The Cine Technician (1943 - 1945)

-; I THE C INE-TECHNICIA N Edited by A. E. Jeakins January— April, 1944 TECHNICAL ABSTRACTS New Back Projection Equipment at Paramount Studios (Edouard Farciot, S.M.P.E. Journal, June, 1943). When the Back Projection process was first introduced in 1931 the equipment used was necessarily of a makeshift character. Technicians would take the best projector head available and fit it with a camera type pilot pin movement. It was the same with projection lenses, lamp houses, electrical control systems and the rest. This state dI affairs continued ior a number of years. Meanwhile the demand was for larger and still larger screens. The 6ft. to 8ft. picture width of the early days grew progressively to one of 24 feet, and colour added its own problems. In 1938, under the sponsorship of the Academy Eesearch Council, the leading process specialists, and manufacturers and engineers, were brought together to work out standard specifications for the industry's process shot requirements. In 1939 the specifications were finally approved and the first complete sets of equipment were delivered in 1942. Each equipment forms in itself a complete unit for single-head transparency projection with illuminating power and ease of operation hitherto unknown. Any three of these units can be combined to form a triple-head assembly by mounting the projection heads on the new standard triplehead base. The centre unit is the key machine and directly faces the screen. The two outer units face inwards at right angles to the centre machine and their images are reflected on to the screen by front surfaced mirrors. The three images are accurately superimposed on the screen. The resulting 280 per cent increase of illumination makes it possible to work with a 36ft. screen in black and white and a 24ft. screen in Technicolor. In a recent colour film a 48ft. wide background was produced by using two triple-head units side by side. Ease and precision of operation are also features of the equipment. For example, synchronism of camera and projector is automatic, focussing can be controlled from camera position, the projector may be panned or tilted with the freedom of a camera, and the new units have been silenced to a degree comparable with that of a blimped studio camera. Mitchell Single-system Sound Camera (E. J. Tiffany, American Cinematograpber, September, 1943). The Mitchell Camera Corporation have developed a new single-system sound and picture camera. Just now it is being supplied onlv to Government departments, but after the war it will become available for educational, newsreel and travelogue work. The camera is based on the standard Mitchell model and has the standard focus tube, filter slide, veeder counter, buckle trip, revolving four-lens turret and 175 deg. shutter, plus a recording impedance drum. The camera is driven by either a 12 or 24 volt motor; the standard 100 volt Mitchell motor can also be used. The matte box and sunshade with pola screen holder bellows, 3in. filter and gauze holder, is capable of handling a 24mm. lens. An opening in the side of the sunshade permits the finder to be fitted close to the lens to reduce parallax. The finder is of the erect image type with built-in mattes. A new feature is the finder mounting which allows the finder k swing upwards and clear of the camera door for threading. Another new feature is the rack-over lever, which is at the side of the camera. A forward movement racks the camera over to viewing position and a backward movement brings t lit camera to the taking position. The magazines (1,000ft. or 400ft. capacity) are fitted with wind guards to prevent the belt being blown off tin pulley when the camera is used in the air or as a protection in bad weather. Either B.C. A. or Western Electric sound systems can be used with the camera. An B.C. A galvanometer is fitted on the camera described This is controlled from a portable amplifier which has two microphone connections with two mixing pads and one main gain pad which feeds the galvanometer. The amplifier is a push-pull type. Class B amplification, which results in automatic noise reduction. The sound track is positioned a standard distance ahead of the picture system WANTED WANTED Debrie or Vinten 35mm Cine Camera; condition immaterial. — Write Box CT. 101. 5-6. Red Lion Square, London, W.C.i.