Fogged film?

[MadFor3D]

I read this from a description of the AMinima Aaton camera:

"DistantEye viewfinder ; the only reflex camera which doesn't fog the running film if the eye is not held against the eyecup."

What gives? Is all my film getting fogged cause I frame the shot and then take my eye away from the eyecup and use the remote chord to start filming?

-M

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[Matt Pacini]

Technically, yeah.
You're supposed to close the eyepiece down (most cameras have a switch to do this, I think), and I always try to, but to be honest, I often forget, and I haven't seen any problems.
So I don't have an answer to this.
I'm not sure if S8 cameras are designed differently, to minimize this, but it does mention it in the manual of some S8 cameras, so it's a good idea.
Anybody out there know?
Maybe it actually IS fogging the film, but so slightly that it's not a big problem.
I don't know.

Matt Pacini

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[cameraguy]

One time I was shooting some time lapse with the camera on a tripod. I was eating a sandwich as the camera clicked away when I noticed that the setting sun was beaming right into the viewfinder. Footage came out fine so I guess not all cameras have the problem.

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[Nigel]

You will have less to worry about since most S8 cameras aren't using a mirrored shutter. The Prism will eat up some light that is coming back in. Good Luck.

BTW--The way the Minima does it is through an odd baffle. I don't know why a DP would ever want to pull his/her eye away from the camera anyway. Good Luck

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[Matt Pacini]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Nigel:
"I don't know why a DP would ever want to pull his/her eye away from the camera anyway."


I can think of a couple reasons.

1. If you accidentally move your eye away for just a second.

2. There are lots of shots where your eye is not on the viewfinder, like a shot from floor level, for instance.
Also, I do a lot of hand held work, but I hate that "everything at head level" look, so I'll drop the camera around about waist level, for better composition.
Obiously, you can't do this with close-ups, and you really have to have a good idea of what it's going to look like, and know your camera, to guess like this.


3. You fall down a flight of stairs while hand-holding a shot. My God, wouldn't YOU want to have that footage?
har har har!

Matt Pacini

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[Nigel]

There have been many times when I was on my stomach shooting, or on my knees. I have even been on a crane coming down into a shot. I have always tried to keep my eye on the viewfinder at all times.

And for those times when your eye needs to move away--There is a "trapdoor" on the viewfinder to shut off light--That is either activated aby pressure or a flick of a switch. The only reason for my eye to leave my viewfinder is when someone is shooting bullets over my head or I just can't keep it up there.

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[MadFor3D]

Well,

Sounds like it could comprimise the image quality on a mirror shutter camera like a Beaulieu. The first Super 8 movie I made, I would frame most of the shots on a tri-pod with another person there to push the record "remote" switch I made- cause I was acting in a lot of the shots. I don't think he looked through the viewfinder at all times.

-M

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[MrObvious]

I have filmed with my eye away from the viewfinder many times with my mirror-shuttered Beaulieu and I've never had a problem.

Marc S.

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[Nigel]

Look, There is nothing worse than a DP pulling his/her eye away from the viewfinder. That is what they do for a living. If you are not looking through the lens then what are you looking at??? You either keep with the shot or you half ass your way through it as far as I am concerned.

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[Matt Pacini]

Nigel, I agree with you 100% in theory, except there is a big problem with S8 cameras:

No orientable viewfinder.

So, if you're like me, and you want moving shots, and can't use a dolly for that particular shot, you have to hand hold the shot.
And if you do NOT like compositions from a standing perspective, then you have to find some way to get the camera around stomach or chest level, and you just can't walk around with your knees half bent for too long!
So, I either use my trusty wheelchair dolly, or I just drop the camera down to chest level or so, and guess.
Obviously, I don't do this if I'm doing closeups, and their is a huge margin of error here, but I just hate that "Head height, looking directly at the actors, eye to eye" look.
Horrible composition.
So given the choice, in a tight shooting situation, I'll take my chances and guess.

Matt Pacini


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