Jon O'Brien

Man, there's another movie script right there. We, the people of the world, decree that real-film-will-not-die! Rage, rage against the dying of the light... (which, don't worry, isn't going to happen). ... "Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight ..."

Even the light flares smearing slightly across frame in a few shots I like the look of.

Ageism occurs in the music biz too - in fact in the arts that is probably where it's most marked. I'd think in cinematography it would be far less of a problem. There's a widespread feeling in classical music performance for instance that you have to be really great by a young age to have a career at the highest level, but there have been exceptions to that rule. Just do what you do, if you can, and don't worry about it.

The 2 perf looks fantastic on Blu-ray.

I'm pretty sure Kodak and photochemical film and processing will be fine. The chemistry and expertise still exist. There's a market for it.

I see a script rise before me. Famous cinematographer finds his old Super 8 reels. A long-forgotten thing within the images from the 70s is revealed. An adventure is launched. Yes it has possibilities.

Looking forward to Star Wars IX. Just watched 'The Last Jedi' again and it really is growing on me. In some ways I like it more than 'The Force Awakens'. It's probably the quirkiest Star Wars picture at any rate. There's something special about it. To whet appetites for IX, here's something rather wonderful.

Shot on 2 perf 35mm for the film bits.

Just viewing details, lens tests mainly, getting a better idea of what's in the image. I won't be doing prints or projecting, everything will be scanned, so I'd like to see what's actually on the negative, even if just individual frames here and there. Perhaps I'm being fussy. Thanks guys, very helpful to me.

What is a good way to minutely examine individual frames of negative? I thought an obvious way would be to get a light table, sandwich film between it and a sheet of glass, and use a hand lens or jeweller's loupe. Is there a better way - can you buy a small gadget that can simply be held up to the light? I'd prefer that, instead of using a light table. I looked on B&H but can't find such a thing so far.

Oh, I was consulted on that! I said to Dad, give it to my nephew, as he was interested in film animation and was just about to leave school and was thinking about getting a camera. So Dad checked with me first. Also, at the time, we all thought (including my nephew) that film was slowly on the way out. It seems to be bouncing back. Now he's got a highly sought-after camera and Super 8 is getting really fashionable again.

Regarding the Canon 1014XL-S, I bought one of these new around 1981/2. It ended up going back in its case a couple of years later - where it sat for 36 years unused (in yearly Queensland heat and humidity). It later became my dad's, and he gave it to my nephew, but was still unused. Just a few months ago my nephew got married, and he grabbed the camera case out from under a bed and handed it to me. I put new batteries in it and it instantly worked perfectly, and I shot the wedding on 2 rolls. The exposure meter was fine. I don't know if that helps. I really was surprised that all was fine with it.

Very true. Still, for someone trying to build a reputation you will basically need a box with a hole in the front, called a camera, and a lens on the front of it, and maybe a tripod. Try to get hold of a good kit that makes the images closest to what you are chasing, whether renting or buying. I'm in the same position, only older. I've found so far that the most cost effective solution is to own most of the things I need. But yes I would definitely avoid investing (or hoping to invest - you could likely lose a lot of money) in some big 'name' camera. Fashions are fickle and things come and go.

Being 'young' lasts for such a short time anyway. Think about it. You get out of school, you spend a few years finding your way/getting higher education and/or experience ... you've really only effectively got something like 8 short years to be what many school leavers seem to see as 'young'. And we're all on the ship called life ... no exceptions. Who was once the young person becomes the older person, with new young people stepping out. I was not long ago always the youngest. Now a few short years later I'm amongst the oldest. It happens surprisingly quickly. The point is that you will be 'old' far longer than you will be 'young'. And here comes the classic, so well known, but in my case and in the case of many of my peers, it was true: I respected my elders (if they deserved it, and usually they did). Of course the 'old' should respect the 'young' too. Same with sexism issues, etc. Men should respect women and vice versa. An impossible vision? Not at all.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me"

However, Batman was the boss. Presumably he paid the boy wonder his wage.

I've benefited from many of his posts while researching things here.

When I go into the city CBD these days, I'm often the oldest person around. Same thing at festivals etc. Occasionally one sees someone of one's own vintage or older (first half of 50s in my case) and perhaps a brief glimmer of recognition/hope/welcome appears in the eyes. Yes the generational gap is a very wide one. There can be benefits to being older. I'm sort of glad I'm not 20 anymore.

As was posted here not long ago, let me repeat it: "It's not the age ... it's the mileage" - Indiana Jones (while painfully and tiredly removing a shirt so he can lie down and go to sleep)

I wonder which is the lower-cost solution in general, pneumatic tyres on boards carefully laid down and levelled, or tracks with wheels that fit. Depends on the situation no doubt. Obviously in a rough, bumpy location tracks would be cheaper I'd say.

There's one potential issue that could possibly crop up and that is the PL mount, with the angled mirror housing being too close to the lens barrel. It's a tight squeeze to fit the PL lens mount up against the mirror housing and aluminium has to be milled off the camera to fit it all together as it was designed to be used with physically smaller-bodied lenses. So for benefit of anyone interested in shooting with the 2C in PL mount, might be best to make sure that the PL mount lenses you are thinking of using will fit. Some large-barreled Panavision lenses fit onto a 2C but that is with the PV mount that has a slightly longer FFD, which no doubt helps as the base of the lens sits further out. Anyway, check your lenses will fit.

It appears the 2C has quite a steady picture, to the extent that it's been successfully used many times to film some major pictures, and some extensive scenes from big pictures right up to SW original trilogy too. Perhaps these days where some filmmakers are seeking a slight affirmation that their picture was indeed shot on film, an infinitesimal bit of vertical jitter and gate weave might not be such a bad thing, after all, as long as it was hardly noticeable. For the right movie/filmmaker I'm sure it remains an absolutely viable option even these days.

I'm pretty sure Samuel sold it on, but wait to see if he turns up here. I wish I'd bought it! I'm also pretty sure Bruce McNaughton of The Aranda Group, Australia, has a couple of 2 perf cameras still for sale.

Thanks Wilfried, good to know. Though I suppose older mechanism in some of the more heavily-used examples might result in less stable image. I know, the only way is to do a test, but in general do older, very well made cameras age well?

It kept my attention throughout. Well done. You could have turned it into a big question mark at the end there ... the guy in the street knew full well what was in the bag ..... because he did it... and now he's there. A short scary film in other words. That's just me and my overactive imagination. I liked the look of it too. Beautiful location as well.