Stephen Williams

Hi, Call the USA office tel (+1) 910-343-1089, If Joe is not there explain what you want. I am sure they can help. I spoke to Joe 2 years ago at IBC, he was planning to put the records on the web. I guess that has not happened yet. Stephen Williams Cameraman www.stephenw.com

Hi, With 40 BNC's I guess you are in Bristol! Contact Joe Dunton with a list of serial no's and he will give you the information from the Mitchell Camera Co records. Stephen

Richard, Please do! Many thanks Stephen

Hi, I think the 558 is a good meter. I have been using one for 5 years and highly recomend it. Use lithiom batteries they lasts for months! Stephen Williams DP www.stephenw.com

Hi, For a filmout, keying or colour correction 10 bit is better. Stephen

Hi, For some reason meters are calibrated for 12% reflectance and as a grey scale is 18% there will be a half stop difference! Stephen Williams DP www.stephenw.com

Phil, Last year I shot in the Sierra Neveda, Spain. No Permissions needed even driving with a Arri 435 strapped to the side of the car! Stephen Williams DoP Zurich www.stephenw.com

Hi, Fries engineering made a Mitchell upgrade (AF35R) with bellows focus, used on some older motion control rigs, very good for macro. www.frieseng.com Stephen Williams DP www.stephenw.com

Hi, If you use a datacine you could get quicktime or DPX files to hard drive. I have done this from a Spirit, but it is more expensive than direct to tape. Stephen Williams DP www.stephenw.com

Hi, Spain uses Pal-B/G Stephen Williams DP www.stephenw.com

Hi, I wish the labs in Switzerland would loose money on processing. Its a very small market, you phone to say when you want your film prcessed and its done while you wait! In about 1 hour with cleaning! Stephen

David, Do you know if the camera was shooting at 24fps for the battle scenes? Stephen Williams DP www.stephenw.com

Kevin, I don't understand what you are saying? I think you accept that a 25mm at 5 feet, a 50mm at 10 feet, a 100mm at 20 feet & a 200mm at 40 feet all have the same DOF at the same F stop & the same size image. Stephen

Keven, In David Samuelson book "A Hands-On Manual for Cinematographers", he states. "Depth of field remains the same, regardless of lens focal length, so long as the image size (and f-stop) is the same. There is no point in changing to a shorter focal length lens and moving closer, because if the image size remains the same so will the depth of field." (Focal Press, London, second edition, 1998, p.218) Stephen Williams DP Zurich www.stephenw.com

Hi, The Quarda is a CCD telecine. Its IMHO not as good as an Ursa Diamond with a new tube and a good colorist. The Spirit is one of the best telecine's there is, the Shadow is nearly as good. I often use a Shadow over a Spirit because of a better colorist. I think you were unlucky with your best light transfer to Digibeta. It sounds like a trainee was at the controls and had turned up the sharpness. I always ask to turn off noise reduction and sharpening at the start of the session. I can then see what is on the film, and add any if necessary. Stephen Williams DP Zurich www.stephenw.com

Many people shoot timelapse with Mitchell's or a Cameraflex

Hi, If you call Joe Dunton in the USA he has the original records and can tell you the delivery date and original owner. www.joedunton.com I would guess about 1947 as they were making about 50 a year and 576 was November 1943. Good luck Stephen Williams DP Zurich www.stephenw.com

Jay, Both Stanley K. and I used a modified Mitchell and Kodak Film. Stanley's Camera was modified by Cinema Products and mine by Fries Engineering.

Hi, I have shot tests using just candles. I Used Zeiss Superspeed's with 500 asa film. I used normal candles without problems. Its not difficult and great fun. Its a small Jpeg I will try to find a bigger file Stephen Williams DP Zurich www.stephenw.com

Hi, If your shooting outside its very accurate too! Stephen

Phil, If one of your regular clients wants to shoot film and you don't please give me a call! Cheers, Stephen Williams www.stephenw.com

Phil, I have a car, so going to the lab is easy. 1/2 hour telecine or 1 light pass graded to a grey chart won't break the bank! The video tape from TK will have a far better picture than straight from any video camera. The Pitch I made 3 weeks ago was on 35mm. Suprise Suprise it looked better than every other pitch and I got the commercial! Big joke is the client wants to shoot on video as the budget is tight! Cheers, Stephen www.stephenw.com

Hi, Many DP's operate with glasses. If your head is flagging the eyepiece there should be no problems. Cheers, Stephen

Daniel, Computers may be cheap, but time is money. Stephen

Phil, It won't buy you work. I have clients who call me to get cut away shots on 35mm very cheaply, without delay. I just have to load a mag an shoot! Almost as easy as having your own video camera. Stephen Williams DP www.stephenw.com