Are there digital camera that will...........?

[Vespasian]

Are there digis that will capture at a frame per second without pressing a button every second?. Say if you had a vari speed projector and one of Moviestuffs Jumbo lenses, and a digi camera hooked up to premier to capture at 1 fps or even 3 fps. Something like that.

[Matt Pacini]

If you're referring to digital still cameras, no.

That's the setup that I have, with a Workprinter III.
Actually, the biggest problem is (if you are thinking of doing this setup) is that with the condenser lens, you need like a 12X optical zoom to fill the lens with the image without cropping, which only the mondo expensive digital cameras have.
I won't even bother telling you the I've had to go through to solve this problem.
Sounds easy, but it's not.
I'd suggest sticking with using a DV camera, unless you're ready to fork out significant time and money figuring out workarounds, which is what I'm doing.

Matt Pacini

[Paul L.]

I don't think you are understanding the concept regarding non-sync equipment. If the projector is "variable speed control" or the camera is set at a specific frame rate, THE MOTOR WILL DRIFT... IE: the camera may go from slightly below 24fps to slightly over 24fps and back again. If it's not crystal-synced or digitally speed-controlled, YOU WILL NOT GET AN EXACT FRAMERATE. Combine a "variable speed projector" with a camera that films at exactly 1 frame or 24 frames per second or whatever, and guess what, you will get strobing. All elements in the system must be "sync" to have "sync" footage. For instance, a crystal-sync 24 fps camera and a minidisc recorder or DAT recorder will lead to sync footage. A non-crystal sync camera and a minidisc will not... there will be drift involved because of the camera.

[Vespasian]

I was talking about a DV camera Matt I should have specified. YOu know because if you had a DV camera that would automatically capture at the same speed as a variable speed projector then you wouldn't need the work printer.

[Vespasian]

I understand Paul. So if you have a crystal camera, and a minidisc player you will still have to change the speed of the audio when you put on the computer right? I mean the minidisc isn't going to record at exactly the same speed as the crystal camera right?

[Paul L.]

No, you don't understand yet [img]smile.gif[/img] If you have a crystal-sync camera and a mini-disc recorder, you're golden. Slate the beginning of each take, and line it up in your editing program, and everything's great. The problem is if you either have a non-crystal-sync camera, or a non-crystal-sync analog recorder such as a Nagra or cassette tape recorder. That's when one is going to drift from the other, either too fast or too slow. Serious question: have you made any super8 films yet? If not, don't worry about this stuff yet. Just go shoot some film and deal with that later.

[imissedthesixties]

So let's look at this from another point of view. Synching up sound using Premiere withOUT a crystal-sync camera.

Is it possible to use, say a Minidisc or a DAT to record your sound and match it up with your film speed via Premiere? Or is it that you are limited to time as far as how long your audio will stay in sync with the film?

Also, was it said that crystal sync is shot typically at 24 fps? What is the audio ratio to this? And will it work if you shot non-synched film at 18fps?

Don't get me wrong... doing it the best way is always smart, but some of us are on REAL low budgets and will try anything to keep it that way.

~M

[MovieStuff]

It depends on:

A) What speed your camera REALLY shoots at

B) How steady your camera's speed is maintained

C) How you end up transferring your film to computer

If you camera shoots at 23.976 and you transfer with a WorkPrinter or a Rank, and your camera maintained speed really well, then you can maintain synch for a long time, maybe even an entire roll.

If your camera shoots at 24fps and you transfer with a WP or Rank, then your audio will begin to get ahead since the film will be displayed on video at 23.976 and not 24.

Now, even if your camera shoots at 23.976fps with a very even speed and you transfer just by projecting it, then you have what ever synch problems you'd have trying to play back the sound along with the projector, as it is unlikely that the projector will play back at 23.976 or maintain that speed very long. The video element plays no part in the speed equation at that point.