? Splice an internegative in with the negative? What about using negative originated footage in a predominantly reversal short? And I've checked with a few but do most labs for reversal printing take tape splices or does it just depend on the lab? This is an experimental film, edited on rewinds and viewer. Thanks! Steven

Switars are fairly cheap now. I just thought if I could get one really cheap with a damaged coating I would rub it off. But is the coating on all the elements? Then it wouldn't make much sense. I suppose I could use a non coated front of the lens filter. This really increases flare in my experience. Steven

Sam, I always here you say that wide focal widths deepen space, but according to everything I read they flatten space by bringing everything into focus, like a japanese woodblock print. Steven

Doesn't the aaton Minima use them? Steven

A few questions... I'm wondering how strong the coating is in general, and particularly on a Vario Switar Multi coated zoom? Someone told me the coating is on the inside of lenses but I'm assuming that is incorrect. I've cleaned it a few times with air and a luminex cloth, but I've settled on q tips because I tend to get a little overzealous with the cloths and just rub grease around and panic. So the glass is not likely to scratch during cleaning, but the coating? Also, stubborn white specs... are they likely dings in the coating? I haven't been using a lens protector because I read somewhere that that is just paranoia and lenses aren't THAT fragile. But just in terms of easing my mind it might be worth it. (Also, I didn't want to use a multicoated lens and put a crappy piece of glass on the front so I'm still looking at options). Any comments? Side question: A few tiny fibers of dust or something got inside the above lens. Is that normal? Also... shooting for that old uncoated look on a bolex reflex? What lenses could I use? Can I somehow rub the coating off of an RX switar or angenieux for that look? Or are there any old lenses that will work on the reflex? Also, is the coating generally on all the elements or just the front? Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks! Steven

Thanks! Some of the scenes lose focus at the edges and others fade completely to black. I find this interesting, and assume it has something to do with lens choices not quite covering the whole frame. But why on this film and not others from this era, because that particular aspect doesn't seem always intentional. Also, I'm thinking of hand processing to get that slight irregularity. I'll try the vaseline on the filter. Sounds a bit risky! Would I do well to use an old uncoated lens or the sharpest lens I can find and make the adjustments elsewhere? The fomapan I'm using now is 100 ASA. What do you think the speed of the film Dreyer used was? It kind of looks like filming speeds were adjusted sometimes for exposure compensation (though it's hard to ascertain without sound.) I've just never seen such painterly facial detail. There are scened where every eyelash and every wrinkle is perfectly carved out in light. Steven