Reflex-sighting through a single-lens Eyemo

[Patrick Neary]

Hi-

 

I'd like to fix an eyemo to a small animation stand and was wondering if anyone has found a clever way to line up/frame and focus through a single-port Eyemo? As you know the pressure plate only pulls back a small distance from the gate, so it's difficult to get any kind of prism or mirror or light source in there.

 

Once it's set, nothing needs to move so it can all be locked off.

 

There must be some old signal-corp trick out there somewhere?!

[Charlie Peich]

Hi-

 

I'd like to fix an eyemo to a small animation stand and was wondering if anyone has found a clever way to line up/frame and focus through a single-port Eyemo? A

 

There must be some old signal-corp trick out there somewhere?!

 

Hey Patrick,

Here's a trick Bell & Howell had for precision alignment... :P

 

 

[Patrick Neary]

Unfortunately the rackover idea doesn't work with a single lens model. :)

[Herb Montes]

One trick I remember seeing in an old book on film titling is to drill a small hole in the center of the lens cap. A string from that hole with a small plumb bob at the end is used to line up the camera to a target on your animation board.

Edited March 26, 2009 by Herb Montes

[Patrick Neary]

Thanks Herb, that's exactly the kind of "field technique" I was looking for. That and a field of view calculation should get me pretty close, and then exposing a few frames of still B&W film should dial it in nicely-

 

Thanks!

[Charlie Peich]

Thanks Herb, that's exactly the kind of "field technique" I was looking for. That and a field of view calculation should get me pretty close, and then exposing a few frames of still B&W film should dial it in nicely-

 

Thanks!

 

Patrick, another "field technique" you could try. I just tried this (haven't done this in years) with my single lens eyemo with 50mm Miltar lens, focus set at 2 1/2 ft.. I've done this with 16mm cameras before.

 

When your camera is mounted with the lens of your choice and pointing at desired surface (light color or white), take the door off, open the lens, shutter and gate. No film in gate. Darken room. Take a small mag light, like one you'd use to check the gate, focus it to the brightest intensity, and shine it at the aperture. Put it right next to the gate, right on the narrow "slot" where you drop the film in. Don't let any light spill onto your surface. Aim the light towards the aperture's opening. Move the light around the opening.

 

What you will see "projected" on the surface is the image of the camera's aperture "opening". Moving the light around will show all sides/edges. You won't be able to light the whole opening at once. You can focus the lens on the edges of the opening, the edge or side where the film rests. Trace the projected edges on your table top, this will be your "field" that will be recorded on the film, unless you bump or move the camera after doing this! Check your lens's focusing scale while your at it.

 

It's harder on wide lenses such as 25mm, but it'll still work.

 

Let me know if this helps or works for you.

 

Charlie

[Paul Bruening]

You could snag one of these Science Whatevers. I've got the Giannini version. The plate that the film path works mounts to comes out. You then look through the mag hole in the back, right through the lens. These things are going for cheap on Ebay ($100-175). Here's a handy link. Yes, I know. Suggesting solutions through spending doesn't exactly help much. Sorry. http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/moabsales435...QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ