Jonathan Betz

Tom, I just tried to pm you but I got an error message. Anyway here's my message. Sorry if you got it twice: Given your posts here, it seems like you're the one to ask for transfer advice. I guess I have a few questions: 1. What does the telecine process involve and in what form must the film be in? 2. Is it possible to transfer a film that I have already cut with a bunch of clips? (here's a link to the little film I edited together to practice linear editing and s8 filming with my Canon 814: Also, as a side note, I used ektachrome 64t and an 85 orange filter, but it seems like the footage is a bit yellow. Does it look normal to you for super8 or do you think i've screwed up somehow? My camera has a daylight filter build in, but I believe I had it turned off. I read somewhere that I shouldn't use the built-in filter and that i should attach my own, but I'm curious to know what you think. 3. How much should it cost to purchase telecine equipment and would an at-home setup produce results equal to the processing houses that charge big bucks? 4. If I purchase a telecine machine, can it do HD or just SD? I am just getting into s8 and I would really like to get my footage onto the computer. Any help would be greatly appreciated. - Jon

Simon, thanks for all the great suggestions. I can swing open the gate so I will check as much as I can. I am out of town and won't be able to look at the projector until the 31st, so I will post updates once I've taken a look. You obviously know a lot more about these projectors than I do, so I will try to take a look and see if i can troubleshoot it. Is it possible that posting any close-up photos might help?

I did splice my own footage using a bolex cement splicer I purchased online. I have no idea if it is set up correctly. however, I have also had the problem while viewing a friend's footage that was totally uncut. I don't even think her film had a leader, so I don't think splices are necessarily the problem. Any other ideas?

I have been having a problem with my Bell and Howell projector. It seems to project some films fine and have problems with others. (I bought a few old boxing reels on ebay a while back and one seems to always play fine, while the other gives me problems. I have also had problems projecting some of my own footage. It is an auto load super 8 projector. The problem: the film starts out playing fine, and the loops above and below the lens are loose but not too loose (I'm not sure how to describe this accurately, but from what I understand, the loops are normal initially). The problem comes when for some reason the lower loop tightens up and the upper loop gets bigger to the point where so much film gets bunched up in the upper loop area that it bends and folds. The bends get pulled past the lens and turn into creases, and sprocket holes on the film are often ripped. Before disaster happens, as the lower loop gets tight, there is a clicking noise that lets me know its about to happen. Sometimes if I push down on the plastic tab used for auto loading, the upper loop gets smaller again and the problem is solved, but other times, there is nothing I can do. If I try to rotate the nob that controls the lower loop to make it larger again, the loop just tightens up and the upper loop gets bigger again. Any ideas about why this is happening and how I might fix it? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Cheers.

I am interested in pursuing a career in wildlife cinematography, but I am currently unable to purchase my own equipment. I have access to a Sony HDRFX1, but for filming wildlife, I really need larger than a 12x zoom. Since I don't really have any other choice, I am considering shelling out some money for a teleconverter lens that screws on to the front of the FX1. I know that these converter lenses are not ideal, but I don't have interchangeable lenses and I think I might still benefit from one of these. I am wondering if anyone has had experience using teleconverters, especially on HD cameras. If there are downsides, especially to cheap conversion lenses, what are they and how will I see these disadvantages in my footage? Here are links to the two I have been considering. Obviously there is a big price difference. I can probably only afford the cheaper one myself, but may be able to get some money from elsewhere to purchase something more expensive. http://stores.channeladvisor.com/47stphoto...?itemid=4398667 http://www.digitalfotoclub.com/sc/from-fro...fdate=5_22_2009 Any help would be greatly appreciated. Cheers.