The Supermag 400 is now ready!

[supermag400_inventor]

The mag is a wide because it has to accomodate the electronics and the other components. Even though it's wide, it isn't heavy.

Dave

[Dave Hardy]

I don't think Pro8 are crooks. They're just a bumbling bunch of amatuers not a professional lab service. They are the perfect example that it takes more than having the right equment to come up with quality results.

I always suggest folks that they usea prrofessioal lab 1.e. Forde & Flying Spot. I've never personally met Phil personaly. i've had a few amusing phone chats over the yrs. The last time was about 6 or 7 yrs ago, when I called about only getting 3 rolls out of 4 rolls sent for processing. He seemed to have become reconciled to the fact that most of the staff would rather be out surf boarding than working for the company. Jind of makes you wonder what he's paying them.

All the best
Dave

[supermag400_inventor]

I had lunch with Phil when I was there for our meeting. He seemed to be very straight forward about the Supermag project. He told me that he didn't think that I was serious when I first contacted him. But now that he's seen the prototype and the results, he had decided it was the "real deal".

He told me that when they started the company, they had lots of problems with their film stocks and the processing. I met some of the people working for him. They seemed not unlike the "Surfer type" you mentioned. Youth isn't a sign of any faults, but you would think they would have experienced fiilm people working for them.

I sent one of my first test results to them, the second test as it was. They opened it exposing it, without finding out what it was. I think that was poor communication. So now I label the stuff I send, inside and out.

I got an e-mail from Phil today about the last test. He said the test was 90% perfect only it had some fogging. I'm hoping the next one is better yet. I want 100% He said it had perfect registration and exposure and good focus. Just badly fogged. That may be the handling of the film not the magazine.

I hope it's just the handling of the film.

Dave

[LastQuark]

"perfect registration"

I like the sound of this particularly coming from Phil. Great job so far, Dave!

Pro8mm caters to Hollywood money spenders who really don't care how much they spend on their Super 8 projects. I don't see anything bad in their targeting this market - less people to deal with but higher margin. It could be their secret sauce why they survived all these years and this is good for Super 8 in general.

I they don't want to deal with me, fine. I just move on to someone who will take care of me. To me, I don't see anything wrong with Pro8mm's business model.
 

[Dave Hardy]

I think Phil means well & has a genuine fondness for the Super 8 format. The people he hires are probably equally enthusiastic about Super 8 but lack the discipline that workers at a professional lab are expected to maintain.

I think he's doing his best for you, but you need at this stage to nail down where the fogging is coming from. It might be worth while to send a roll or 2 of known good stock to Forde to see if they experience the fogging problem as well. Another thing you might try is sending a short end (10 or 15 feet of the negative stock to Forde that hasn't passed through the magazine/camera to determine that there is no fault in the raw stock.

Good to hear Phil's comments regarding registration.

All the best
Dave Hardy

[supermag400_inventor]

Actually, I've been thinking ahead of you. I already took some footage using some K-40 I took out a couple of cartridges. I sent it off to Dwaynes to have it developed. It should be here in a day or so. I think if that is ok, then it's the film, not the mag.

I also shot some footage with the door taped up. It will show me the difference between the door not taped and the door window taped. If the door is the problem, that is simple. Just tape the door window. No big deal.

Normally, the foam on the door makes a seal. But the seal is gone. Worn away by the ages of time. That's the trouble with the super 8 cameras. They used cheep foam seals that deteriorated over the years. What can you do?

Anyway, I hope that the only issue now is the fogging. I'll nail that down one way or another. But it is comforting to know that the mag works well. I'm happy as a pig in the mud about that.

I can't wait to get some new film and start shooting some serious footage.


Dave

[Patrick]

I'm curious if you have ever run the supermag at high speed (say higher than 40fps) in your testing. People who do a lot of high speed filming on super 8 generally must deal with the fact that a quarter or sometimes half of their 50ft carts would be used up in a matter of seconds. Plus, I would say that running film at a high speed would be a very good indicator of the supermag's performance in relation to stability and registration.

[supermag400_inventor]

The Supermag has not been tested at high speed. I do not have a camera with those speeds. However, it may work.

The motor is adjustable for speed by increasing the voltage to it. You could increase the voltage up to 15 volts without damage to the circuits. This would increase the speed to keep up with the camera.

It would have to be tested first, before I could say positively it would work.

Dave

[mattias]

i'm curious how it handles rough handling of the camera while shooting? with a regular cart running or snowboarding with the camera running isn't a problem, neither is turning it upside down or tilting it fast, but with that much film and no sprocket drive? not a criticism, just a suggestion for another test.

/matt

[aj]

So the feed motor is on a constant speed?

There is no feeler arm which controls the motor? Has it a sprocket? How can it keep the loop over a run of 100 ft or more?

Is it possible to reverse wind the film?

[mattias]

as far as i can tell there's no loop and no feed motor. it works just like a regular cart. the little sprocket wheel i assume is just for the counter?

/matt

[supermag400_inventor]

You are correct. The motor runs at a constant speed bu it's controlled by the movement of the film. When the film moves the magazine runs.

The sprocket is for the counter...not the motor.

The Magazine does not have a feed motor. It works just by the claw. The film reel is on load bearings to allow for free movement of the film spool.

The camera could run in any position. Movement would not make any difference in the magazine's functions. The motor is controlled by a small pressure switch in the housing that starts and stops the motor as the film moves over it.

However, if you abuse the magazine by banging it around, I can not say that it would not fail to work. That's only common sense.


Dave

[paulcotto]

From what I understand in Hollywood film the loaders tape all magazines with black camera tape as a standard precaution. I would do the same thing and tape any joint on the film mag cover. Kodak says to load all film in complete darkness, even daylight spools. Film speeds are very high these days and even a littlie light will cause fogging.

Just a thought,
Paul Cotto

I had lunch with Phil when I was there for our meeting. He seemed to be very straight forward about the Supermag project. He told me that he didn't think that I was serious when I first contacted him. But now that he's seen the prototype and the results, he had decided it was the "real deal".

He told me that when they started the company, they had lots of problems with their film stocks and the processing. I met some of the people working for him. They seemed not unlike the "Surfer type" you mentioned. Youth isn't a sign of any faults, but you would think they would have experienced fiilm people working for them.

I sent one of my first test results to them, the second test as it was. They opened it exposing it, without finding out what it was. I think that was poor communication. So now I label the stuff I send, inside and out.

I got an e-mail from Phil today about the last test. He said the test was 90% perfect only it had some fogging. I'm hoping the next one is better yet. I want 100% He said it had perfect registration and exposure and good focus. Just badly fogged. That may be the handling of the film not the magazine.

I hope it's just the handling of the film.

Dave

[Nigel]

I tape mags not because of light...But to keep them from accidently being opened. No one tapes the interface of mag and body or body alone.

Light can only travel in a straight line and a mag has grooves that the cover hoes into so I don't see how light is going to get in...Its like having a dog-leg door into a dark room--Light doesn't enter.

This also assumes that your camera and mags are in good condition.

Good Luck

[matt5791]

I think Phil means well & has a genuine fondness for the Super 8 format.

All the best
Dave Hardy

Phil Vigeant is OBSESSED with the format - honestly. I have met him on three occasions in London, and on every occasion we have been standing around chatting about the format for 2 hours on one occasion.

Whatever anyone thinks, I do like him and the company, even though I buy direct from Kodak and source telecine and processing separately.

Matt