Home Movies and Home Talkies (Jun 1933-May 1934)

72 HOME MOVIES & HOME TALKIES NEW CINE APPARATUS TESTED AND REVIEWED This section is devoted each month to impartial tests and reports on cine apparatus and film submitted to " Home Movies " by the manufacturers, and should prove a valuable guide in the purchase of equipment Film Cement A GOOD film cement is a necessary part of the equipment of every amateur cinematographer who desires to make the best of his films. The more experienced amateurs will have found that all makes of cement do not suit all films and it is not an uncommon practice for an amateur to find on trying out a new film that the cement he has previously used with unvarying success on his old film fails to give him any splice at all with the new. For this reason when testing out the Scales Brand Film Cement submitted to us by Messrs. Johnson cV Sons, the well-known manufacturing chemists of Hendon, we were careful to try it out on all the jiopular makes of film available to the amateur and were pleased to find that satisfactory splices were obtained with Agfa, Bolex, Gevaert, Kodak, Pathe and Selo. The cement is sold in handy glassstoppered bottles, an advantage being that a glass rod forms part of the stopper and can be used for applying the cement to the scraped surface. The cement is water white and quite thin and, judging by the smell, contains a very considerable proportion of glacial acetic acid. It is a very satisfactory product and sells at the price of Is. 6d. for 1 oz. and 2s. t3d. for 2 oz. It should be mentioned, however, that owing to postal regulations this cement cannot be sent through the post and therefore should be ordered throiigh your dealer. Messrs. Johnson & Sons also make and bottle in the same convenient form a cement for use with the 35-mm. inflammable tj^e of film. It should be mentioned here that these cements are of quite different composition, and are not interchangeable. 1.5 Lens for the Siemens Camera Many users of the exceedingly ingenious and practical Siemens camera Model B have wished it were possible to use a larger aperturfe lens. The Model B, as many of our readers know, is fitted with a lens of the maximum aperture of //2.8 which, while very fast, is still below the speed at which many users like to work. To meet this need the London agent of the Meyer Lenses, Mr. A. O. Roth, of Catford, is now in a position to fit the well-known //1. 5 Meyer Anastigmat to this camera. We recently had the opportunity of examining a Siemens camera so converted, and a photograph of the instrument is reproduced herewith. In order to effect the conversion the existing front plate carrying the exposure guide is removed and replaced by the new plate carrying the lens mounting. One of the useful features of the new mounting is the large and clearly marked focusing scale — -so clear in fact that every marking can be clearly read even in our small photographic reproduction. The scale is marked from infinity down to 2 feet, but the focusing mount allows of a still closer range up to 10 inches from the object to the camera. The scale is not marked for these shorter distances, as thev The Siemens Model B, fitted with Meyer f/1.5 lens are only required for very special work in which case it is advisable to sight by the camera lens by means of a focusing magnifier which can also be supplied. This magnifier, which has already been reviewed in these pages, can be inserted in the gate of the camera and accurate focusing can be obtained in the gate before the film is inserted. Two special features of the Meyer Plasmat f/1.5 lens are worthy of comment. Unlike many large aperture lenses it is not only fully corrected for all colours (an important point when modern panchromatic film is being used) but also the focus is not affected when stopping down. The lens also has a superb definition even at the fullest aperture. One of the features of the normal Model B is that when changed from normal speed to slow motion or half speed the lens aperture is automatically altered to correspond with the variation of exposure tima. When the Meyer //1. 5 lens is fitted, however, this feature must be dispensed with as the interlocking arrangement is specially and exclusively designed for the special //2.8 Busch lens fitted. Many users, however, will be prepared to sacrifice this feature in return for the great advantage of the large aperture. The //1. 5 lens, as a matter of fact, passes at fullest aperture about three and a-half times more light than the standard //2.8 lens at its fullest aperture. The Siemens & Halske camera ready fitted with Meyer lens in focusing mount costs £51 or, if required, the user's existing Model B can be converted, including scaling, for 20 guineas. The work is done at Mr. Roth's own works at Catford and takes approximately three days. Gevaert 16-mm. Reversal Film In oiu" last issue we made a brief mention of the new system of marketing the new 16-mm. reversal film now being sold by the Gevaert Company at the low price of 13s. 6d. per 100 ft. without processing, or £1 per 100 ft.,, including processing. This, of course, is a great saving on the previous price. We have now had an opportunity of testing out this film in practical conditions, treating the speed as450 H. & D. according to the makers' claims ; processing was also carried out by Messrs. Gevaert for us and the resulting film proved to be of excellent quality, gradation and fine grain. The film is orthochromatic and not panchromatic, which means, of course, that it can bo processed in a red light, and although we did not ourselves^ attempt this we are sure many of ourreaders will like to experiment at processing their own, in view of the fact that in so doing they can save 6s. per 100 ft. or -Is. per 50 ft. The 50 ft. reel, by the way, costs 7s. 6d., and at this price one does not mind risking a little in experimenting ! It is interesting to note that since Home Movies and Home Talkies was first published it has been madepossible for the amateur to obtain either negative-positive or reversal' film at a cost not including processing, and this doubtless will lead an increasing number of true amateurs tO' tackle the processing for themselves. Messrs. Gevaert also supply a negative-positive film of the orthochromatic variety for those who prefer separate prints. We congratulate Messrs. Gevaert on their initiative in this matter and recommend the film to all those who are prepared to forgO' the advantages of the panchromatic stock in return for the lower cost of the orthochromatic variety.