Rachel Oliver

This is the funniest thread I've ever read!

Go for the Eclair. Bolex's are fantastic for pushing film to it's limits (How many cameras can you dissingage the motor and actually hand crank the film? although only the spring wound models I think) But for shootimg sync and anything emulating traditional mainstream cinema and TV then the Eclairs gonna get you there faster than a Bolex, although it can be done!

Hi; Just watched "Mirror" by Andrei Tarkovsky. It's one of the most stunning films I've ever expierienced, left me feeling like I'd witnessed some supernatural event unfold in my living room, and this was just the DVD on a decent widescreen TV! I'm left bemused as to how he created the "Look" of this and many of his other films. His black and white and sepia sequences have this luminous silvery quality to them which combined with the extreme slow motion simply blew my tiny little mind to bits! Does anyone have any clues as to how he and his DP Gregory rerberg achieved this look back in 1974? Thanks Olly

Hey There..... I'm about to embark on a feature length documentary. I come from a film background but due to budget concerns I'm gonna leap into the wonderful world of DV! My camera budget is around the 3.5K dollar mark. I'm intending to eventually end up on 35mm film so i'm looking for your valuable opinions on a good budget DV camera to use as my main camera. I will be mixing S16 and super 8 (16/9 anamorphic) into the film and will end up on Digi-Beta before any film blowup. I need to shoot 16/9 format, I've so far been liking the newish Sony PDX10 due to it's native 16/9 mode but that Panasonic DVX100 looks great and suits my 16mm mindset a little more due to it's layout and 25P frame rate (UK pal). How is the Panasonic 16/9 converter? what would you go with out of these two or any other cameras in this price field? Thankyou very much for your feedback. Olly

have you checked out www.pro8mm.com ?

Super 8 is a really good way to start using film and very easy. The Canon 1014 XLS is a really good camera to use and again quite simple. The viewfinder is really clear and the light meter is built in ito the trigger which is extremely heplful. Since then I have moved onto using 16mm film but will always continue using super 8 and this camera. It is one of the youngest super 8s and looks almost like a video camera but the results are superb. There are lots of super 8 web-sites that will give you so much feedback on this camera and load of others if you do start on super 8. Do make sure you do your research on cameras before buying. Good luck whatever you get.

A confession..... I have not actually shot with the POE in S16 but I spent a long time researching if this vignetting really did happen. I got it on very good authority from Les Boscher (Great UK based camera engineer) and Andrew Alden (author of "The Bolex Bible") that the POE 16 - 100 only suffers vignetting at it's absolute widest angle when wide open at 1.9 in S16! Obviously it could be that they are both crazy old men who spend their days spurting out lies about lenses and such likes but I think they are telling me the truth! I think the Bolex quote about port-holing refers to the mild vignetting when wide open. However for your own peace of mind test test test or better yet find someone who can test for you. I will be "Upgrading" to this format with my REX-5 sometime this year and will report about the coverage of my own POE if you dont 1st..... Yes the Peleng is almost absurdly wide but I love it to bits. Olly

Thanks very much for your detailed response. It is just what I needed. My reasons for shooting on 320T are because we want a low contrast and pastel coloured look. This is for a 16mm shoot ending up on digi-beta. We are slightly concerned that the low colour sat and contrast could lead to a dull looking film, especially as the subject matter, (household objects) could be seen as fairly mundane! However, we like the idea of this stock and how it might look, for example the slightly washed out feel. Thanks again, and any other knowledge of this stock is welcomed.

Hi Trystan; There are many simple instruction manuals for a Bolex on the Internet, just do a Google search and you'll find the basics for shooting. The Tobin timelapse motor runs the camera at the equivelant of nearly three quaters of a second exposure time (Thats long ) so a simple way to cut down the light is to use an ND filter of 1.5, this will give you the equivelent exosure time of normal 24fps filming and is probably the least confusing for a begginer! Only prob is getting hold of an ND1.5 (not that easy), I know of a UK company www.galvoptics.fsnet.co.uk that will make you one! Around 30quid or 50 dollars (Aprox) email them for more info, I had them make me one for the same exact reason, it was a gel of 150x150mm which i stick infront of my lens, and if the filter slot is free you can just cut out little versions and slip them behind the lens. Good luck; Olly

Actually The Vario-Switar POE 16-100 does cover S16! (With minimal vignetting on its widest angle when shooting wide open at F1.9) it was the replacement lens (12.5 - 100mm) that cannot cover the S16 frame size below 25mm, Bolex can convert the later lenses for a handsome fee but if you want to shoot S16 with a Bolex The older POE 16-100 zoom is a great option. A Peleng 8mm prime also covers S16 and could be a nice replacement for the old 10mm primes which do not cover S16. Hope this helps? (All be it very late and by now quite out of context :rolleyes: )

Hello, I have noticed on parts of this forum that the film stocks used on many feature films are known. I just wanted to know what feature films have been shot on Kodak 320T? I am keen to use this stock myself and would like to have an idea of how it looks on the big screen. Thanks in advance. Rachel