It's a Boy!!! ... or something...

[mrmatta]

Hi all,

I'm relatively new around here. I'm an audio guy that has recently become obsessed with film. This Spring, I bought a few old cameras (a 4008S, a Revere double-run 8 clockwork camera, and my final purchase - a Filmo 70HR) and shot test rolls with each (all B&W), bracketing expsures and testing all possible lenses. Everything seemed to check out OK, but I still needed to SHOOT SOMETHING!!

So, I signed up for this year's time-lapse project and bought a roll of 16mm K40. Hmmmm, COLOR - a little intimidating. The 22nd rolled around and it was an absolutely flawless, sunny day here in Nashville, TN, USA.

My plan was to go about 30 miles out in the country to some local drag races and try my luck.

I had tested four lenses with my 70HR, the three turret C-mount lenses that came with it (.7" , 1", 3" ) and the C-mount Schneider zoom lens that came with my 4008. I figured the Schneider was probably going to be the sharpest lens, so I bought an 85 filter for it and was good to go. But... on the morning of the 22nd I finally put my test footage up on my projector to comfirm my plan and I was in for a bit of a surprise. I guess I need to learn a little more about the principle of collimation, the Schneider was not going to work for 16mm with this camera.

So, I took one of my little B&H C-mount lenses to the local consumer photo store and said "I'm pretty sure you don't have an 85 filter for this, but do know of any kind of workaround so I can shoot Kodachrome in daylight with this lens - it doesn't have to be perfect" and then, foolishly, described what I was trying to acomplish. The only useful response I got was, "So, you must have a lot of time on your hands..." .

Ultimately, I decided "F@%K him" I can figure this out and decided to hang the 49mm filter over the lip of my smaller diameter lens and hold it there with a piece of gaff tape and it worked like a charm - crisis averted.

Off to the races ... I shot some pseudo time-lapse of full-daylight timetrials and then shot some slow-motion closeups of tire burn-outs at the starting line. Then I set up for my main shot, halfway down the dragstrip facing the starting line, ready for 7PM finals (I figured I would get the good "golden hour" light shining on the racecars).

Then, the announcer came over the public address system, "Folks, we're going to wait a little while for the sun to go down, it gets in the drivers' eyes and we have to wait unil it falls below the treeline".

Holy crap, I have an f3.5 lens WITH an 85 filter attached, I barely have enough light as it is with K40. In 20 minutes I'll be totally screwed. And... in 20 minutes ... I was ... totally screwed. My main setup was totally unusable.

So I sent my film to Dwayne's with low expectations. Less than a week later I got it back and tonight I finally put it up on my projector.


I'm absolutely amazed. My first sequence (8fps in full daylight) isn't overexposed and looks really good. My second sequence (slo-mo) is everything I could have hoped for. I don't care about the rest of the roll. The stuff is absolutely gorgeous (remember, this is my first-born). I am absolutely astonished at the beauty of film.

Cigars for everyone.

Matt A.
Nashville, TN, USA

[Freya]

The S8 lens you tried to use on the filmo might have been made for s8 and not have the coverage for 16mm so it may well not be a collimation issue at all I'm afraid to say.

Daylight filters should be fairly common, not sure what the lenses you are using but you might well be able to get a cokin filter adaptor for them. Nothing wrong with taping a filter on tho, lots of people find themselves resorting to that!

The filmo has a strange shutter angle which is good for filming in low light, I think it is like 209 degrees or something, also you don't need as much light at lower frame rates so maybe it worked to your advantage!

I'm always amazed at the lighting conditions that K40 does work at!

Glad to hear you are happy!

love

Freya

[soundboy]

Hi all,

I'm relatively new around here. I'm an audio guy that has recently become obsessed with film.

Ah its good to see another Sound Guy get into film. I work in Post Audio mainly mixing sports related TV Programs..

I'm getting sick of sitting on my arse in front of Computers all day and decided to take up shooting film as a hobbie last year.

Hopefully one day i can turn into more than a Hobbie, even if I don't, shooting film is loads of fun...