This is topic Aperture Plates in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Greg Kristopik (Member # 594) on 02-14-2001, 04:00 PM:
I know this should be something I should know, but can anyone help me with this slight problem. When I slide the apeture plate over, there is still a small black fuzzy bar on the left hand side next to the masking that won't budge anymore. I tried the adjusting the turret and moved the lens from falt to scope but to no avail.
Any tips???
Thanks a million in advance!
Posted by Jerry Chase (Member # 660) on 02-14-2001, 04:31 PM:
Any chance the projector got bumped out of alignment? It does happen, and if nothing else has changed, it could be a possibility.
Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 02-14-2001, 04:53 PM:
Is the gate dirty (probably not, but doesn't hurt to ask)? Other than that I agree with Jerry. If the projector is out of alignment, you can probably kick it back in place with your foot (NOTE: BE CAREFULL! When I say 'kick' you may just have to tap).
Posted by Darryl Spicer (Member # 711) on 02-14-2001, 05:28 PM:
Have you had your booth floors stripped and waxed recently? A buffer can push the projector over very easily. Is your lens turret mounted on a simplex head (is it a TU2000 model turret). These turets have a lens barrel adjustment that can be made. It is located on the right side of the lens that is in use. It can be adjusted useing a screw driver making a slight turn will adjust the lens barrel over. Note if you are having the same problem with both lenses then it is most likely that the projector has moved slightly.
Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 02-14-2001, 05:29 PM:
What kind of projector is it? Some projectors have adjustable aperture plate stops. (Century SA and Simplex Millenniums come to mind.)Take a look at the screen when you're running a loop of test film. (PA-35 / RP-40) The diamond in the center of the test pattern should be in the center of the screen. Caveat -- The guy who did the primary installation might not have aligned the projector very carefully so use your head here. Even so, the diamond should STILL be pretty darned close to the center of the screen.
If the test pattern isn't centered and you can't use the lens adjustment to get it back on-center you might have to move the projector. What kind of projector base do you have? May I suggest you take a piece of wood (like a 2 X 4) and place it up against a SOLID part of the projector base and TAP on it with a sledge hammer. Don't do this if you think it'll damage anything. We did this with big CFS consoles. They have big skid plates on the bottom that can take a fair amount of force.
So... you have the projector on-center. I assume you know that there is an adjustment in the lens, since you mentioned that. Then, there is sometimes an "eccentric" stop screw on the trap that allows fine adjustment of the aperture plate from side to side. There ought to be one for FLAT and one for SCOPE. Sometimes it's an eccentric (like in Century) Sometimes it's just an allen screw (like in Simplex PR-2000) Use test film and tinker with those stops until you get it all lined up again. This might take a few minutes. It can be a pain in the butt to do because a fraction of a turn of a screw can make a huge difference in position.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-14-2001, 06:41 PM:
Not only do we need to know what kind of projector (and vintage) you have, but does it have a lens turret on it?
Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 02-14-2001, 09:08 PM:
Many years ago, we tripled a theater. The projector shined out over a ceiling that was added. Later, when we were filing plates, there was a shadow on the bottom we could not "file away." We kept filing, checking the optical path, looking at the edges of the gate, making sure the image cleared the port window, etc. .... until we realised that the image was hitting the bottom of the new wall outside. So, your problem may not be at the projector.I know this sounds like annoying "offical" talk, but.. you really should get a short length of test film and run it. The cutout in apertures (even factory-fresh ones) can not always be trusted to be correct.
Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 02-14-2001, 09:09 PM:
From what you wrote, you have a fuzzy edge on the left side in both formats. What kind of movable masking do you have? Top, bottom, or side movable? Is the picture overshooting on the right hand masking?
Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 02-15-2001, 07:27 AM:
I agree the most likely problem is that the projector was shifted off center. Using the SMPTE 35-PA (RP 40) test film, first verify that the entire image area (0.825 x 0.690 inches for scope, 0.825 x 0.446 inches for 1.85:1 flat) is being projected, regardless of the position on the screen/masking. Then, move the projector or adjust the lens centering to center the image on the screen, and adjust the masking stops to clearly define the image edges. Remember, the projected image should just overfill the masked area on the screen, so the "fuzzy edges" fall on the black masking.------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Cell: 716-781-4036 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion