Erdwolf_TVL

Hi, probably send the 100D to Dwaynes. Here is the Wittner link. http://www.wittner-kinotechnik.de/katalog/...mm/s8_filmm.php i need some other items from Wittner so will order a couple of 100d at the same time. Been chatting to a chap who has had 64t at the widescreen centre since October, and it still hasn't been processed!!!!! Hope they can offer a better service with the 100d. Though i suspect their processer ( Andec i think) has not started its E6 processing yet.

Ditto. I bought quite a handful of 64Ts from them, because it was cheap. Had them since October, Shot them in November, handed them in for processing on Saturday. I actually think they have got themselves a processor, but are yet to figure it out! To check what 64T looks like, I've sent one cartridge away for processing at Super8 NL.

Thanks for the link!

Hi, 100d from Wittner is nearly 20 euros, approx £15.00. What is the widescreen price?. My one and only reservation with 100d, has it got the resolving power in order to give us a sharp super 8 image. Plan to order a couple from wittner in a couple of weeks. Mind you, it has to look better than 64t

These guys charge £19 per cartridge... They have never been known for their low prices ;)

By the way, where do you plan to have it processed?

I believe this is an E6 film?

I wonder who kodak actually asked this survey??? 64T is toooooo grainy. Surely if enough people complain, will kodak do something about it????

Didn't mean to start another K vs. E thread. More than enough of these around :)

---

I have been to Wide Screen Centre today and pre-ordered a roll of 100D. It's quite expensive, and it's sold without processing. According to their sales rep, it's NOT rebranded pro8mm stock.

Just curious what to expect. It would have to be REALLY good to justify the price-tag.

I'm guessing it will look completely different, but that it won't convert me back from Vision200.

Hi there guys,

 

I know it has been months since my last post, but I hope you are all well.

 

I might be shooting a live band later this month, although nothing has been confirmed yet. It will be the first time that I will be shooting a live band in a club (at night). It is very likely that I will be using a PD150

 

What should I do about lighting and exposure settings, etc? I really want to impress and get the best possible results.

 

I would also like to hear from other people who have done similar shoots, the problems they experienced and how they dealt with them.

 

Regards,

 

Andrea

- How many cameras do you have? The more the merrier. Even if some of them are stationary/unmanned.

- Two cameras are a BARE MINIMUM to get a decent edit

- Give yourself a large number of angles to cut to

- Try to get a line recording from the sound engineer

- Camera sound "sucks" and it's "different" from every angle

- plus a camera will capture all the crowd's noise

- Lighting is probably going to be sparse, so ensure you have a camera that can handle low light

- Set you camera's white balance to tungsten (this is correct 99% of the time)

- Fix your focus if practical

- Fix your exposure, if practical

- Don't film from within the crowd unless you want a specific effect

- Use a tripod!

- Don't run out of tape!!!!!!!!!!! Rewind and check all your tapes before the concert!!!!!!!!

- Know the concert program like the back of your hand

- You need to know when there are breaks, etc. so you can change tapes

- Ensure you have mains power or a very strong battery

- Visit all the auditions, practice runs, etc.

Just some thoughts... Please accept my appologies if I am underestimating you in this post!

Widescreen Centre in London are advertising Ektachrome 100D stock available for Super8, available mid Feb 2006.

http://www.widescreen-centre.co.uk/cine.php

Maybe worth a shot? I'm definitely going to test it out.

(I bet this is rebranded pro8mm...)

From what I've read, this may rival E64T in the grain/speed tradeoff, because it's a daylight stock.

Then again, I've also seen earlier posts where this stock being referred to as Circuschrome.

(Presuming this means colours that make your eyes bleed?)

Any thoughts?

I've done one test cartridge and I was happy with the results. Registration was good, the colours were rich and saturated. (I have about 10 64T cartridges that still need to be processed.)

Grain only bothered me against still, uniformly coloured surfaces (the sky, for example.) Against tarmac, grass, concrete and trees the grain is invisible.

The only reason why I would buy 64T again, though, is because of its price. I much prefer the smooth look and versatility of colour negative printed to positive. It only costs three times as much...

Hi,

 

For high speed cameras (over 500 FPS) pin registration, starting and stopping the film for each exposure is not really possible. The dissadvantage of rotating prisims is a slight loss of quality, and not such good registration frame to frame. Photosonics also use this concept.

 

Stephen

Thanks!

http://www.photosonics.com/Rental/4C.html

Now I have some bed-time reading...

I've seen a large number of high-speed cameras on EBay recently.

Amonst others, an incomplete Hycam (as below...)

http://www.visinst.com/Hycam.html

Admittedly, 12 000 frames per second is of little use to cinematographers. Still curious, though. According to some on-line resources, this device uses a rotating prism. (A normal claw and shutter mechanism probably won't stand up to the running speeds :)

If I understand this concept correctly, the film never stops moving and the image to be captured moves along with it. (Correct me if I'm wrong here.)

Now I'm curious whether there are any cine camera that use this concept?

If not, why not?

Hi everyone, my name is Chris Renshaw, and I think that it is time for me to start making a short on 16mm film. I have made a few shorts on mini DV, but was not happy with the results that I got. Even though I have won a few small short film fest in my area, I don't think that I will ever be able to compte in the larger film festivals unless I make the jump over to film.

I am however very nervous because I know that there are way more things that I will need to keep track of, and that can go wrong on film than can with mini DV. I have a backgorund in still photos, will operating the 16mm camera be similer enough that I get the hang of it, or will it take a little while to figure out what I am doing?

You could always start with Super8 to ease you into the idea of working with film... It's a lot cheaper and Super8 cameras tend to be more camcorder-like in terms of features.

Some things I found most daunting in playing around with film...

You have to have a fair idea of what you are going to shoot before you start. Entry-level cameras only accomodate a few minutes' worth of film and you pay for every second the trigger is pulled.

Hand-held shots are not as forgiving with film as they are on mini-DV. Unless you have a really steady hand, you will have to use a tripod or some sort of camera support.

You pay a premium if you want your piece to have sound.

Sitting here, watching "Porridge"on Cable.

Many of the old 70s BBC programs were obviously shot on Film and telecined.

I'm curious to know what film technology (stock width and emulsion) was used.

Any thoughts?

I've never had problems with consumer-grade FUJI tapes in either Hi8 or DV.

On the other hand, I have lost 4 SONY Hi8 and 6 SONY Mini DV tapes to jamming and/or coating disintegration over the past five years.

Hi, with 25 rolls of k25 double super 8 to my name, super 8 k40 gone, now is the time to use my stock pile of ds-8 film. My bolex ds-8 yeilds slight unsteady images. I am in the market for a bolex ds-8 camera, prefer a flat base h8rx. The camera must be in full working order and yeild rock solid images. Can anyone help??

Andy

I happened to have found a place called Mac's Cameras in Hammersmith. They have a wide selection of 2nd hand 8mm cameras. Including a number of Bolexes.

262 King Steet, Hammersmith, W6 0SP

020 8846 9853

Thanks for the pointers!

I need some advice in finding two actors for a 3-minute short film.

Where should I look?

I really am not looking for star talent here... Anyone who has any interest in Drama (not even formal education) would easily do these parts. There are about 20 spoken words in the script. Heck, if I knew more people in London, I wouldn't even bother finding actors. I would just use friends.

Any suggestions?

Hello,

Do you think that processing an old film of AGFA Moviechrome 40, from the mid-'70's, worth the try (money and time)?

I found out that this film can be processed in the Film Rescue International, in SK, Canada.

Did anyone ever tried to process this vintage film succesfuly?

 

Jonathan.

I would not bother personally.

I've head it being said that AGFA moviechrome does not age well even after timely processing.

I put a kodak sticker on the side of my K3 - I've since removed but the area still has gooey residue on the surface (surface has tiny bubbley relief). What solvent can I use to remove all residue? Thanks.

Try heating the goo with a hair-dryer and rubbing it off with a soft but non-disintegrating object.

Hands work, but it can be painful!

Thanks for the comments guys. I want to rope this discussion in BEFORE it turns into another film vs. digital flame war. :ph34r: Nobody needs to waste any more time and bandwidth on that one! I used both mediums in film school and now I choose film - for all the right reasons. The discussion also becomes pointless (yields no difference?) because 'filmmakers" add digital content to film as a normal routine and it's totally accepted. Why do we forget this? Thus the added people, buildings, cars, skylines, eco-systems, are already in digital format. I can't tell my programs to render those extra houses in Kodak 7218T film stock.

 

This takes me to the original question (in which I probably should not have said the word "megapixel" in a 16mm forum) but nonetheless because of the digital work I do, I needed to calculate approximate resolutions (in pixels) of film.

 

Also what was meant by a "common practice is to shoot super 16 so you can oversample for an HD transfer"?

Would it be logical to say that...

35mm still image is coparable to 12 megapixels digital (print comparison)

16mm has approximately 1/4 the surface area, and is therefor in the region of 4 megapixels?

And Super8 is just over 1 megapixel?

---

In theory, film's megapixel rating would be the surface are of the film / the surface area of the emulsion particles. Unfortunately, these particles are not all the same size, not all equally light sensitive and they are not dotted down in straight lines.

Hello -- I was reveiwing some of my S-8mm footage and was unhappy with most of the handheld stuff. I like camera movement -- the freedom of handheld camera -- but I was getting way too much of the annoying kind of "jittery" bouncy kind of movement. Shots on the tripod looked very good and smooth, so no problems with the carts.

 

Other than some really expensive "steadicam" type thing, what are the best ways to get smooth camera movement when handheld? The worst stuff was when trying to move myself for better angles and camera placement or to follow moving actors. I find that handholding 16mm cameras is steadier because of the greater weight of the camera. It seems the bounce and jitter from S-8mm is in large part because the cameras are so light and I've found this to be an issue with DV cams as well.

 

I'd consider a home-brew stabilizer if they were actually any good. Any experiences to share??

 

Thanks,

 

Paul

Los Angeles

I've seen pictures of the "poor man's steady cam". It appears to give satisfactory results, but you end up pretty tired after carrying that thing around a day!

Ever considered a monopod or a chest-pod*?

Chest-pod has a strap around your neck that supports the foot of a monopod on your chest. These are fairly compact. I've never tried one.

* What is the proper name for this thing, by the way?

With a still camera you are spoilt with a large number of shutter speeds.

This is one of the hardest things to get used to imho.

With Cine, you are lucky if you get two on an entry-level camera.

So I shot my first firearm scene a few weeks ago - simple: Medium long shot of a man firing a bolt-action rifle (blanks, naturally) just off camera. It's a short 35mm film, and save for the last scene, the whole film is handheld at a 90 degree shutter, including the shot of the man firing the rifle. On set, the rifle gave a nice big flash that I saw clearly. However, when we got dailies, none of that flash ended up on film - in any of the 5 takes! In retrospect it all makes sense - the flash is more brief that I realised (less time than one pass of the shutter), and using a 90-degree shutter only gave me a 25% chance of recording it each time he fired the gun. But for future shoots, how can I assuredly photograph the flashing of a gun? I can't conceive of how the firing of a gun could synchronize to a camera, and yet we see it all the time in films - even in those that clearly use a narrow shutter. Any insight?? Thanks.

 

-Jarin

The problem with blanks is the lack of natural recoil and that some automatic weapons will not automatically eject them! You would need to choose your actors and weapons carefully ;)

---

If you insist on DIY (which I strongly advise against) try to get your hands on military rounds loaded with cordite or nitrous cellulose. These burn with a nice, slow flame. Obviously you would need to have the bullet projectiles extracted (by a professional) to avoid dire consequences!

Just thought I'd share this. These guys have started taking entries for next year.

http://www.straight8.net/straight8b.htm

A bit pricey for entry, IMHO, but I've entered anyway.

Hi, I just bought a Canon 814 AZ (I know it's not as good as the XLS, but hey, you gotta start somewhere) and was wondering could I use any 58mm size filter and Wide Angle Converter with this camera? What about a Matte Box, where could I get accessories like this for my camera?

Hey, I got an 814 AZ. Not as feature-packed or as quiet as the XLS, but rock-solid and great fun ;)

Any 58mm filter will work. And in theory, a anamorphic-adapter.

Just remember that you are still working with Super-8, which is not the world's most sophisticated film format. Rule of thumb : don't spend more on your accessories than on your camera, unless you intend to buy a better cam that will be compatible with it later on.

Hello,

First I want to say that this is an amazing board.

Alright, to the question.

I'm sure this has been asked before, but I've searched a bit and I just need some clear answers.

 

How can I get professional footage from a digital camera?

 

I'm aware of the 1 vs. 3 chip thing.

 

Basically, my question is: When I use my Sony DV handycam (consumer model) I obviously get sub-par picture. It gives me a look that is a little too...close up?? It's hard to explain. Pretty much it's just the opposite of footage like "The Lord of the Rings". I have been able to get hold of a 3 chip digital camera from a local television place. It is a pretty high end digital camera. Yet, although the color is improved...I'm still not getting that "big" feel that I want. I've been told this could be the type of lens? I've also been told it has to do with frame rate (24 vs 30). The other thing I've been told is lighting (but to me this seems that would have a bit more to do with clarity and sharpness...maybe I'm wrong?).

 

Some might argue that only film cameras will do it...but I have a hard time believing this due to the fact that a lot of MTV shows and home decorating shows are obviously shot with digital cameras.

 

Basically, I want to get footage that is on par with lets say MTV Cribs, Trading Spaces, Degrassi (these are just some examples). My goal is to make a movie like the Smashing Pumpkins music videos.

Hoepfully you get the idea. I just need to cross that line of semi-professional to professional.

 

I would be very grateful if anyone could spell out all the neccessary elements to achieving this level of quality. Also, I know investment is neccessary, so any camera suggestions are very welcome.

 

Thank you,

-Daniel Rheaume

My advice is to turn off as many "features" as possible.

- Manually set your white balance

- Manually set your focus

- Switch off image stabilization

- Manually set exposure (if practical)

AND

- Use a tripod, at the very least!

I think the best way to work around less-than-perfect-quality is to make up for it in the production.

A well-thought-of piece goes a long way to make up for quality lost. The opposite is not always true!

Is there a difference between 8mm and Super-8, or are they the same thing? My main question would be: would Super-8 film work in my Yashica 8 U-matic 8mm camera? Also, does happen to know by chance how many feet of film this camera takes? Please help.

No, Super 8mm won't work in this camera.

You would need to find some "Double 8mm" film to use your camera.

Though not as readily available as Super-8, this film is still available from specialized retailers.

(There's a wealth of information to this regard available on-line.)

More than likely, this camera takes 25 feet of film, which is split in half after processing to yield 50 feet of projectable footage.

I wish to send a quantity of stock from Europe to Australia. I have done this before with normal air-mail postage and had no problems with x-rays. To save on postage, I am thinking that it might be possible to have the film carried by a relative on their return travel. Question is, would it be better (less risky from an airport x-ray point of view) to have the item carried as hand luggage, for it to go in the cargo hold with the normal luggage, or would it be better still just to post it?

I've gone through a similar excercise recently.

All I can say is :

1. Allow extra time - Manual scans take time (half the time is used to convince them that it is needed)

2. They will tell you that film up to 3200 ASA can go through the machine. You have to insist the contrary.

3. Ion scanners scan for explosives and nitrates. Keep your film away from fire-works and amunition!

4. They will take the film out of the foil wrappers. Only send the film when you intend to use it.