Gregg MacPherson

People on the forum have been looking for these occasionally, so thought I should point it out. Soft padded cover type. Cheap http://www.ebay.com/itm/Arriflex-Sound-Barney-for-Arri-SR1-and-2-Cameras/111177404323?_trksid=p2047675.m1985&_trkparms=aid%3D444000%26algo%3DSOI.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D18348%26meid%3D2058132609573054528%26pid%3D100012%26prg%3D8402%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D3%26sd%3D111160260471%26#ht_130wt_1158

Thanks Dom. If an SR has been properly maintained what does a CLA typically cost? Do you have any thoughts on comparitive maintenance costs for SR vs Aaton vs ACL ? For the exercise one could assume they all begin as low mileage fully serviced cameras. Owner operated, sporadic use. Hard question, I'm guessing, but a really interesting one that has bugged me forever. Cheers, Gregg.

I was hoping to meet Wes Printz soon for another small job (moved to Panvision Auskland from LA and good with electronics). So we'll see what he thinks. Thanks, Gregg..

I watched that video. At the end he shows us how to pry off the retainer ring by putting his finger on the rear element. (smiley face icon)

Sorry for my quite bad typing. I meant to say ... Perhaps what we are doing as conceptors (thinkers), writers, film makers, artists, is more important than the degree to which we understand it (understand what we are doing)..

I wanted to add....... Re tape. I am out of date, but there used to be a black camera tape that we used to seal mags with (I used Scotch). Looks like black masking tape. This is what would ideal if sticking filters to lenses, making cardboard sunshades etc. It never left residue after being removed, even after 15 years, having been carelessly left on.

I have quite a few 72mm screw on filters that I was going to sell quite cheap. I also have a series 9 (round) filter holder for a 72mm thread, and a few series 9 filters. What do you need? Taping a filter onto the front of a lens, and hopefully making an improvised sunshade (black cardboard can do it) is something to pull out of the hat for unusual lenses that you don't often need. One can buy a really cheap second hand Chinese or Indian matte box and find cheap second hand filters, often Tiffen 4x4. 3x3 and series rounds are very cheap on eBay. Be optimistic.

Here, for me is an interesting, almost commentary on the discussion. You see, for me, it's not that they should do, but whether we will allow that they could do (reveal some truth about existence, life). Reading James, it's as though they should not do. I don't agree with that at all. I also have a hiccup when modern folk reach naturally for existentialism with reference to existence, meaning, truth. For me, though I have barely glanced at Sartre, it feels like a kind anti-profound field of thinking, or an idea doomed to be misunderstood. (Oh the conceit of me).. Sort of like democracy voting for a totalitarian government. But we're just talking, hopefully unguardedly, without the requirement that anyone needs to be wrong. I think a lot of films remind us of what we really are, what the universe is, without being pompous. Perhaps what we are doing as conceptors (thinkers), writers, film makers, artists, is more important that the degree to which we understand it (understand what we are doing)..

Shameless bump. Any thoughts appreciated.

I ran into trouble with the post edit tool. So just posting here. Found it. One of Frank's blogs. http://frankglencairn.wordpress.com/2010/04/01/vintage-zeiss-glass-on-modern-cameras/

One thing to consider. It may have already been pointed out. The center part of lens elements are often sharper, so some of the loss of final projected resolution due to cropping may be offset. At the risk of spiking the eBay prices on certain East German Zeiss primes, some good evaluation or sample use of certain Jena lenses has been done. Looks nice. But it wasn't the S16 format. I think it was maybe BMCC. Look for the "I bought a zebra farm" thread on bmcuser.com. Frank was the guy, also has some pages up on the web with some advice and screenshots.

Hey Will, What are your maintenance costs on your SRs? Do you know what they are doing when they do a CLA? I mean specifically, your tech on your SRs? Do SRs have a required service after an elapsed time or is it just the footage used that brings up a service?

@James Poetry, meaning the poetic. Magic, meaning the magical. These two words being used to suggest experience that transcends beyond the prosaic. Films containing or illustrating or founded on these qualities exist. Sometimes near or in the main stream cinema, or gradually accepted into the main stream. Perhaps art in film and film makers who are artists or who attempt great films are like blue eyed dogs. Uncommon, and it may be more convenient for some to pretend that they just do not exist. Same for this problematic yearning for art that might exist within the audience. Problematic? Well, to be fair, neither Cameron's Avatar nor Lynch's Erazerhead seem to find this problematic at all.

@Dirk. I'm familiar with the parts. I've fitted and removed motors and the rubber drive disk (shock absorber). But I don't yet understand how a soft disk with worn holes gives the flicker. When I first read your post I mimmediately felt, ah that makes sense, then realized that I did not understand it at all. Do you know how that works. Is there an occilation from the rubber and a lead / lag thing going on if there is enough play between the movement and the mirror, so the edge of the mirror is sometimes in the wrong place.

I recently got a Cinema Products J4 zoom control that only seems to run the motor at one speed. The motor(s) were I think used for a 35BL I. I wondered if the system had been tweaked with extra torque for that, but I don't think it can explain what I'm seeing. The speed control pot in the electronics / battery box was corroded so I replaced that but it didn't change anything. In fact the motor behaved the same with the pot removed from the circuit. I measured V on the black/red wires going to the motor and pushing / pulling the thumb switch I got .... - push ....12.5....12.8V - pull ....-0.2.....-0.35 just after the start click, then staying at -0.35. I had a quick look at the thumb switch internals. Thought I might leave it to an expert. I'm meeting one for another job soon. Does anyone have a srvice manual or circuit diagram for the J4 zoom control? Any thoughts about what's wrong with it? Cheers, Gregg.

Words belong to those that use them. One can say this and accept that language is a shifting, living thing. Or, one can be rigid or a fussy pedant, holding to fixed definitions that ignore common usage and evolvement. So what is "story"? And who has the right to define what it means? Equating story to plot is very limiting. There is a tendency for film makers to romanticize and expand the notion of story and story telling. There is a sort of implied emotional, social and spiritual integration in the story word. An implication of wholeness. What the deconstruction crew might call the means of expressing or giving form to story is actually an integral part of that notion (the notion of "story"). Or not, as we see on these pages. Rationalizing or reducing "story" to mean "plot". Is this a deconstruction artifact? Does the universe need to be resolved as neatly fitting parts? Why is the dominant means of inquiry the examination of parts? Is this compromising our receptivity and sensitivity towards the more integrated, the more whole? If those going to the cinema long only for "story" as "plot" with some formal embellishments, along with their popcorn and their chance for a good snog, then let the pragmatists rule. One can give up, I would say, on the audience and the cinema. But one could argue that elements in the audience long for poetry and magic. It (that) is inexpressible as a deconstructed collection of parts. So what value has that approach towards delivering this thing that they long for? I would argue that a small element within each and all of the audience has some longing and receptivity for poetry and magic.

Hey, Any advice appreciated on this. The Angenieux fully orientable viewfinder for the ACL. When mounting this on the NPR, using the ACL mounting bracket. - Is the screw hole spacing for the mounting bracket the same for ACL and NPR? The ACL measured about 31.5mm center to center. - What is the hole size in the camera body of the NPR to accommodate the VF. The ACL (S16) that I measured had a 15.7mm hole and the VF has 14.95mm diameter baffle that fits this hole. - If using the ACL mounting bracket on the NPR will the VF diopter be roughly centered (diopter setting 0 for good eyes)? Is a spacer required, or any tweaking to the VF optics to achieve diopter=0 on the eyepiece? Thanks for any help. Cheers, Gregg.

Dirk, I find that really interesting and hard to understand. Do you know how that actually works?

If you do a lot of lens changes during a shoot then it's best to have a common mount. If you want to rent, then that mount should probably be PL. If the camera port is PL mount and the lenses are PL mount then good. You have minimised a source of optical error. But this can cost. The PL remounts for the lenses, like the 8 hole Zeiss mounts, can cost. Decent ones like the Visual Products ones are $395. OK as a one off for a zoom, but for a set of S16 Arri B mount super speeds that one might want to own it is another cost increment. If the Arri B mount on the zoom has eight holes then it is easy to switch the mount. The part that needs expertise is the collimation, which normally requires shimming for the mount. I don't know what PL adapter is on the Zeiss zoom. Some of these are good. Like one version that has a sort of twist ring at the back that locks the adapter on. There are several cheaper adapters around that are not really suitable for the mechanical loads created by a zoom. Anything that fastens onto the side of the Arri B mount with a simple grub screw is not great. You need a lock that applies a force to the bayonet tab. Even then, for the zoom, it would be better to remount to PL if you needed PL. I thought there were inexpensive camera port adapters for the Pocket cam. If the Arri-B one was accurate back focus (FFD) and is mechanically Ok then this could be a cheap way.

Sorry for my careless typing, terrible spelling.

From one Gregory to another (Gregg=Greggory), Thanks for being so gracious in victory. Even is we both know that that victory is confused by the confused definition of the contest teams. For Alan, I don't have any problem wirg what the contest calls itself, but I do have a problem with what the teams call themselves, especially the wining team, Oracle Team USA. This is a fake name. Shame on the owner. Cheers, Gregg.

Nick, Thanks for that response. It was the F15S that I was thinking of keeping. NZ is too far from the UK to send one for an overhaul, but Panavision NZ are agents for Ronford Naker and one or two of their tech guys will know them. Stonecine are selling an F15 that they say has balance spring. Looks identical to my F15. Maybe the springs are magically hidden in the fluid unit. http://www.ebay.com/itm/200817218827?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_97wt_939 Cheers, Gregg.

I have a Ronford Baker F15 fluid head (as for an Arri II with bottom mount motor) and an F15S (shorter one for normal cameras) sitting here in the office. For someone familiar with these, maybe they can help with some Q&A. - They have no balance springs. Are people still using these heads? The F15 has a beatiful feel to it. For a Red camera, 35mm or even a built up 16mm kit, these could be a really good, cheap head. (thinking of selling one of them). - The tilt on the F15S does not have a really feathered start / stop. Does this suggest an overhaul, or maybe just a fluid change? Or that the tilt lock needs cleaning? - Can the tilt fluid tilt assemblies be easily switched from the F15 to the F15S? Cheers, Gregg. PS. I also have the flat mounting plate for the F15, so any camera can mount. PPS. They both have 150mm bowl base.

Are the replacement 18650 batteries not "drift free" ? http://www.batteryupgrade.co.nz/shopBrowser_search.php?searchphrase=18650&searchType=searchByPartnumber#/assortmentProductId/75013189/shopGroupId

Can you not re-cell your batteries?