Dan Salzmann

Mitch is 100% right-you'll kill yourself! You should be able to go to the rental house and check this out way in advance and see for yourself. One of the problems is that cameras that do all that we want them to do are expensive to rent - Handholdable and quiet for example. Start adding speed ramp capabilities and it gets outrageous. A comfortable operator makes better movies!

A few suggestions from an Eclair ACL user, 1) Try to get an ACLII with the Kinoptik finder - best! 2) Get a French camera and mags. 3) Avoid the 12-120 Angenieux. The only Angenieux for this camera worth considering is the 9.5-57mm. This is for reg 16mm only. It is tack sharp compared to the 12-120mm. Bolex c-mount Switar primes are very good and useable on this camera. In combination with a 200 ft mag they make for the most compact, economically priced sync sound camera that I know of. Great for car interiors for example. I never tested Bolex zooms but have been told they are good. 4) Les Bosher does great work! 5) These cameras don't have many bells and whistles but they sure are sturdy. Hope this is helpful!

Nose grease or vaseline on a piece of clear glass can work. Also try maybe some real flare-be careful with this method.

I think you could probably pick up a Canon Scoopic pretty cheap. These are 16mm cameras that take 100ft loads and have onboard batteries. Loading is a snap and they have sharp lenses and are pretty lightweight. Get a ND.6 filter and shoot away! Filmos are heavy, non-reflex and springwound-not ideal for ski slopes. Also handheld work with the 400ft mags is very difficult if not impossible, especially on skis. with the Scoopic you could eventually improvise some kind of body rig as well.

Just to add my two cents. I was on the team for Kodak Digital, France that interviewed 4 different producers of theatrically released and made-for TV movies. The main question was, "Is it really cheaper to shoot digital for fiction? All four unanimously replied "No...". This was true for various reasons including increased need for lighting, technicians, higher camera rental costs etc. with digital. As a footnote I will add that these interviews were filmed in super16mm. Again it is important to remember that it's the not the wand but the magic that comes out of it that really matters. Pixelvision is just as valid as super35mm. Just don't have false expectations. Gear can usually be negotiated, borrowed or whatever. Wheeling and dealing has always been a part of cinema and the budget often has a profound influence on the look for better or worse. The Russian Constructivists like Eisenstein were forced to work with shorter shots and editing because the only filmstock available to them was short-ends from German productions. The new Kodak emulsions are great and allow us to shoot things with less lighting than ever before. The most important thing is to make the best possible film!!!!

Subscribing to American Cinematographer is a good idea for anyone seriously involved with cinematography. And don't worry, lots of DP's from the UK and elsewhere get interviewed and profiled. It will cost roughly 3 pints or less per month, delivered. Good luck, Dan

Hello everyone, I need to get an outboard LCD monitor with a screen that's between 5" and 7" diagonal. it needs to be able to work on 12V and be attached to a camera in handheld mode. I would trade color for superior quality B&W and if it had greenscreen which is great in daylight that would be great as well but not essential. I need something that stands up to a film set and gives as good an image as possible in sunlight-yes I know about sun hoods etc. Can someone suggest a small monitor for industrial applications that could work? My research shows the Transvideo (too expensive) and these TFT screens meant for putting in your car. I was wondering if anyone knew of something in between the two in terms of robustness and image quality. Thanks, Dan

The ACLII wins hands down. Make sure it and the mags are French not British (mechanical problems with british mags0 and that it has the Kinoptik finder. This is a real workhorse camera with no bells or whistles. Sweet with C mount Switar primes!

I agree with Mitch and just want to add that it is important to have the Kinoptik finder on the ACL. It is brighter and able to be oriented.

Thanks gang! Any suggestions as to who I should contact to file out the gate of a K-3? What stills lenses can go on this camera? Can this camera be turned on at a distance? Cheers, Dan

I agree completely with David Mullen. Also American Cinematographer magazine is very valuable. Many DVD's have commentaries about or by DP's and cinematography. This is great because you can see exactly what they are referring to. Don't neglect still photography and photographers. After all a movie is a series of still images.

Anyone have any ideas about what is out there for a super16mm slam cam? Could a Filmo be converted?

<_< I am a DP based in Paris, France. The NPR is kind of noisy and not all that ergonomic. If budget is an issue but you absolutely need to own a camera I suggest an ACL II with high speed motor and the kinoptik finder and what was called the anatomical handgrip. Make sure the camera and mags are French because there were issues with British ACL's. This was the Roll's Royce of 16mm cameras for news crews at the time and they are built like tanks. This was the last ACL made before Eclair became Aaton.

I've got 2 Eyemos, one a 71Q spider turret and the other was modified by Steve's Cine Service in Canada - Nikon mount, reflex, video tap, quartz motor. Anyone else have an Eyemo modifid by Steve? Also would love to talk about lens issues with older eyemos - ie experiences with Cookes, B&H, Angenieux, etc. Also any ideas about a compact follow focus rig for Nikon lenses on this camera?

I'd like to agree with David Mullen and underline that a cinematographer is at the core a photographer. You should be taking still photos (not with an automatic camera) and trying to keep a little logbook about each image (lens data, film, lighting conditions, exposure, etc.). Look at photos, paintings, comic books and MOVIES, MOVIES, MOVIES!!!!!!!!!! Read everything you can get your hands on. EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Make little movies on super8, 16, dv, whatever and look at your results objectively. Get a summer job in a camera or lighting rental company - even if it's just sweeping the floors, you'll have low pressure hands-on experience and will be meeting people. Cheers, Dan

I'm convinced that it's cheaper to shoot 16mm than super8. Just look at some facts: The filmstock per/foot is cheaper in price - the super8 cartridge shell gets discarded. Super8 neg is fiercely expensive and very few labs develop it. Many telecines do not have super8 gates so quality telecinema is more difficult to find and negotiate. Get a Bolex or a Scoopic and shoot away! I would love to know if anyone has tricked out a flatbed or transparency scanner to do motion picture film. Cheers, Dan