American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1938)

388 American Cinematographer • September, 1938 Two Manufacturers Suggest Still Cameras as Auxiliaries to Movies COMBINING the use of still cameras with motion picture cameras is a subject receiving more aiui more attention from manufacturers of the latter as well as from those companies which have made still cameras from the first. Last month we received a letter from the editorial service bureau of the Eastman Kodak Company which indicated how that company was planning alons^ new lines. "Nearly all inoviemakers feel the need of a moderately priced auxiliary still camera," suggested the writer. "The uses for such cameras are innumerable, limited only by the filmer's ingenuity and range. "Ideally, the auxiliary camera should be small, compact, equipped with a reasonably fast lens, and suitable for Kodachrome. This obviously restricts such -i camera to two sizes — those using 35mm. film and the slightly larger 828. "To meet these requirements the Eastman Kodak Company has just announced two new Kodak Bantams, with colorcorrected lenses of suitable speed — Kodak Bantam f.5.6 and Kodak Bantam f.4.5. Auxiliary File "An added advantage to the moviemaker, who will make relatively fewer stills, is that these models use eight exposure rolls in the 828 miniature size instead of eighteen-exposure magazines. This feature makes it easy to complete a Kodachrome roll in one filming session, and send it in for immediate processing, all of which is desirable. "Simplest use of the auxiliary is to build up a file of prints or color slide.s as an accompaniment to the movie record. Such a file is convenient, in that pictures can be viewed at any time without the need of setting up screen and projector. But even more important is the camera's function in actually helping to improve one's motion reels. "A still camera can be made to give yecman service in the matter of collecting title backgrounds 'on location' at the same time the movie is being filmed. Prints from the still negatives, properly enlarged and cropped, can be lettered or used in the titler behind changeable lettering, to provide backgrounds that tie directly into the ensuing motion scene. Background Use "Kodachrome stills serve in the same fashion — providing not only a source from which black-and-white negatives may be made for producing background prints, but also easily viewed color guides for tinting the background enlargements. "In certain cases, when light is too poor for your movie lens equipment, stills can be made, and later introduced into the movie record. An example would be a night scene without moving objects, so dimly lighted that a tim(? exposure might be necessary. This scene Kine Exakta, difitribiited in sixteen states by Bell (Did Howell, equipped with Zeiss-Tcssar F/2.8 lens. could be pictured with the still camera and a print made for rephotographing in the titler — and thus incorporate it in the movie reel. "Stills from the auxiliary camera, made up in 2 x 2-ii)ch slides, are especially useful when a slide projector is available to supplement the movie projector." From its Public Information Department comes word that the Bell and Howell Company, which more than a year ago took over exclusive sales rights in eleven Western states to the Exakta line of still cameras, has been doing some expanding in the same direction. The company has added five more states to its list. Where the eleven referred to are served from the Hollywood office, the added five — North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma— are being serviced through the home office in Chicago. In Line with Trend Thus a company known since 1907 as manufacturer and promoter of moti;)n picture equipment exclusively appears on the horizon as a new factor in the "candid camera" market. Questioned regarding this near revolutionary activity in the still camera field, a Bell & Howell official stated the company had been experimenting for some time in the supplemental use of stills with motion pictures for both personal and educational purposes. It was pointed out that whereas the fundamental characteristic of motion pictures is action, fine scenic "stills" in either black and white or natural color could be taken "on location" and projected as supplements to the motion picture action. In educational work, for example, movie projection could be stopped at a certain point while a still or series of stills were shown, permitting elaboration on some special scenic point by the educator. In personal application it was shown that the individual carrying both a motion picture camera and still camera on a trip or vacation could concentrate his movies on essential action scenes, snapping supplemental stills of scenic landscape views as they appeared worthy of additional record. The Exakta line of cameras was demonstrated as offering an ideal choice for such use. To those wishing to take black and white or natural color stills mainly for projection purposes, the Kine 24 by 36mm. Exakta, using multi-exposure 35mm. spools, is recommended. The V.P. 4 by 6.5cm. Exakta is recommended to those desiring mainly to obtain stills for printed enlargement.