Gerrit Fahr

How do you most accurately predict the final output when preparing a large overhead softbox, say 12x12' or 20'x20' with multiple units. If one Skypanel S60 gives you 20fc at 24ft, do I multiply 20fc by 20 units (for sake of example 20x20' softbox with 20 skypanels) and then subtract the light loss of the chosen diffusion? I'm unsure how the inverse square law applies with so many units spread out over a larger area.

Done it a million times, never damaged a combo that way

Question here for older gaffers and DPs - how did you typically use a color meter on set back when everything was still shot on film and mostly lit with tungsten? My experience these days is that gaffers mostly use color meters to match multiple light sources, particularly multiple HMI globes or different LEDs, but altogether not very often. Nowadays it is easy to look at the monitor and make small tweaks to color instantly. How was this level of fine tuning achieved back then..I assume much more rigorous use of a color meter and having an eye more attuned to tiny changes in color? Would love to hear from people's experience.

Hi All, I am preparing for a music video shoot where we are shooting inside of a car wash. We are looking to attach some titan tubes to a tile wall, but I'm unsure what's the best method to go about this. The tubes will be visible in the frame, so it has to be clean, and we are not allowed to drill into the wall. My current idea is using a long stretch of velcro-tape on the back of each tube and the wall, but I'm unsure if that will really hold over an entire shoot day. Anyone have other ideas about how to best solve this?

Hello, I recently moved to Berlin and am looking for a lab in Germany or the EU to develop 16mm & 35mm B&W + color film, as well as scanning. In the US I had always gone with The Negative Space (previously known as just Nicholas Coyle). I found their business to be the best for indie & personal projects that aren't developing tens of thousands of feet. They offered great quality scans, quick service and a cheaper price than Fotokem or any larger lab (particularly for scanning). If anyone knows of a lab like that in Germany/EU, please let me know!

Are IR ND filters necessary when shooting on film, or does a regular ND filter work just fine? My understanding is that film is less sensitive to Infrared light than most digital cameras, but I want to avoid any strange color shift.

Thank you for clarifying!

When dealing with expired film, I've heard of the rule of thumb about overexposing 1 stop for every decade a film stock is expired by. Does that mean to overexpose the grey card +1 as well so that the whole roll is printed back down to 'normal' exposure, or does it mean to expose the grey card 'normally' and overexpose the rest by 1 stop?

Don't have a non-reflex finder unfortunately, but thank you for the recs!

I have a Bolex H16 Reflex, with a serial number that should date it to 1972. I have tried to shoot with it once, but found once I had the appropriate gel 85ND filter and f-stop - the image was so dark, revealing a layer of 'grime' (for lack of a better word) in the viewfinder so that I could barely make out focus. Alas, I just recanned the film and came here. When I adjust the eyepiece diopter, it reveals a layer of scratches when focused to itself (that seems to be a separate issue), but when I focus to the ground glass, this aforementioned layer of grime comes into view. Could this buildup by inside the viewing tube or on the ground glass itself? I have attached a photo of this buildup. Any tips on how to clean this? I've taken apart the viewing tube to clean it myself to no difference. Additionally, any recommendations for places to get a Bolex some CLA and potentially upgrade it to S16?

Thanks! I reached out and Charles is in the process of offering this service again. While Abakus still has it listed on their website, they no longer offer the kit unfortunately.

I have two Zeiss 10-100 T2 lenses w/ B-Mounts that I am looking to convert to cover S16 and to a PL mount. I've read here that Optex & Abakus used to offer this service and/or kit, but it doesn't seem like either are offered anymore. Is anyone familiar with a way to have this done now?

I'm planning on using this JC Backdrop (https://imgur.com/a/1ci63Ys) and I'm looking for advice on lighting the backing for both night and day scenes. The backing would never be seen directly, only through windows that have a layer of thin sheers covering them. I've seen images of entire walls full of tubes that are lighting these backdrops, but I don't have the ability to recreate this. I have lots of larger tungsten heads that I'm planning to use an array of (gelled with full CTB to daylight as the main light sources for the set will be HMIs). These units include 5ks, 2x 10ks, a Mini-Brute and some 5k sky pans. Would love to hear about anyone's experience lighting these sort of backings for day & night.

Thanks again Doug, I reached out to Duclos and they were able to provide me with some spare parts.

I am looking for where I can buy the impossibly tiny screws that attach the focus gear ring to the housing of a S16 Zeiss Super Speed MKII 9.5mm. I'm not sure what size these screws are, but they are smaller than any screw that I currently have. Any leads would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you Dom, this was incredibly helpful. I had been using this article from Duclos lenses for our 35mm format super speeds, but I was struggling to find the comparable work written on the 16mm format lenses. https://thecinelens.com/2016/08/24/whats-in-a-name-a-guide-to-zeiss-super-speeds/

Hi All, I'm going through the lens inventory at my university and I'm struggling to come up with information on these two 16mm film lenses. https://imgur.com/a/g4sceWU What I know is they are Zeiss lenses with a Distagon design and both cover S16. They appear to have originally had B-mounts and were retrofitted to PL. The lens listed "1" seems like a newer cine-designed lens while the other lens "2," appears to have had a cine-mod done. I believe that the first might just be a newer version of the other. I'm not sure if the Super Speed nomenclature carries over to the S16 film lenses from Zeiss as well, but I have a hunch it might. Does anyone know of a specific name these lenses might have, or of any internal differences between the two? Thanks!