Hello,
This question is for all of you Workprinter users and perhaps Roger, if you so choose to help me out.
Does anyone ever get a glare or a sort of extra light effect that comes through the film guide holes when doing a transfer? The last transfer I did had this effect happen on occasion. I am not sure whether it was the film itself or the way I was doing the transfer.
Any help with this or a way to get rid of it. By the way....what is the purpose and process of using a tube painted black between the camera and WP lens??
Thanks so much for your help.
Roger...Love the WP!
Mark
Workprinter problem - question
Moderator: Andreas Wideroe
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MovieStuff
- Posts: 6135
- Joined: Wed May 01, 2002 1:07 am
- Real name: Roger Evans
- Location: Kerrville, Texas
- Contact:
Yes, the upside of having an enlarged gate is that you can see the sprocket holes. The downside of having an enlarged gate is that you can see the sprocket holes. The light from the holes is really only an issue on some underexposed film or dark scenes and mostly on regular 8 because the holes are so big. You can mask the back of the gate with chromed slide tape, which is available at most photographic stores. It is silver and has a really agressive adhesive on the back and is used to mask slides. It provides a clean edge when cut with an exacto knife. A piece about 1/8th by 3/8ths is about right. Trial and error will tell you where to place it to mask the holes. You don't even have to mask the entire width of the holes. Just covering them by half will often do the trick because it is the volume of light, not the position of the holes so much.
Roger
Roger
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sigr
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Fri May 03, 2002 1:48 am
- Real name: Sig Rannem
- Location: Toronto, Canada
- Contact:
I have experienced this problem as well and it was severe enough that I had to develop and implement a solution. Initially, Roger put me on the right track with the information he provided in his post above.
I have to admit though, that I have been sceptical about using sticky tape to mask the sprocket holes for the simple reason that it would (I think) be very difficult to position the tape accurately. I actually find that when the problem is severe (very underexposed scene) I have to cover pretty much the entire sprocket hole. Therefore, exact positioning is very critical. So, instead of using a small piece of sticky tape, I have cut the mask out of thin pliable magnetic material (from one of those magnetic stick-ons you have on your fridge). Because this material is magnetic it adheres nicely to the back of the gate, but can be adjusted into just the right position by pushing it with a small screwdriver or similar tool. Initially this approach gave me a fairly fuzzy edge on the video (on the LHS of the frame), but I have now cut the edge of the magnetic strip at an angle (away from the gate across the thickness / cross section of the material), so that I get a fairly sharp edge up against the back of the gate. I find that this works really well and I use this method all the time now to cover the sprocket holes for both R8 and S8 film, although different masks (slightly different size) are required in each case.
I’m not saying that the sticky tape would not work (I have not tried it). However, I personally think the magnetic masks are more practical, since they are easy to insert and adjust into the exact position to cover the sprocket holes, as well as easy to remove.
I can really recommend this method to anyone that has this problem. Of course the credit goes to Roger for identifying the problem in the first place, based on a general description of the symptoms.
I have to admit though, that I have been sceptical about using sticky tape to mask the sprocket holes for the simple reason that it would (I think) be very difficult to position the tape accurately. I actually find that when the problem is severe (very underexposed scene) I have to cover pretty much the entire sprocket hole. Therefore, exact positioning is very critical. So, instead of using a small piece of sticky tape, I have cut the mask out of thin pliable magnetic material (from one of those magnetic stick-ons you have on your fridge). Because this material is magnetic it adheres nicely to the back of the gate, but can be adjusted into just the right position by pushing it with a small screwdriver or similar tool. Initially this approach gave me a fairly fuzzy edge on the video (on the LHS of the frame), but I have now cut the edge of the magnetic strip at an angle (away from the gate across the thickness / cross section of the material), so that I get a fairly sharp edge up against the back of the gate. I find that this works really well and I use this method all the time now to cover the sprocket holes for both R8 and S8 film, although different masks (slightly different size) are required in each case.
I’m not saying that the sticky tape would not work (I have not tried it). However, I personally think the magnetic masks are more practical, since they are easy to insert and adjust into the exact position to cover the sprocket holes, as well as easy to remove.
I can really recommend this method to anyone that has this problem. Of course the credit goes to Roger for identifying the problem in the first place, based on a general description of the symptoms.
This is a great idea, sigr! How thick is your magnetic material and what do you use to cut it at an angle? Will an Xacto knife do it?
It sounds like something which could have marketing potential. I certainly wouldn't mind paying a few bucks for a pre-cut or pre-molded magnetic strip, and even better if it could be made with a protruding "finger-grabber" (instead of having to use a screwdriver to nudge it around).
--Derrick
It sounds like something which could have marketing potential. I certainly wouldn't mind paying a few bucks for a pre-cut or pre-molded magnetic strip, and even better if it could be made with a protruding "finger-grabber" (instead of having to use a screwdriver to nudge it around).
--Derrick
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sigr
- Posts: 75
- Joined: Fri May 03, 2002 1:48 am
- Real name: Sig Rannem
- Location: Toronto, Canada
- Contact:
Hi Derrick,
The magnetic material is only about ½ to 2/3 mm thick and I cut it with an Xacto knife or equivalent. My S8 mask is about 20 mm long/high (1†= 25.4 mm). At the upper end it’s about 3.5 mm wide. At the lower end it’s about 2 mm wide. On the RHS I have cut a slope from the midpoint lengthwise to the lower end. In other words the mask is a rectangle 20 x 3.5 mm, but with the lower RH corner trimmed off so that the width at the lower end is 2 mm instead of 3.5. I hope you follow what I’m saying. My R8 mask is the same length (or height), but it is a bit wider, although again the lower RH corner is cut off the same way. The reason for the different width of the R8 and S8 masks is that the R8 sprocket holes are quite a bit wider, so the mask has to extend a bit further into the gate area. The reason for cutting off the lower RH corner is that the outside cover slopes inwards in that spot, so if you don’t make the sloped cut-off, the cover will push the mask further into the gate area when you put it back on after installing the mask. Again, I hope you follow what I’m saying. This also leads me to your suggestion about the protruding “finger-grabberâ€Â. Unfortunately, due to the outside cover, such a handle cannot be accommodated for space reasons, unless you managed to attach something at 90 degrees to the mask. By the way, the mask should be installed on the backside of the gate just in front of the white reflector.
I hope the above description is reasonably understandable. If not, get back to me with specific questions. Also let me know your experience with the masks once you’ve tried them out.
Regards,
Sig
The magnetic material is only about ½ to 2/3 mm thick and I cut it with an Xacto knife or equivalent. My S8 mask is about 20 mm long/high (1†= 25.4 mm). At the upper end it’s about 3.5 mm wide. At the lower end it’s about 2 mm wide. On the RHS I have cut a slope from the midpoint lengthwise to the lower end. In other words the mask is a rectangle 20 x 3.5 mm, but with the lower RH corner trimmed off so that the width at the lower end is 2 mm instead of 3.5. I hope you follow what I’m saying. My R8 mask is the same length (or height), but it is a bit wider, although again the lower RH corner is cut off the same way. The reason for the different width of the R8 and S8 masks is that the R8 sprocket holes are quite a bit wider, so the mask has to extend a bit further into the gate area. The reason for cutting off the lower RH corner is that the outside cover slopes inwards in that spot, so if you don’t make the sloped cut-off, the cover will push the mask further into the gate area when you put it back on after installing the mask. Again, I hope you follow what I’m saying. This also leads me to your suggestion about the protruding “finger-grabberâ€Â. Unfortunately, due to the outside cover, such a handle cannot be accommodated for space reasons, unless you managed to attach something at 90 degrees to the mask. By the way, the mask should be installed on the backside of the gate just in front of the white reflector.
I hope the above description is reasonably understandable. If not, get back to me with specific questions. Also let me know your experience with the masks once you’ve tried them out.
Regards,
Sig
Hey Sig--
Wow! Thanks for all the details; your description is quite clear. I'm hoping to re-locate in the next few months and get some space that I can permanently dedicate to the WorkPrinter (I've only had it set up & running for a few days during my roommate's vacation, then I had to dismantle it all). I'm printing your post and will keep it on hand for when I get settled. I haven't had any light spillage problems so far, but then I haven't delved into my father's Regular8 reels yet. Thanks again!
--Derrick
Wow! Thanks for all the details; your description is quite clear. I'm hoping to re-locate in the next few months and get some space that I can permanently dedicate to the WorkPrinter (I've only had it set up & running for a few days during my roommate's vacation, then I had to dismantle it all). I'm printing your post and will keep it on hand for when I get settled. I haven't had any light spillage problems so far, but then I haven't delved into my father's Regular8 reels yet. Thanks again!
--Derrick