American cinematographer (Jan-Dec 1959)

FIG. 1 — Author with his Bolex camera equipped with pistol-grip, which has electric switch incorporated in the camera starting trigger for switching on portable light for night and indoor shots. Equipment is shown in more detail in photo at right. By ROY ZEPER In many specialized fields of cinematography, there is need to activate an electrical circuit simultaneously with the starting of the camera for lights, remote sound equipment, etc. During camera operation, the full attention of the cameraman must he directed solely to the subject within the viewfinder. The necessity of throwing an electrical switch separately just before starting, and again after stopping, the camera can result in a complete break of thought and action, as the cameraman fumbles for the switch and then readjusts the finder to his eye. This situation applies where the conventional bar lights and portable-power lighting units are used in filming sub¬ jects at night, such as conventions, etc., also for intermit¬ tent opertion of two cameras, furnishing cue lights, or to operate a supplementary motor. For such assignments, the motion picture cameraman can ease his task eonsiderably by adding to his camera a switching device that will stop and start the camera and switch his portable lights on and off simultaneously. Continued on Page 510 FIG. 2 — {Photo above, right). Pressing pistol-grip trigger 3 auto¬ matically starts camera's electric motor drive and switches on port¬ able light unit by means of bar contact 2, which activates the sole¬ noid switch 1. Diagram at right is wiring plan for typical micro¬ switch installation on a 16mm camera. mUL TANEOUS SWITCHING Simplifying the problem of switching on lights and camera simultaneously for the peripatetic cameraman. TO LAMP LAMP POWER SUPPLY POWER SUPPLY 488 AMERICAN CINEMATOGRAPHER