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Author Topic: I need new lenses Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 03-15-2003 01:53 PM                        Don't forget to get your fingerprints all over the old lenses before you A/B test the boss.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-15-2003 04:07 PM                     How about knuckle prints on the boss's HEAD? (No, I didn't really say that! It's just your imagination.) [ 03-15-2003, 08:37 PM: Message edited by: Randy Stankey ]  |  IP: Logged Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-15-2003 04:18 PM                        Out of curiousity--have you taken apart your scope lens? It's possible that you may only need to replace the prime lens or the anamorphic attachment if the other part of it is fine. Also, consider looking around for used lenses. So many theatres have closed over the last few years that you may be able to get a good deal. Admittedly, there are plenty of crappy lenses out there, but it's probably worth a look, especially since you have a single machine and don't need a matched pair. Agreed with others' comments: the recent lenses from Schneider and ISCO are great and you can't go wrong with either brand. Some older Bausch and Lomb lenses will occasionally turn up in good condition as well, although they are nowhere near as good as the latest designs.  |  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 03-15-2003 09:33 PM                        quote: Also, consider looking around for used lenses. So many theatres... ...and so many unlocked booth doors.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 03-16-2003 03:51 PM                     Why do I feel that Gord's Sankor lenses end up in theatres with SMART sound processors? Steve  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-16-2003 04:01 PM                     All the booths I've been in with Smart Processors had Schneider lenses..... Mark  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-16-2003 04:09 PM                     steve some have panastereos  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 03-16-2003 06:38 PM                     Well at least if you can't see the film you and hear it! Steve  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-16-2003 07:58 PM                     Funny thing: We have a Smart Mod II-B.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 03-17-2003 10:07 AM                        Randy Stankey wrote: quote: Then, after the tests, how about I get out the old digital camera? I'll repeat the tests and take pictures. If they come out, I can e-mail them to Film-Tech and we'll have some photographic examples of what difference the lens makes Easier said than done. Taking photos of a screen image and trying to access contrast and sharpness from the photo is problematic. With a two blade shutter, each frame is projected on the screen for two 1/96 second exposures, so a 1/24 second camera exposure may capture one frame, or portions of two. Since the contrast range of a good print far exceeds that of a digital camera, you may not capture the subtle differences in contrast that are obvious to the eye. Use a roll of SMPTE 35-PA test film (RP 40) and trust your eyes. Look at a good print with a wide range of contrast and color, and you will easily see the improvement a modern lens makes.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-17-2003 12:02 PM                       An A-B test is best, with the guy sitting in the auditorium. One of the most significant upgrades you can make in a projection system is new lenses. They make a world of difference. A drive-in I used to work at in the 70s had terrible Hi-Lux anamorphics. They'd aged over the years, I suppose, and the deterioration was gradual. Even customers were used to it. I came there from another theatre and immediately noticed the discrepancy. I kept trying to tell the manager that there were severe problems, but he wouldn't believe me, saying the lenses were "good enough", or some such. Then one night, I borrowed an old B&L anamorphic from a porn theatre (they never ran scope), and I put it on just one of the machines (on purpose). I ran the first reel on the B&L lens and pulled the manager aside to get his assesment. He agreed that it looked great, but he didn't think it was enough of a difference to warrant new (even new - used) lenses. Okay, I thought, you're going to eat your words here in a minute. You can guess what happened. When I changed over to the Hi-Lux - the theatre's usual lens - horns started honking. The manager ran back to the booth wanting to know what was wrong. I told him the audience could tell the difference. Nothing I can do about it... we're running on our normal lens, which is "good enough". Heh-heh... the home office got new lenses in a few weeks. Used ones, but much better than the junk that had been in there since '57.  |  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 03-17-2003 12:30 PM                        quote: You can guess what happened. When I changed over to the Hi-Lux - the theatre's usual lens - horns started honking. The manager ran back to the booth wanting to know what was wrong. I told him the audience could tell the difference. Nothing I can do about it... we're running on our normal lens, which is "good enough". That's just great!  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-17-2003 09:07 PM                     Randy, Another thought is to simply tear down the old theatre and build a new one with all modern equipment....... Many of my customers have done exactly that!! Mark @ CLACO  |  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 03-17-2003 10:00 PM                        Now that's even better. Hundred dollar solutions to five dollar problems are always the best.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-17-2003 10:33 PM                     Yea, thats probably the best solution isn't it..... I'd be willing to bet that the rest of the place is as moldy as the lenses are...... Out here in Utah we suffer from the excess dust syndrome where as, all the equipment turns to dust after 30 years and can no longer be used any more. The thing that usually goes first is the Ball brearings in the projectors.....heck, I've even seen some seats literally turn to dust in Southern Utah...so seat replacemsnt is also a normal every day affair here. Dust, dust, dust......Ah choooooo. That is why theayter oners regularly replace their entire building and all the equipment. Mark  |  IP: Logged

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