Movie Makers (Jan-Dec 1948)

Record Details:

Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!

Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.

Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.




We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.

Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.

FIG. 1. The complete timing unit described is housed neatly in 75c aluminum war surplus box. FIG. 2. The solenoid is at left, electric clock and cam center, camera trigger right center and flood switch right. FIG. 3. Closeup of the 2 inch trigger replacing camera lever for time lapse work. A BASIC TIME LAPSE CONTROL COOPER JENKINS IN MARCH Movie Makers, under the heading Let's Try Time Lapse, we discussed some of the fascinating subject matter possibilities of this relatively little known form of filming. We discovered, for example, that cloud formations could be pictured in all their mysterious movements by simple, manually activated single frame exposures. A burning cigarette or other relatively swift processes could also be examined cinematically in this way. But, for the slower, visually imperceptible movements — such as the magic unfolding of a flower — it was clear that an automatic camera timer was desirable. This article will outline the construction of such a timer, simple in design and costing less than ten dollars to make. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) FUNCTIONS OF THE TIMER Any mechanical device for controlled time lapse filming has three basic functions. (1) The mechanism should provide a means of operating the camera starting button in such a way as to make consistent single exposures. (2) It must have a clock or other means of automatically timing the interval between exposures. (3) There should be a switch to control the source of illumination, so that a momentary light is turned on only during the exposure. This switch will save many flood bulbs, as there is no need for the lamp to burn during the time between exposures. ADAPTING THE CAMERA The camera I use in making time lapse studies is an inpensive 16mm. instrument without a regular single frame Jtton. However, by quickly pressing and releasing the starting lever, a single exposure results. To make this action easier and more positive, a two inch extension arm resembling a trigger was used in place of the regular starting lever. (See Fig. 3) This does not affect the normal use of *he camera, as this trigger is quickly interchangeable with e shorter lever normally on the camera. This trigger extends down into the control housing (an 'minum war surplus box cost [Continued on page 172] Clock Solenoid switch Solenoid Photoflood switch Clock Solenoid switch Solenoid Photoflood switch Clock Solenoid switch Solenoid Photoflood switch FIG. 4. In detail A, above, the cam on clock shaft is about to close solenoid switch; at B, contact has been made, the solenoid acts to trip camera trigger and close micro-switch to flood bulb; C shows the return of solenoid lever and imminent opening of flood switch. The single frame exposure repeats once each minute. Ten dollars worth of equipment and materials will create this electric timer for time lapse filming if]