Jon O'Brien

Hi, can anyone tell me how you engage the macro function on the Schneider 6-66mm lens that came with some of the Beaulieu 4008 models? I can get mine to focus normally from about 5 feet to infinity but can't get it to focus closer than 5 feet or at macro distances. There is a small metal tab on a ring, at the base of the lens, between the aperture ring and the C mount, that can rotate a short distance. But turning this ring isn't engaging macro focusing on the lens I have. The two 'barrel'-like devices (I suppose for motorized zoom etc) that were originally mounted next to the lens have been removed. I hope the lens I have isn't faulty.

Thank you Jeff. I will make good use of it somehow, and let you know what becomes of it.

Another advantage of Super 8 is that the cameras are generally somewhat quieter than equivalently-priced MOS 16mm cameras.

Good job, well done Jeff. I found it interesting to read. There's many things in it I like. What do others think about it?

It's early Monday morning where I am. Very busy week for me but I will look at properly the first opportunity I get. I'm looking forward to it. I started reading early this morning and it looks great Jeff. It drew me in as I read. Intriguing and interesting! More later. Best wishes.

Wow Jeff, thank you for offering to do this. As we say in Australia, don't bust a gut on this. I will be keen to read what you come up with. Take all the time you need. I'm mainly in this for the fun, I've got my dreams but at the moment they're just dreams. Take care. Best wishes, Jon

Hi Neal, I'd check out Dom Jaeger's cinetinker blog, he has a step by step service guide to the Arri 16St https://cinetinker.blogspot.com/2019/02/arri-16st-service.html Also, see:

How about a script for a western, or a 'frontier' Aussie story during the years of the early European settlers 'out bush', with a theme of redemption woven into an adventure tale or a feud of some kind. A classic western story. Perhaps a story of sheer survival under incredible odds (a variation on Deliverance, maybe). I'm hoping it's not out of fashion (or if it is, that it can be good enough to spur a new fashion in films), but at the moment I'm looking for a story that gives you a gleam in your eye and maybe a bit of a tear, too, at the end of the film. Other than that, how about a rip-roaring adventure tale, set in outback Australia. A minimal number of characters to keep the budget down. How about a small team of geological surveyors or jackaroos/ringers that have some kind of an encounter with something 'unknown', 'unseen'. How about a supernatural presence that could be either a demon or an angelic being. A bit spooky. With a moral in the story woven in -- a morality tale. Just some quick ideas.

That's a good word for it. To describe watching Super 8, and how great it is, here is a short list of words I've compiled, adding Scott's word too: "Artistic, tranquil, timeless, hypnotic, dreamy" Go Super 8!!! You're a winner. To me, 16mm is just that little bit more 'businesslike' and serious, and still arty like Super 8. But Super 8 is in a league of its own.

I actually like westerns. I still think there's a definite market for them. I'm sorry but I can't abide a western shot on digital, even with film emulation in post. To me it just doesn't work. The right feel isn't there for that genre. Same with most period dramas. For television productions (for instance, the Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries series shot in Melbourne, Australia, about 10 years ago, set in the 1920s/30s) digital can work very well for period drama series. But for feature movies in my opinion it's such a better effect if the movie is shot on film. You need a slight graininess or texture in the picture, and also in my opinion the colour saturation has to be just right to get the proper effect. Miss Fisher was a great series. It would be great if we could bring that back ... ten years on.

Hi Gabrielle, I guess it depends where you live, and what your resources are so to speak, but I found where I was that usually I had to figure everything out by myself, and before long knew as much and often much more than the locals around me. Keep going that route and who knows you might end up some kind of expert, and people will start coming to you. That's not very helpful, but for the sake of at least other readers I guess it's worth saying. Nothing is better than a truly great teacher and mentor ... but, wow, they can be thin on the ground. If you stick at something long enough, through the good and the tough times, you might just eventually end up being that great teacher and mentor that you yourself always wanted to find and searched hard and long for. That said, best of luck in finding a great teacher, mentor, school, or workshop, or all or some of these things, to help you along your way. There's nothing better and faster for getting to be where you want to be. In the meantime, shoot film.

I was once interested in the horror film genre. It has a lot going for it as an effective feature can be made on a low budget with this genre. I find a lot of B grade old B&W films fascinating to watch in the endless variety since the production was forced to shoot in existing locations on low budgets and the whole mix of the production realities results in sometimes very interesting movies bordering on quirky in some cases that ends up being so original. These days though I probably wouldn't get into horror flicks. I'm more interested in human drama stories with people facing challenges and somehow overcoming their difficulties, etc etc, you know, character-driven stories that are inspirational and uplifting. Beautifully photographed and compelling to look at and listen to (great soundtracks etc). I'm also very drawn to period drama pictures which Australians have traditionally always been gifted at making.

I need to find a good script from a writer. At the moment I'm thinking more along the lines of 16mm for a feature though. Super 8 might be a success for a cinema release feature, but everything would need to be done to maximize sharpness. Super 8 looks great on a phone or tablet screen but on the big screen .... tests would need to be done. I'm busy at the moment as I'm also a musician and teacher, and do some videography on the side, but will soon get back to my own filmmaking projects. Funding from organizations and/or from government grants, for a feature movie, is necessary. You have to motivate people and convince them. Takes time but often good things happen. Well, that's how I see it.

I love those two videos from FFP. Very much worth watching. I find Super 8 very easy to watch. I don't know why that is. Where as a lot of high def video footage just looks unappealing to me. It looks so boring

I haven't done dissolves recently on this camera, however I do know that it is a great and strong camera and I once did a lot of filming with a 1014XL-S, hours of footage. I used the lap dissolve several times and every time it worked perfectly. These days however I'd probably be inclined not to push my luck using in-camera functions such as this, and just do the dissolve digitally in post. A couple of years ago when I last filmed with my old 1014XL-S the cartridge jammed on me while just filming normally at 24fps. I soon fixed the jam though by taking out the cartridge and whacking it on my leg twice. Another thing to try if the cartridge jams is to turn the uptake wheel on the back of the cartridge clockwise until snug. All the best with it.

No way. Didn't read the details.

Looks great! We need the same thing here in Australia.

What are some examples of tack-sharp C mount triplet lenses for 16mm cameras? Also, what are the Ektar lenses like, generally? The ones made for the K100 camera. Are any of them triplet designs? I have a 25mm f1.9 which seems to be pretty good though maybe with a slight haze depending on the light, and a 25mm f1.4 coming soon which I'm hoping will be good. I've heard that the Ektar f1.9 can suffer from yellowing from the lens coating. Is it expensive to have this yellowing removed?

If a very rich person (apparently they do exist) with a philanthropic interest in the arts, would take an interest in new film and film camera development.... Who knows. It would be a good and fun project.

Very exciting news. I wonder if Australia will ever film again on real film for some of our feature movie production? And if we can get some 15 perf film IMAX theatres back. Haha. I wish.

Using this FOV calculator: https://www.omnicalculator.com/other/camera-field-of-view I got a result of 12.5m if using a maximum focal length of 105mm which is what I've got at the moment for the C300 with sensor size of 26.2 x 13.8mm. For a 10m wide stage, that will do. If necessary I can crop the image, as it's being shot on 4K.

Stage width is 10 metres.

All the best with your new business, Luca. I had a look at your website. You got your start as a film projectionist and film camera mechanic. That's wonderful! We need more people like you. Shoot film!!

Yes good point Dom about the trig, I will ask for the stage width from the venue. It's funny I wasn't good at maths at school but later on really got into it, but then later after that I forgot a lot of it. Haha. Too much into the art side I am I think sometimes. Thank you David and Phil, your posts are very helpful and very much appreciated.

City of Stars. There's so much that I can see. Who knows? - Hurwitz, Pasek, and Paul.