Nathan Milford

The more you dim the light, the more it shifts towards the red/orange. More information on variacs can be obtained here.

Mitch is right. Go with the ACL, IMHO the Arri16BL is a pig >8) The S16 ACL Conversion is much smoother than the 16BL conversion and usually the camera can be found in the comperable price range.

Beautiful reference... Iron Chef is so addicting!

Finally, someone tripped Godwin's Law! Godwin's Law: "As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches one. There is a tradition in many Usenet newsgroups that once such a comparison is made, the thread is over." Move on, nothing to see here.. . next thread.

I might know someone who is looking to sell thier package. Call AbelCine and ask for Kathy. Let her know you're looking to buy an A-Minima and she will give you the particulars.

The DOP Shop has a Sweet Half-frame 35mm still camera with a PL mount! Take a gander: http://www.thedopshop.com/item.cfm?itemID=270 Throw the len's your shooting with on that baby, use the stock from RGB and you're almost there! If anyone has any question as to what to get me for a christmas, see the above link >8) - nathan

If your in NY you can swing by and see the new place. Still settling in though. I'm waiting for my machine shop to get 100% complete! You can see the Olson twin's apartment from my desk...

I pulled a 23 hour shoot once for some lame music video that wasn't worth it. Never again. I took the Subway home. Surprisingly I stayed awake for the entire commute out to Bay Ridge!

You may be able to afford it, but that doesn't make it the best choice. Best for convienece or for business. Editing in a lower resolution does not affect the final image quality. It's akin to scanning your neg in at DigiBeta for an edit, then pumping the EDL out to a neg cutter. The negative is conformed and you have your IP/IN stages. The end product is film. Having a 4K master and a lower resolution 'work print' means you don't need an insane kit to just slop your film together. Your editor simply doesn't get as pretty a picture to work with. Conform your 4K master to the low res EDL and you've lost nothing but editing hardware fat. Sure, visual effects and grading should be done at max resolution, but otherwise why would you want to edit in 4K. What would you have to gain from a 4K edit?

It would be difficult to manipulate that much information. Downconvert, edit in something more sane and pop out an EDL to conform the 4K data with.

The best way to find out is to throw them in a lens projector, otherwise shoot some footage. If you're lucky it won't resolve... It isn't impossible if they're older lenses that a bold previous owner took them apart, or even a clumsy lens tech. Could it be oil? Fujinon has a lens that is notorius for leaking barrel oil into a tryptich of elements. I'm not familliar with the contruction of the Speed Panchros. If it's possible post a picture.

>8)

A while back I baught a DeWalt 12v fllashlight, lobbed off the head and affixed a XLR4 plug. Simple, quick DeWalt camera battery adapter. DeWalt batteries cost 50 bucks or so, are avaliable at most mom & pop hardware stores as well as lowe's, home depot etc.. Chances are if there is an emergency you can get a backup or replacement battery relativly quickly if you're not shooting at the ends of the earth. They recharge in an hour, but you can get a 15-minute quick charger. I've ran 5-6 mags on an Arri 16SB (tobin motor) off of one battery. I try to not use it as my main power source, but it does the job in a pinch and never hurts to have around. Hell, I've wired mr16's into a bunch of DeWalts.. Handy and cheap power sources. If you don't want to trouble yourself, Doug Underdahl makes them (probably to higher standards than myself). http://www.longvalleyequip.com/adapter.php

Absolutly! The LA crew consists of some swell and talented folk.

Well if you bring it into the shop we'd shoot one of our own. But it'd be nice to get another source of information before we explore the camera beyond a basic check in. First we'd do an all points check and make sure if everything is in Aaton spec. Usually if there is a registration issue, something is wildly out of spec as the prod can take a lot of punishment. If nothing is amiss, we shoot a reg test and the type of motion will give us some direction as to the nature of the problem. Sometimes it's an unset claw, where the film is riding the ramp of the claw instead of the flatness. - nathan

Is it consistent through all of your magazines? It could be a lateral tension issue, but it could be that the plate tension is out of spec. Shoot a reg test and if you still have issues send it off to the guys in LA and send them the reg test also. You can get a good idea of the ailment based on the movememnt. Good Luck, - nathan

All schematics and parts diags for Sachtler and O'Connor heads, sticks, peds and accessories can be found on thier websites: O'Connor Sachtler

It's a swell camera. We rent them out quite often. There are no 1000' mags.

It's pretty micky-mouse stuff... http://www.film-and-video.com/broadcastvid...les-dimmer.html Be aware that poorly made triac dimmers will create RF interference: see discussion here.

I think P+S Technik does a modification as a part of thier Evolution program, but I'm not sure how extensive it is. - nathan

Phil, You can hide from the Homeland Security people under my futon! They won't find you amid the other corpses under there.... - nate

Phil, You seem wildly knowledgeable on technical matters and the stills you've posted show you to be quite talented. If you feel stagnated in the UK... come here to the US! Instead of bitching about a situation, change the situation. Get a day job (or continue one and save more), go to Maine or something... make some connections.... work hard. Your technical ability and your eye will put you where you bloody well ought to be... behind a camera. Of course it's hard and discouraging.... everything worth anything ALWAYS is. Why would it be valuable to us otherwise? There are those attempting to enter this industry in a professional capacity (a lot on this board) who probably find themselves in worse situations than yours. I'm sure they find your attitude insulting and trivialising thier individual struggles. You should not be allowed to have that attitude of pessimism unless you've exhausted every avenue of entry. If the US has greener pastures, graze there.... change your citizenship or get a permit. I know I'm simplifying it all to a great degree... I'm sure it is very difficult to pick up your roots or get a work visa and what not, but if you want to thrive in this industry you have to be adaptable and know when you're lighting your way into a corner. If you, my friend, have lit your way into a corner, don't blame it on the Director or the DP or the Goverment or economy... work your way out of it. You can pick apart this posting as much as you want discussing how difficult it is to find work, get a visa, etc... It doesn't matter. It will still be hard. Not knowing you personally I can only add that complaining won't get you work, it'll only alienate you from your peers. - nate (Sorry if I sound harsh, Phil, I don't intend to. I hold you in the highest of regards. This is my way of giving a pep talk :D )

Imagine having a constant, light meter reading of EVERYTHING that is in frame. If you were using your meter and you were a stop over where you wanted to be on a particular highlight, you'd use a variac, net, dot, finger or whatever to reduce the light. If you are looking at the waveform and you see a highlight 20 IRE over where you'd want it, you'd do the same. It's pretty Mickey Mouse. - nathan

Perhaps an eight on it's side (infinty symbol)? - nate

Dave Call rental houses for blown/scratched Series 9 (or 4 1/2'' or whatever size) filters. They'll probably give them to you for free if they haven't already thrown them out. Knock out the glass and apply your net to the ring. I've got a few sitting around....