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Author Topic: Using Flash Camera in Booth Jack Ondracek Film God Posts: 2348 From: Port Orchard, WA, USA Registered: Oct 2002 posted 03-03-2003 10:32 AM                        I'll ask her about that, Barry... I know the sign you're talking about. Will email.  |  IP: Logged Greg Mueller Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1687 From: Port Gamble, WA Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-03-2003 10:37 AM                        Try taking the pics without the flash. Then find someone with Photoshop. Bring the pics in and adjust the "Levels" You can pull more out of that pic than you think. Also experiment with "Unsharp Masking". Don't over do either or the pic will get noisey and weird looking. Let me know if I can help  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-03-2003 04:34 PM                     Some of the optical cue dectors and failsafes may have a issue with a bright flash  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 03-03-2003 04:52 PM                        Sounds like "no flash" is the safe way to go.  |  IP: Logged Bobby Henderson "Ask me about Trajan." Posts: 10973 From: Lawton, OK, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 03-03-2003 06:02 PM                     Photoshop is only going to help so much on a dark, underexposed photo. Underexposed digital camera photos are especially problematic. They just tend to be very grainy by default. Using Photoshop to ramp up the levels may only amplify the pixel noise. Sometimes if I have to resort to such work, I'll try shifting the image over into L*a*b color space and tweaking the lightness channel's curve. Adjustment layers and layer blending techniques can also help. You might have better luck with a carefully shot film camera photo (particularly if you use a tripod and time exposure). That can do wonders for controlling your grain and getting a better black value in the photo. Otherwise a lot of it just goes grey.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-03-2003 07:17 PM                       quote: You're using all the stuff from your old "forward scan" system... except you're installing an LED that doesn't provide anywhere near the gain you had No, you're right; that's precisely the problem with those, Jack, and why they're not a good idea. You're bringing a nearly non-existant signal (and noise floor) up to death levels... just like Michael J. Fox did in the first scene of "Back to the Future".  |  IP: Logged William Hooper Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1879 From: Mobile, AL USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-04-2003 12:44 AM                        I think I've used a flash on 35mm only a few times in the last several years. I've got a little 4" tall tabletop tripod on the camera, I just put it on program, set it down on a windowsill or armrest or whatever, hit the timer, & hold my hand behind the eyepiece. The Polaroid pictures still use the flash. I'd like one of the new Kodak digital cameras, but the Polaroid makes me so popular when I use it. Folks love a picture they can hold in their hand. ("Take a picture of us so I can take it home!")  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 03-04-2003 12:49 AM                        Long exposures in a fairly dark booth look the best. A 4 second or longer exposure usually results in a cool picture with nicely defined LED lights, etc. The top deck of a platter can be handy if you don't have a tripod. Just engage the motor so it doesn't move. The top of consoles also work well.  |  IP: Logged David Graham Rose Expert Film Handler Posts: 187 From: Cambridge, UK Registered: Sep 2002 posted 03-05-2003 02:04 PM                     I once opened a new theatre and had many people come around to take pictures of the inside of the projection rooms. Once, somone took a flash photograph of my main screens projector and it set off the end sequence shutdown. Evidently the light from the flash was enough to trigger a pulse from one of the opto sensors. Ever since then, I've always isolated the end sequence unit if anyone is going to take a photograph.  |  IP: Logged Ray Bernardi Expert Film Handler Posts: 120 From: Antrim, NH, USA Registered: Feb 2003 posted 03-05-2003 02:20 PM                     I tried the lighter deal, I've tried the flash again, and I've tried shining a flashlight directly at the photo cell. I can't make that thing pop or hiss at all. The only way I can get it to pop is to cut off the light to it. Wave the corner of an index card in front of it for example. It leads me to believe the sound is actually made when the light hitting the sensor is blocked out. Looking at the sound track makes me believe that even more. (Understand I'm just learning, if I'm wrong don't yell at me!) EDIT: It's wrong. It reads the light. Again, using an old sound head with white light. I still think the flash is safe, in my case even with the sound doors open. I assume there are other systems where the stray light could be a problem. Perhaps when I can afford something more expensive I'll actually run into one of these! I can only hope! [ 03-05-2003, 03:58 PM: Message edited by: Ray Bernardi ]  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 03-11-2003 10:19 AM                        I've had great results using the very fast Kodak MAX Versatility Plus (EI 800) film for available light photography. Unless you're going to make really large enlargements, the graininess is very reasonable for such a high speed film: http://www.kodak.com/global/en/consumer/products/techInfo/e2452/e2452.shtml http://www.kodak.com/cgi-bin/webCatalog.pl?product=KODAK+35+mm+Films A strobe will usually cause a "pop" in the analog sound if the light falls on the photocell. Likewise, flourescent lights and even tungsten lights (especially those on an SCR dimmer) will cause a hum or buzz in the sound if they are picked up by the photocell. [ 03-11-2003, 01:28 PM: Message edited by: John Pytlak ]  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 03-11-2003 11:37 AM                        I should have explained that these shots (if they happen) will be taken with a consumer-grade digital camera. There won't be any time to set up a tripod or do anything else elaborate. It will be point-and-shoot.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 03-11-2003 01:30 PM                        Some digital cameras have pretty good capability for available light exposures with long exposure times. If you can't use a tripod, just hold the camera steady on a firm surface.  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-11-2003 01:36 PM                        How fast is the lens on that camera and what is its rough equivalent to film speed (ASA)? I've never had a problem with using a flash camera in the booth as long as the soundhead doors are left closed.  |  IP: Logged David Stambaugh Film God Posts: 4021 From: Eugene, Oregon Registered: Jan 2002 posted 03-11-2003 01:42 PM                        Heh. I don't own the camera yet ( to JP). Lens not likely going to be any faster f2.0, more likely f2.8 or thereabouts. Most of the cameras I've been looking at claim ISO 100, 200, and 400, although in flash mode they may be locked (100?). Sorry I don't have more details for you. I'm sure I could just point and shoot and get reasonably good snapshots (especially after doctoring them with Photoshop). I was really more concerned about the bright flash going off in an operating booth environment.  |  IP: Logged

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