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7222/ K3 Test footage


Gautam Valluri

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Hello people,

 

So I finally have the results of the test roll I shot on the X-Rayed stock I was worried about in this post.

So no fogging! After one trip through the check-in baggage scanner and another one trip through a carry-on scanner and no sign of any fog.

 

Here is the footage:

 

Although, this footage still bothers me with all that grain! Doesn't look like a 200 speed film does it? Also, there are so many scratches and 'hairs' on the footage.

 

I paid $100 for the telecine job to DVCAM and I am not happy with it. I don't like the keycode details/ timer display covering up the top and bottom of my footage but what bothers me most are the 'hairs'. Is it my camera? I remember I cleaned the gate with a Q-tip before I shot this footage. Is it a problem with ground glass?

 

Or is it just a bad telecine job?

 

I'd love to hear your views.

 

Thanks,

Gautam

Edited by Gautam Valluri
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Here is the footage:

 

Although, this footage still bothers me with all that grain! Doesn't look like a 200 speed film does it? Also, there are so many scratches and 'hairs' on the footage. I don't like the keycode details/ timer display covering up the top and bottom of my footage but what bothers me most are the 'hairs'. Is it my camera?

 

Double X is a bit more grainy than a modern stock. (and extra grain is one of the possible symptoms of X-ray exposure, so that is possible also)

 

The Keycode burn in scans are used by folks using computer editing and planing to do a better scan later on the footage that they are keeping, sort of an "Online workprint" {-workflow- edit the project on the computer and then use the keycode to find the original shots, splice them together and have the film cleaned and scanned at high resolution} the "workprint" image is of lower resolution to allow room in the frame for the details. The lab should be able to give you a plain scan if you are planning to edit digitally, but they may have a different rate for that. it almost looks like they gave you a colour scan.

 

Biggest problem is what looks like a frame by frame scratch in the upper right centre of the image with a few others that are not as consistent. Does your K3 camera still have the loop formers installed? They are frequently cited as causing scratched film. Can you look at the negative on rewinds with a good magnifier and a light across the film to see if the back of the film has a row of scratches? if so you can wind the film back emulsion in and try rethreading it in the camera to see where the scratches are likely coming from. (I am assuming that this test is not ending up in your finished project.)

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I agree with Charles, these are intermittent scratches, probably from the film touching the loop formers.

You should remove them since they do more harm than good, and the K-3 is easy enough to thread anyway.

 

Always check your loop size after threading, the loops at their largest size must never touch the plastic parts.

 

BTW, Q-tips are not good for cleaning the gate, they may lose fibers.

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Charles and Christian,

 

Both of you are bang on target. I did some looking around and realized it was indeed the loop formers!

 

Christian: Would you suggest I use a paintbrush to clean the gate instead? Or a dry rubber blower?

 

I'm going to try and remove the loop formers myself as it is very expensive for me to send the camera abroad from India to have it done professionally.

 

Thanks so much for your replies!

 

Best,

Gautam

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Hi Gautam,

 

I've always used orange stick to keep the gate clean then compressed air with the can held absolutely level. The sticks won't scratch anything and work well, particularly on build up in the gate.

 

Love black and white film and really miss 7231.

 

Good luck,

Tom

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Gautam,

 

if you want to modify your K-3 yourself, take a look at the assembly/disassembly videos here:

 

k3camera.com

 

I never had emulsion buildup because I didn't shoot that much footage with my own K-3, but in dusty environment, I always clean the gate using those soft cleaning tissues (single-wrapped) recommended for glasses. They usually contain a bit of alcohol, but it never affected the metal gate parts of my other Russian cameras (Konvas), so I assume it's safe for the K-3 gate too.

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your transfer does look like a lower quality one light. rescanning selects will be much better, if done on a higher quality scanner and with a competent colorist.

 

Hey Chris,

 

I'm thinking all that grain is because the stock was put in a luggage scanner on its way from the US. The stock was in baggage that was 'checked-in'.

 

Could this be possible?

 

Best,

Gautam

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Gautam,

 

if you want to modify your K-3 yourself, take a look at the assembly/disassembly videos here:

 

k3camera.com

 

I never had emulsion buildup because I didn't shoot that much footage with my own K-3, but in dusty environment, I always clean the gate using those soft cleaning tissues (single-wrapped) recommended for glasses. They usually contain a bit of alcohol, but it never affected the metal gate parts of my other Russian cameras (Konvas), so I assume it's safe for the K-3 gate too.

 

Thanks for the link and the tip Christian! I love k3camera.com, its a great site.

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