Don Brown

Dear all,

 

I am finalising a little system I built which records the sound and the pilot tone of my kinor 16. the pilot tone gives the motor frequency (fps x 2). So, once I have the pilot frequency and the sound, I can resample the sound to match exactly the telecine frequency, for example, my camera was running at 24fps +-2% the telecine was done at pal or whatever (23.??? fps), so I just resample the sound file as a factor of pilot fps/telecine fps. My question is, before the computers, what would happen with pilot tones? I mean, I know nagras recorded them also, so, how did people do in the past to match the film speed with the sound speed? Cheers

 

richardson

Hi Richardson

In the early days the Sound Dept on a film would control the camera the optical sound recorder and camera had interlock sync motors and the Sound Camera operator would shout sound speed when they where running, this carried on with magnetic film. When the 1/4" tape came in there where lots of ways to hold sync, the BBC had a 16/35mm Magnetic tape bay that the motor was run from a amp that was feed from the pilotone recorded on the 1/4". Nagra had a unit called an SLO which was a comparator with an Ocillascope tube that you would compare the incoming sync from the Nagra and the reference frequency ie mains or crystal this would be seen as a circle on the screen. The later Nagra's have their own sync lock board built in which comes into operation when the machine is in playback mode.

Regards

Don

I'm wondering if anyone can provide me with a complete list of all the Switar zoom lenses available in C mount, both RX and non-RX versions? I get the impression that not many Switar zooms were made with C mount.

Hi Patrick

Have a look at this site.

http://www.bolexcollector.com/lenses/60kern.html

Regards

Don

There is also Martin that did all the conversions for Bolex service enginereer David Warren here in UK

http://www.stecica.co.uk/1.html

Regards

Don

Boy, it took me quite a bit of searching on the internet to find these darn Tuchel thingamajiggies...

 

But I think I found an excellent source, so if another noob like me puts a search for the words Bolex, battery, pin, interface, power, wire, and Tuchel they can possibly be helped by this source: Mouser Electronics. The link goes to the catalog of Amphenol Tuchel connectors. (Amphenol=manufacter and Tuchel=type ?)

I think it is what is needed for the Bolex... :)

Hi Mitsos

They are the ones the one you want is the 4 way female (523 T 3301 001)

Don

Hi all,

 

I have a Bolex EL, and I am finding it a challenge to supply it with power.

 

At first, a friend of mine (who is an electrical engineer) created a battery for me. He took an inexpensive rectangular 12V battery and soldered two terminals. He also made a wire which attached to the two terminals of the battery on one side and to the camera on the other. Ok, this worked great. But, I left the battery unused for a long while and now it doesn't charge it anymore.

 

So, yesterday I went to B&H and I thought, what the heck, I ain't no EE, I'll spend $100 and buy one of the Bescor batteries with the XLR pin, the little belt case, the charger, etc. But, I forgot that the power interface of the Bolex EL, is not an XLR. So, my question is, what exactly is that interface called?

 

I am thinking of removing the XLR pin from the new battery I bought, and putting the one that my friend had used in the first 'homemade' battery, which fit the 4-pin interface on the camera. Any advice?

 

Is there some sort of attachment that transforms the interface on the camera to an XLR one, so I don't have to mess with the battery?

 

Thanks much for any help,

 

Mitsos

The interface as you call it is a Tuchel or Binder plug which is common in Europe on camera's and sound equipment

Regards

Don

Hello,

 

can anyone recommend me a very good lab for an high quality Super8 telecine (best machines, great colorist, etc.) in the UK (possibly in London...)?

 

Thanks,

 

Maurizio

Hi Maurizo

I hear that Todd AO is good

http://www.todd-ao.co.uk/super8mm.htm

Regards

Don

A flash contact gives only one feedback pulse per frame. This is not sufficient for a perfectly stable running speed.

 

The crystal motors and control units we used to make generally had anywhere from 9 to 60 pulses per frame feedback to the control circuit.

Yes I was wondering how he thought that would work. I am only familiar with the CP16 which uses 600HZ @ 24 FPS from their optical tacho with 600HZ divided down fom the ref oscillator.

I believe Bolex on their external sync box for the 16EL uses 1000HZ @25 FPS from pulse generator and feeding back into camera from comparator 100 HZ

Regards

Don

Hello :)

 

Was there ever a Super 8 Panflex made?

 

Thanks.

Hi again

The only S8 that looks like a Panaflex was the Bolex 150 series

Regards

Don

The device is nearly finished but it needs a couple of finishing touches. I would be able to bring it out now but I really want it to be completely stable since I don't want complaints from costumers and I want to build up a good reputation.

As soon as it is available, you all will be the first to know.

Regards,

Marko van Gemerden

What ever happened to this unit did anybody ever see one ?

Regards

Don

Hello :)

 

Was there ever a Super 8 Panflex made?

 

Thanks.

Hi Matthew

No Panavision did not make any 8mm they did make a 16mm version called the Elaine

Panavision never sold cameras they only rented them out

Regards

Don

Don,

 

Nope, no baffles. What you see is what you get. The older models, like the one pictured above, don't have the brightest ground glass. The later models, the ones with the interchangeable ground glass, can have an ARRI fibre optics screen installed, and then it is as bright and clear as an Arriflex 16SR.

 

Hi Tim

Thanks for that. I have a CP16R which has fibre optics which is lovely and bright and a Beaulieu R16 Auto that is bright but my early R16 and my Bolex RX 5 are a bit dark.

Yes I would love a modern Arri S, have you managed to put assist on any of you Arri's

 

Regards

 

Don

If I shoot at 9 fps, then have my footage tranfered at that speed, will the resulting footage play back at normal speed, but be rather choppy? I am shooting Super 8 and may want to have a skinny shutter look. My camera does not have a manual adjustable shutter angle, so I would like to achieve some sort of staccato look.

 

Hi Chris

Is this the effect you are after

 

http://rondexter.com/professional/effects/...-speed_blur.htm

 

I was working on a car commercial in France where we did this and some shots on the film "Wimbledon" they said it was poor mans (Time- Slice)

 

Regards

 

Don

Or, better yet, just get an Arriflex 16S and tape off the viewfinder for 16:9 like pictured below. Then shoot your film and have your telecine operator frame for 16:9 and transfer the footage anamorphic to tape.

 

 

Hi Tim

It's a long time since I looked though a Arri 16S, does it have the light baffles that the Arri IIC had which was a pain for Video Assist cameras.

 

 

Regards

 

Don

 

PS Love your Web site

 

 

The Original Boston UK

Sorry for that Clive as Andrew sold some of you motors I thought its was your's, sorry for confusion to all.

Regards

Don

Hi Phil

There are units out there I think Clive did one, but I know that Anrew Alden in UK has one that goes with EL

Intervalometers for the H16 EL (all models) (NEW), these are powered by an internal 9v PP3 battery, crystal controlled with ranges of seconds, minutes and hours and multipliers of 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 - therefore the range of interval is 1/4 second up to 64 hours. Momentary closing contact output via internal reed relay, 5 pin Din plug to the camera, £95.00

www.bolex.co.uk

Regards

Don

Hi again to all

Just keep at it, I did a few little jobs for a friend back in the 70's called Steve Barron he went on to direct some great Pop video's and then into Movies.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Barron

Regards

Don

Hi Matt

Thanks for that, I have as a Sound recordist done a few Pop Video's here in UK and have had to supply playback tapes at various speeds to shoot at different camera speeds mainly shooting 25fps

with Timecode slate.

Regards

Don

well good for you. ;-) it's a fact though that the sync isn't perfect and the opening shots are a bit dull compared to the rest. the only place where people actually watch a video actively is during the first seconds, then you get away with much more dullness, sloppiness and whatever. in my experience, that's all. i think it's a pretty great video that could be even better with a better opening. that the song doesn't really begin at first is not a reason to not begin the video. i made a similar mistake shooting the mind kaos video, but i think i managed to fix most of it in the editing.

 

as for my lisa lindal video it was kodachrome, canon 814, flashscan telecine.

 

Hi Matt

How long did it hold sync ? I am gobsmacked at the quality from K11 do you shoot all you stuff on 8mm

I have 2 814's and 2 Agfa Movexoom 10's

 

Regards

 

Don

hey, mathtiaeuys here. :-) i liked the video a lot, the song too, very good locations and performances from the band members, but i would have opened it differently. the dullest shots with the worst sound sync should never open a video, even if they fit the music well. you need something that makes people want to watch. honestly i almost turned it off after a few seconds. for me the video didn't begin until the flash frame and quick cutting into the live performance. up until then all i could see was bad sync and boring grading, neither of which bothered me after that.

 

all in all still a pretty great video. keep it up.

 

Hi to John & Matt

Liked video, yes some is out of sync but with equipment used good job

John was camera crystal locked, what did you use for playback

 

Matt: what gear did you use to shoot Lisa Lindal video

 

Regard

 

Don

I just digged up my dad's old NPR, it got everything except the battery to power

the Perfectone Compact Motor... Can anyone tell me what kind of battery and cables

is use with this camera? And where can I get it?

I was hoping for something portable or on board...

And how do I know if the camera need an overhaul?

 

Thanxs a millions...

Hi Tawin

You could do like this chap has done and mount a clip on battery on the mags

http://members.aol.com/npr16mm/ (click on Visitors Camera)

Regards

Don

Don is right on. Pin #1 is common/negative and pin#4 is hot/12volts. The sync light should come on briefly upon start-up and stay off when running. It's really an out-of-sync alarm.

Put some film in the mag and fire her up. If your processed images look sharp and steady, you're ready to rock.

Sorry Bernie I should have told him of you, we have never met but like you I worked for Samuelson's, from 72-82 some of the best days of my life ran the Sound Maintenance Dept and the Video Assist after Joe Dunton left.

Regards

Don

I just digged up my dad's old NPR, it got everything except the battery to power

the Perfectone Compact Motor... Can anyone tell me what kind of battery and cables

is use with this camera? And where can I get it?

I was hoping for something portable or on board...

And how do I know if the camera need an overhaul?

 

Thanxs a millions...

Hi

As far as I can remember on the side of the motor is a 4 pin male XLR socket needs 12v I believe its Neg 1 Pos 4 which it now the standard it does not take onboard battery it was mainly used with a battery belt ,as for service I don't know where you live

Regards

Don

Nick,

 

Thanks for the info. Back down in the lower elevations and moderate temperatures the trigger is working better. But I would like to get it working smoother. It also seems that towrds the end of a wind, it gets stuck easier.

 

pixelation = time lapse???

 

Are you joking around here? Well, I think I am using the correct terms. Back in the day, shooting one frame at a time was referred to as pixelation. Maybe some old timers can explain further, or correct me. I know I have seen some info on the net somewhere about this. I can't remember why it was called this.

 

Jeremy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixilation

Regards

Don

http://www.kitashton.com/video.htm This is Kodak 7218, but what lens did they use? Check out the behind the scenes pics and let me know so I can pick it up. I figured out this guy did it http://www.perezproductions.co.uk/perez.html pretty impressive work if you ask me with his given tools.

Hi Jonathan

This was covered last year enter this into search its by a chap called James Westbrook

First time on 16mm, first music video, For all you k3 fans

Regards

Don

Has anybody ever been inside Agfa Movexoom 10, I need to look at footage counter but not sure how knobs come off, they do not seem to pull or are there are any small grub screws, I do not want to damage by doing something silly.

Regards

Don