Chrome Pressure Plate for Super 8 Cartridge

Post by **taki** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 8:51 am

Has anyone tried these metal pressure plates you put in a super 8 cartridge ? They are ment to improve the image. You can see a picture of one if you scroll down this page...
http://www.beaulieu-images.com/
It's in French,but just put your mouse over the picture next to the words
"La RÃƒÂ©volution pour les cassettes Super 8" and you'll get the idea.

YouTube · Post by **Andreas Wideroe** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 9:16 am

Yes, I have one. They are made by GK Film in Germany. Good stuff, allthough you won't always see a difference.

Andreas

Post by **jukkasil** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:13 am

Just check this one (from our upcoming short movie Al dente), it has been shot with pressure plate and Vision 2 negatives:

http://www.sorb-i-tol.com/AL_DENTE_SILENT_TEASER.MPG

Post by **taki** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 12:48 pm

Does it compare to the pressure plate in a single 8 camera ?
I get crisper images when I use a Beaulieu which I think is because of the shutter system they use (not sure) I was thinking that this plate may have the same effect. ??

Post by **Klaus** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 12:56 pm

Hi taki,

GK-Film (inventor of the precision pressure plate) has a demonstration clip:

GK-Film Andruckplatte

Scroll down the window and klick on Demo-Film, they tested several filmstock with and without pressure plate.

A lot of people are very happy with the pressure plate, getting very good results, more sharpness and no jitter. I by myself haven't it yet, but like to get one in near future.

If you like to buy one be sure it is the pressure plate from GK-Film, there are cheap imitations on the market, those are crap and you will . The original pressure plate has a GK-Logo!

Klaus.

Post by **Klaus** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 1:05 pm

taki wrote:Does it compare to the pressure plate in a single 8 camera ?

No, not really, but you will get (sometimes) a picture improvement.

Post by **taki** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 3:45 pm

Klaus wrote:
taki wrote:Does it compare to the pressure plate in a single 8 camera ?
No, not really, but you will get (sometimes) a picture improvement.

Do you mean a picture improvement over the single 8 with the pressure plate ?

Post by **Klaus** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 4:44 pm

taki wrote:Do you mean a picture improvement over the single 8 with the pressure plate ?

No, I mean a picture improvement over the usual super 8 cartridge. It is not a "real" pressure plate like in a 16mm or Single 8 camera. You use the GK pressure plate with the "pressure plate" of Kodaks super 8 cartridge.

Look here:

http://www.german.film-super8.de/3_andr ... eitung.pdf

Its a PDF with instructions how to use the pressure plate. It is in german, but you can see the pictures.

Klaus.

Post by **tlatosmd** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 9:51 pm

I think in about fifty S8 films contained in Kodapak carts shot since 2000 or 2001, I've never had any single cart with such a bad registration as GK demonstrate it in their promotional clip for their pressure plate.

Post by **S8 Booster** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:03 pm

tlatosmd wrote:I think in about fifty S8 films contained in Kodapak carts shot since 2000 or 2001, I've never had any single cart with such a bad registration as GK demonstrate it in their promotional clip for their pressure plate.

this is correct. those examples are from production batches was generally no good from kodak possibly for all film stocks but i had some carts bought from wittner that came out as bad as the worst demo shown. some suck totally. the pressureplate could not help that but improved registration somewhat on the medium bad carts.

Post by **S8 Booster** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:27 pm

addition:

had somewhat mixed experience. with my cam and good k40 there wasnt any noticeable improvement. however, with the Fjui F500 PRO8 split and carted for me there was some improvement and i think the common understanding is that neg films benefits form the plate in general.

have to say that the (for some reason) Fuji F500 PRO8 made for me is the most stable neg film i have shot to this day. jitter free but a little weaving - improved with the PP.

Fujis Motion Picture neg has a thickness of 0.150mm and is very close to the standard K40 at 0.145mm

BTW: PRO8 sells Fujis Relala & Eterna MotionNeg Stocks and give them very high rankings.

Post by **taki** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:34 pm

Why would a neg film benifit more then say K40 ?
and
If the pressure plate would make a difference why wouldn't more people jump on single 8 ?

Post by **Justin Lovell** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:59 pm

my results with a 1014xls and colour stocks

Ektachrome 64/ 7240 both have some slight jitter.
The negative stocks run rock solid in comparison.

k40 is always solid.

Only time I've found issues is with the nizo s800 and Pro. Noticed more jitter with Tri-x, as can be seen in RAGE OF SILENCE. These camera also require a little more care, in that you really need to watch and clean the gate. More susceptable to getting hairs in there. My canons seem to be much cleaner in and around the gate. I think the metal gate in the nizo is more attractive for dust... etc.

Post by **S8 Booster** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 11:18 pm

taki wrote:Why would a neg film benifit more then say K40 ?
and
If the pressure plate would make a difference why wouldn't more people jump on single 8 ?

kodaks neg film were generally much thicker than k40 - 0.165mm vs k40s 0.145mm - neg quite off spec. the neg films seem to improve with the pressure plate due to this thickness issue.

if joe consumer had some technical knowledge at the time fuji would have won the game but there were other factors, rumours and incompetent mag jounalists which contributed to this misere possibly coupled with a partial anti-japanese emotional wave of the time.

those western companies having most to lose on japanese competitors usually put up all sorts of negative rumours about japanese products.

today you can see one example for you self easy to verify that this was pure desinformation not rooted in reality. Si8 will always be superior to s8 as a system.

facit: the fuji camp was right the kodak camp was wrong.
we pay deerly for this even today.

other costly mistakes:

betamax/phillips 2000 -> worst alternative VHS domitator
mac -> Windows worst alternatve won.
on
on
on

these severe mistakes has cost us consumers zillions and still do.

unfortunately.

but single8 film is still avail but supply is a bit awkward compared to kodak these days.

neg film not available for s8.

Post by **S8 Booster** » Thu Nov 03, 2005 11:24 pm

jusetan wrote:my results with a 1014xls and colour stocks

Ektachrome 64/ 7240 both have some slight jitter.
The negative stocks run rock solid in comparison.

k40 is always solid.

Only time I've found issues is with the nizo s800 and Pro. Noticed more jitter with Tri-x, as can be seen in RAGE OF SILENCE. These camera also require a little more care, in that you really need to watch and clean the gate. More susceptable to getting hairs in there. My canons seem to be much cleaner in and around the gate. I think the metal gate in the nizo is more attractive for dust... etc.

all sorts of individual variation depending on cam wear and condition so individual variations will occour. my xls often sticks with k40 & pressureplate. i suspect som cart lube issue.

basically i belive one have to test it indivdually to veriy ones benefits also depending on the filmstocks