Depth of Field slider on my camera...? (Bell & Howell MS-45)

**Mike Buckles** · June 25th, 2002, 01:29 AM

My Bell and Howell MS45 has, among it's other nifty features, a "depth of field" adjustment inside the camera under where the film cartridge goes...so it's not meant to be adjusted on the fly...having lost the instruction book years ago, I've never fooled with this slider..it has a middle position that is the "normal" setting...then it has a picture of a closed iris at one end, and a picture of an open iris at the other end...I have some idea of what depth of field is, having experimented with my MiniDV's aperature and shutter, but I don't know exactly what this control does...I have manual exposure control on another spot on the camera...any thoughts? Thanks, Mike

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Editors Note: None of Mikey B's words were altered by the forum Moderator (aka Alex), I simply added the phrase (Bell & Howell MS-45) to the topic post title to alert readers that this topic deals with the Bell & Howell MS-45.

[ March 19, 2003 04:35 AM: Message edited by: Super-8mm in the DigitalAge ]

**Alex** · June 25th, 2002, 02:02 AM

Well, ya learn something new everday! I have that camera, and NEVER noticed that cute little button you speak of.

But sure enough, there it is!

I think I received the manual when I bought the camera, but I can't seem to find it. [img]confused.gif[/img]

I'm going to guess that the shutter is normally at 180 degrees when totally open. When you put that button in the middle position, your shutter opening is 90 degrees, and when it's all the way, it's closed?

Why would you want the shutter closed?

hmmmmm.

the faster the shutter setting, the smaller your depth of field.

I don't think your camera has a manual exposure setting.

It may have an auto-exposure "lock" setting.

[ June 24, 2002 11:04 PM: Message edited by: Alex ]

**Mike Buckles** · June 25th, 2002, 04:03 AM

it must be a shutter control...i'll have to experiment at different settings...Ridley Scott used a 20 degree shutter setting for some of the fight scenes in Gladiator...regarding the manual exposure, with the effects module that snaps onto the camera, i do have full manual control over the exposure...I can either lock the auto down, or move the f-stop up or down to whatever I want...very versatile! mike

**Alex** · June 25th, 2002, 04:29 AM

Well, Well.

Right you are!

When I first got the camera, I misidentified the audio switch. The audio switch on the module is actually a combination audio, auto exposure, and manual exposure switch.

Thanks for that correction. This is a cool camera!

F 1.2 to F 44.

Intervalometer, slow motion.

Nice zoom lens action.

One things that's slightly weird. You can't use the motorized zoom unless the camera motor is actually running!

On the other hand, the zoom lever is very easy to move.

This camera even has an autofocus module!

**cameraguy** · June 25th, 2002, 02:23 PM

[ August 30, 2003 05:44 AM: Message edited by: cameraguy ]

**Alex** · June 25th, 2002, 02:50 PM

But a smaller shutter opening requires one to open up the iris to match the same light intensity the film needs for exposure, so a smaller shutter opening will cause the depth of field to be smaller.

**cameraguy** · June 25th, 2002, 04:33 PM

[ August 30, 2003 05:44 AM: Message edited by: cameraguy ]

**Alex** · June 25th, 2002, 06:29 PM

If your criteria is that you want the amount of light hitting the film to be the same, then a smaller shutter angle will mean you have to open the camera f-stop up more as compensation, hence a smaller, or shorter depth of field.

What do you think that dial inside the Bell & Howell camera does in the way of shutter. Is there any logical reason to have it close down all the way if it is inside the camera and not accessible while shooting?

Perhaps it's a variable shutter, so at any point along the dial variably shutter angles from zero to 180 are being created.

A potentially cool feature.