The Frame Master Super 8 pressure plate

[monobath]

In the "Super 8 to 35mm blowup" thread, avortex referenced this website because the Andec Filmtechnik company does blowups:

http://www.andecfilm.de

While I was visiting there, I say that Andec Filmtechnik sells a metal pressure plate that fits over the plastic pressure plate and under the film in a Super 8 cartridge. It's supposed to improve the steadiness of the image on the film because of increased smoothness and rigidity of the metal plate.

Here's the description in English:

http://www.andecfilm.de/html/bildstand_1e.htm

There are some test clips of various film types taken with and without the replacement pressure plate. It looks pretty interesting.

Does anyone on this forum have any experience using this item? Did you notice any improvement in the steadiness of your film as a result. Would you say that it's worth the price? Do you know if there are any competing products?

I'd just buy one and try it, but it's a little pricey. 140 Euros is about $147 US.

[Matt Pacini]

I'm sorry, I'm just not buying it.
I personally think the internal plate in the cartridges looks just fine, especially considering how tiny the format is.
I've never seen any image unsteadiness in my footage.

Matt Pacini

[TA 152]

This problem has been well rcognized in Europe for a long time, especialy for non K40 stock. The original Kodak pressureplate is apparently "fine tuned" for K40.

Check the following samples/clips which can be downloaded from their WEB site:

http://www.andecfilm.de/html/demovideo_e.htm

http://www.andecfilm.de/pl_x7276.mpg [Plus X]
http://www.andecfilm.de/tr_x7278.mpg [Tri X]
http://www.andecfilm.de/vnf_7240.mpg [VNF 7240]
http://www.andecfilm.de/neg_7274.mpg [V200T]
http://www.andecfilm.de/k40.mpg [K40]
http://www.andecfilm.de/def_k40.mpg [Improvement of jittery cartridges]

R

[Nigel]

Sounds like it might need to be investigated further. I wouldn't go based on the website alone.

Good Luck

[monobath]

Thanks for your responses so far. I wasn't really thinking of buying one of these devices yet. I was just curious to know if anyone out there had any direct experience with it that they'd care to describe. My google searches didn't turn up much. The film clips on the website showing results with and without the pressure plate were interesting, but they weren't the result of independent testing.

My first few rolls K-40 have not come back from Kodak yet, so I currently have no perception of steadiness to be concerned about. And when I do get my film back, I doubt that the steadiness of the film will be my first concern. I'm sure I'll have a host of other more pressing problems I'll want to address.

Even so, it seems conceptually evident (careful, there, Aristotle) that anything that improves the film registration, flatness, or movement, is bound to have a beneficial effect on image quality.

[Supa-eight]

They could make the thing out of solid gold and it still wouldn't be worth the $150 they are trying to charge for it. Give me a break. That price is rediculous....

[TA 152]

Just some additional info in English:

http://www.andecfilm.de/html/bildstand2e.htm

R

[kinglouis]

Hallo.
The discussion about the plate is a little bit curious. Iam using the plate and absolutely happy
with the results. Using Ektachrome 7240 and Vision 200 it brings stable results and and a much better quality as without the plate. I know that depends
and the camera, but on some tested Nizo cameras and Beaulieus for student productions there are in all cameras to see, that the plate works fine.
Now i have seen the total lenght of the Demo Video
and the results seems to be allright. On some cameras i have the same results. I you see the plate, you know, what precision is necessary.
I also do not like the price, but 2-3 cartridges
with a fault of steadiness or sharpness and a lost
day during shooting are more expensive. I think, i have spent some money using the plate. Before using the plate i have a lot of troubles using Ektachrome. Steadiness problems and sharpness problems. Now problems are at a minimum. Iam happy, that this plate is avaible. You can also read the articles from the other users. Unfortunately most of them in german. But i think, you can send back the plate, if you are not agree with the results. Are there no other users of the plate in this forum ?
To all on this forum a Happy New Year
Ingrid

[monobath]

Thanks for your comments, Ingrid. I searched the archive on this forum (good idea, I'll do it more often in the future) and found a couple of other threads from March 2002 in which this device was discussed. No real conclusions regarding the efficacy of the device were presented in those threads either. Perhaps not many people have tried it, or maybe few people see a problem that needs to be addressed.

I'm going to wait and see if any of my films have objectionable movement. But even if they do, that incredibly high price for the pressure plate would be an obstacle.

If anyone is interested:

Topic: New pressure plate for K40 carts.!!
http://www.hostboard.com/cgi-bin/ult...c&f=409&t=2179

Topic: Kodak Jittery Cartridges
http://www.hostboard.com/cgi-bin/ult...c&f=409&t=2162

[FastFilms]

I am currently editing a short film in Final Cut Pro I shot on plus-x a few years back. It seems that I had some rolls with a bad case of the "shakes". I've had to use the filers in Final Cut to correct for this. (this tales forever AND eats-up alot of hard disk space) I wish this product was around when I was shooting. I probably would have bought it. (even though it is overpriced)

Michael