Home Movies (1954)

what CAMERA? By LEONARD CLAIRMONT There is a camera for every job, for every pocket-book and for every occasion. Cameras for quick pick-up scenes and rugged terrain, for complete sound productions and precision setups, for animation and titles, and cameras for the vacationing amateur. Since 16mm went professional, many new cameras have come into being, both here and in Europe. And since the advent of television, a few more have made their appearance on the international camera market — cameras of the highest professional standard, comparable with any 35mm camera. Too many claims have been made of late who actually originated 16mm motion pictures. The fact remains that Alexander F. Victor, a young engineer from Sweden, designed and — in 1923 — placed on the market the world's first 16mm cameras and propectors. The Eastman Kodak Company made the very first 16mm film stock. Of almost greater importance, however, is the fact that Alexander Victor as early as 1918 proposed a new safety base for narrow-gauge film for the non-theatrical field — and it used to be known — because no insurance underwriter would insure any building in which inflammable film was shown, unless projected from fireproof booths. After a long struggle to introduce the safety standard, Eastman Kodak began to manufacture this new type of film. In 1923 this same company perfected the reversal process for motion picture film. Soon Bell & Howell doomed the handcranked cameras and introduced the first spring-driven 16mm camera — thus doing away with the tripod for the amateurs. Then 16mm was really on its way. Now, quite regularly, we hear of new improvements and refinements in the design and construction of 16mm equipment, and without doubt they will be forthcoming just as fast in the future. The 16mm camera has developed from a mere toy to a professional precision camera, capable of everything that the big 35mm brother is able to do — and then some. Like in watch manufacturing, the smaller the watch, more precision is required for perfect functioning. The person entering the 16mm film industry is immediately confronted with the problem of camera choice. First of all, he should consider the type of pictures he intends to specialize in. If the mainstay of his output will consist of, for instance, sports films, news coverage, etc., he'd be wise to select a lightweight easily handled camera, such as the Cine-Kodak Special, the Bolex, Bell & Howell, or the Arriflex. If he is going in for educational, industrial, documentary, television or commercial films, he may want to include the heavier (not much heavier) cameras, such as the Bell & Howell Specialist, the Maurer, the Eclair Camerette, the Nord, etc. Should synchronous sound be required, which calls for a camera with a soundproof housing ("blimp") and a synchronous motor, it will be necessary to go into the still heavier class. The Auricon and the Maurer are widely used cameras, but the Mitchell 16 is, by the majority of cameramen, considered to be the answer to all their professional requirements; 85 percent of the motion pictures shown in theatres throughout the world are photographed with Mitchell cameras. The price of the camera is often of vital importance. And you get what you pay for — as in anything else. Cameras such as Victor, Cine-Kodak. Bevere, Pathe, Cinklox and Keystone are all very fine cameras, but by eliminating a few features — seldom or ever used by amateurs — the manufacturers have been able to keep the price within the reach of the non-pro • See WHAT CAMERA? on Page 81 Bolex Mitchell Bell & Howell Berndt-Back Super 1200 Kodak Camerette Maurer