Richard Tuohy

g'day Greg, your footage is over exposed. When reversal film (like the 64t you used) is over exposed, you get a decrease in colour saturation, decrease in contrast, a decrease in grain and blown out high lights. With under exposure it is the oposite: more colour saturation, more contrast, more grain, crushed shadows. Getting reversal exposure correct can take practice. A beach scene with lots of sand and waves and sky and glare is a tricky place to start. Usually exposure errors associated with a beach scene will be in the under exposed direction: because of all the bright light around your subjects the light meter usually indicates to close down the aperture more than would be required to get nicely exposed skin tones. You were using auto exposure, and UNDER exposure is what I would expect to see if your camera's meter was set correctly and was working properly. You however got over exposed footage. So either the camera's meter wasn't set properly (specifically the asa dial on the beaulieu) or more likely it isn't working properly. Given the footage seems to be always about the same amount over exposed, it means the meter is still working in a predictable way, its just systematically over exposing. With a 'new' camera, you can't just go ahead and trust the meter. With any new camera you must shoot a test roll first to see what the meter is up to and how to set it for best results. Given you are using a beaulieu, it is very easy to make the required adjustment you need using the asa dial. So what you have to do is shoot a careful meter callibration test. Get yourself a roll of the reversal film (its always best to shoot exposure meter calibration tests with reversal film, even if you are planning on using negative to shoot on - this is because with reversal film, the accuracy of the exposure is easy to tell on viewing the footage). Now shoot some bracketed exposures. what you are trying to work out is how much to bias the asa control on the camera from the rated asa of the film in order to get the best exposure. You might find for instance that the best exposure is achieved by biasing the asa knob by 1 and 1/3rd stops from the rated speed in one or other direction (in your case it would be in the higher number direction - instead of 64asa rate it at 160 for instance). Start with the asa know say 2 stops higher than the rated speed of the film (for 64t that means 250 asa). Write '+2' on some paper and include that in your shot. Now shoot a little bit of film like that. Now reduce the asa setting by 1/3rd of a stop to 200 asa and write '+1 and 2/3rds' and shoot again. Then reduce again to 1 and 1/3rd. Continue this way until you get to '-2'. When you get the footage back, put it on a projector and then decide which asa bias setting gave the best results. It would be best to repeat this test about 3 times in different situations so that you can look at all three results and average the most desirable compensation. Dead easy really. good luck with it, richard

Ilford black and white do list their FP4 as a motion picture stock with a catalogue number for 35mm (200' lengths). You can find it here in their current catalogue PDF http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/20093161552402063.pdf They also have a 'new product request' button in their 'products' tab. http://www.ilfordphoto.com/products/newproductrequest.asp If people are interested in this option for 16mm, why not submit the request. I have. I reckon if several people do it might eventually amount to something. give it a go! richard

I have uploaded two super 8 works: Twisty from 2005 : http://vimeo.com/10995586 and Boot Fall from 2008 http://vimeo.com/10992351 check them out!

Just a point of clarity here, FOMAPAN R100 cannot be processed as a negative, only as reversal. I believe this is because of its silver anti-halation layer. Processed as negative, you simply get a roll of black film. This silver has to be bleached off in the reversal process. So the only current alternative for negative black and white MP film is ORWO. There is a bw MP emulsion made by TASMA in Russia (or is it the Ukraine, I forget) but not in 16mm.

Its in the latest 'discontinued stock' list: http://motion.kodak.com/motion/uploadedFiles/PCN040710_Q.pdf bugger.

Kodak have announced the discontinuation of 7265 plus-x reversal (in 16mm and Super 8) as well as Plus-x Neg in 16mm and 35mm. Its a sad day.

Sorry, I don't have the information for you. But I can say, diy motion pictue film is possible as it has been done. Naturally in black and white only. And the results would be extremely random, patchy and variable. If you are an experimental film maker, then its worth experimenting with. The emulsion is applied as best you can to recycled film base. If you are in to conventional cinema, then it is absolutely impossible to even approach the quality control required. My two cents. But since we are talking black and white remember there is ORWO and Foma. Yes, there is an image on the net of a diy film making machine. And again this image was circulated more recently from a 'diy kodachrome machine' link. I think that was wishful thinking on the part of someone who saw the diy emulsion machine.

I just watched the above clip and noticed two errors in his discussion of handling the super 8 camera. Firstly his brief explanation of how to set the eyepiece diopter using the split image control is simply wrong. He says you rotate the diopter control until the outside of the split image 'goes dark'. The correct proceedure for setting the diopter is far more complicated than that: Focus ring on infinity Zoom to full telephoto Looking through the viewfinder, point the camera at a distant object like a tower building and adjust the diopter control until the split image lines up. This is the correct setting for that operator. Secondly, he has a chart on the side of the camera indicating shutter speeds for various frame rates. He tells the student that this is what you set a light meter to. His figures appear to be approximations of the actual physical shutter speed (o.k., useful to know). For instance he has 24fps and 150degree shutter as having a shutter speed of 1/60th. This is true enough. But following his instructions and setting the light meter to this shutter speed and the rated asa of the film will result in systematic under exposure because he hasn't taken in to account the light loss of the reflex viewfinder. This proceedure would be correct if the super 8 camera had a mirrored shutter. But the camera he has (like the majority of super 8 cameras) has a beam splitting mirror, not a mirrored shutter. Thus some of the incoming light goes to the viewfinder and not the film. He does say 'with negative super 8 film, over expose 1 stop' and this would compensate for this error. But his student is loading in Tri-x reversal film. richard

Try activating the motor with a cable release. There are two cable release holes - one for continuous running and one for single frame. Try both. The continuous running one is in the trigger button itself. The other is at the rear of the camera (down low). I agree with the above poster who said fix it yourself - not worth paying money to fix it. Take the inside plate out (instructions are on the net somewhere) and stare at the mechanics until you can see how it works (or should work). rt

Try activating the motor with a cable release. There are two cable release holes - one for continuous running and one for single frame. Try both. The continuous running one is in the trigger button itself. The other is at the rear of the camera (down low). I agree with the above poster who said fix it yourself - not worth paying money to fix it. Take the inside plate out (instructions are on the net somewhere) and stare at the mechanics until you can see how it works (or should work). rt

If its a Rex or SB(M) series bolex (or older, but you said it had a viewfinder), you also have to factor in 1/3rd of a stop for the 150 degree shutter opening (unless you set your meter to that in some way). If the meter is assuming a 180 degree shutter (such that 24 fps = 1/48th of a second) then the total compensation required for shutter opening and viewfinder prism is 2/3rds stops. With 85 filter you thus would have 1 and 1/3rd stops under exposure. Just pointing that out for clarity to others who might read this post in future.

Yes, quite right - there is a bleach step in BW reversal processing. It bleaches out the silver that was developed in the first developer. This first developer image was a negative image. Once it is bleached away, all that is left on the film is an un-exposed and hence un-developed 'positive' of the image directly in proportion to the negative silver image that has been bleached away. To skip this bleach step would result in a perfectly black roll of film (ie the silver would be fully developed evenly all over). This is of course no use. Bleach by-pass works with colour films because in addition to the silver image there is a dye image.

g'day richardson, did you have a go with the RAR film stock? Can you let me know if you did? Perhaps send me an email richard@nanolab.com.au cheers, richard

g'day luke, Tri-x is grainy. Use it if you like grain. Can be used during the day, even though its a fast stock, but you may need to have an nd filter handy if its really bright (probably winter where you are, so won't be an issue at all). Plus-x is significantly finer grained. Looks great. Ektachrome 64t (colour) is grainy like Tri-x. Ektachrome 100d is much less grainy (like Plus-x). The 500t colour neg is quite grainy, but nice to use as it is so light sensitive. You will probably have to expect some white dust and sparkle when using super 8 colour negative. You probably shouldn't be using 500t in conditions that require a daylight (85) filter unless unless you really have to because of lack of other stocks, or because you like the grainy look a lot. It is probably the case that the 85a filter inside your 1014 is absolutely fine to use. I wouldn't bother with an external 85 unless you knew your internal filter was terribly faded or dirty. Since there is no removable lens on the camera you have (unlike a beaulieu super 8) the filter is unlikely to be dirty. There is really no need to shoot a grey card or a colour chart at the head of each roll. Each shot will be differently exposed and have different colour issues anyway. You might want to do that on a test roll to see what is happening with your camera, but not on each roll. Know that if you shoot colour neg stocks (unlike the other stocks which are all reversal (positive) not negative) you are unlikely to have a diy or cheap telecine option - you probably have to go to one of the main stream transfer houses that charge by the hour for suite time. That is the best way to go anyway, but it isn't the cheap option. cheers, richard

Thanks for the info brian. much appreciated. richard

Hello all, I am wondering what purpose the RAR stocks were designed for? Are they infrared? cheers, richard

Hello Carlos, since you didn't mention it, I thought I would make sure you understood that all super 8 cameras already have an 85 filter built in to them. If you are going to use an external 85b filter, make sure you switch off the camera's own internal 85 filter or you will have double filtering. cheers, richard

Hi Daniel, it is very possible that condensation got in while the film was in the fridge after shooting. If a film gets wet in this way, when the film is un-wound prior to processing static flashes can be generated as the wet film peels off from the wind. I think these are typically blue. A fridge is a very humid environment. When you buy film from kodak, you can be sure that the film container is air tight and that the tin was packed in a humidity controlled environment. In that state, it is safe to put in the fridge. After shooting, however, this is no longer the case. I wouldn't store exposed film in a fridge for this reason. regards, richard

Hi there, richard tuohy in Australia here. I want to organise a class set (maybe 6) of CIR 16mm roll tape splicers. I can afford to pay about US$100 plus postage to Australia each. Can anyone help with this? Would be going to a good home - I am running courses in Australia called 'film shooting for artists'. please email me: richard@nanolab.com.au cheers, richard

dito on that. the end of 64t in the line of still film products is a very different thing to the end of 64t in super 8. If sales of super 8 64t get to fall as low as the sales of 35mm+ still film 64t has before it goes to the wall, then it will be around for a long time. richard

but make sure its not simply that your expectations are too high. The mirrors on the 3 k3 cameras I've seen lately could all be described like yours - I don't think you should be expecting a k3 mirror to be as reflective as a normal domestic mirror. If it is working, use it like it is and if you want another camera as well as a k3 buy something better than a k3.

Yes that is a valid point Ian! But yes, I was turning the meter rotary dial switchy thing on when I was checking them. I did have my k3 there as a reference and while it was working, the same battery and battery insert used in mine and put in their cameras didn't yield a result. rt

hello all, richard tuohy in Australia here. I was teaching the first two days of a 4 day 16mm film shooting course on the weekend. Two of the students brought in Kras 3 cameras they had recently purchased from the Ukraine (as you do). I also had a k3 there. The light meter works fine on my k3, but the meters failed to work on both the student owned k3 cameras (using my battery insert and battery). Has anyone had simmilar problems to this? Does anyone know if there is a typical fault that can be remedied here? Is it likely the meters are broken, or is there possibly just a wire or bad solder somewhere? Any suggestions before I volunteer to open their cameras myself would be appreciated. cheers, richard

Hi Mike, for kodak 16mm, call kodak on 1300 139 795 Yes, sound and vision sell it. they also sell short ends and re-cans when they have them. If youre in melbourne, its not too late to be part of my 'film shooting for artists' course starting next weekend. Its in Preston. ITs 4 days and really is aimed at the bolex/kransnogorsk user. We will be playing with diy processing and printing and that sort of thing. Here is a link to a site for the workshop: http://www.suek-artist.co.uk/thebackdoor/#fsfa if you want to discuss the course and whether its appropriate for you, email me at richard@nanolab.com.au or call 0400 748 864. cheers, richard

You know, you can only turn the centre core of the cartridge clockwise (with the cartridge lable facing down). If you turn it the other way the ratchet will break and the cartridge will be useless. You can't exclude the camera being at fault I am afraid. Try the cart in another camera. If it fails too, it indicates that the cart is (at least now) stuffed. But if it runs, it means that your camera doesn't have the strength to pull ektachrome 64t. The cartridge core is turned by a little device inside the camera. That device is on a slip clutch. Sometimes the amount of torque needed to overcome the resistance of the cartridge is too much and the clutch slips instead of turning. This inevitably results in a jam. Different emulsions have are different thicknesses resulting in different amounts of torque being required. This is why the camera can be sucessful with some film types, but not others. But it could also be a random thing about the cartridge. richard