Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: what is a film conditioning system

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Posted by Rick Mort (Member # 2554) on 08-29-2004, 05:45 PM:

I was looking online at some kelmar film cleaners and came across their line of film conditioning systems and was wondering if they are any good and what do they do to condition the film.

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 08-29-2004, 05:46 PM:

Can you provide a link the the specific units?

Posted by Rick Mort (Member # 2554) on 08-29-2004, 06:38 PM:

http://www.kelmarsystems.com/InspectClean/InspectCleanCat/inspectcleancat01.html

Posted by John Pytlak (Member # 331) on 08-29-2004, 06:55 PM:

The top unit is best used with FilmGuard film treatment, which provides a film lubricant and treatment while cleaning the film.

(See "Products" button to the left)

The bottom unit uses Particle Transfer Rollers, which remove loose dirt particles from the film without changing the properties of the film. The soft polyurethane PTRs can be cleaned of any dirt buildup between uses by washing in water or using a low stick adhesive tape.

Posted by Jon Miller (Member # 163) on 08-29-2004, 06:55 PM:

[John beat me to the punch as I wrote this, but I decided to let it stand...]

The Kelmar folks may have gotten the terminology wrong. [Smile]

The "film conditioning system" is nothing more than a basic film cleaner using PTRs. When the rollers are kept clean, it's much better than nothing but not anywhere close to the film cleaners shown at the top of the page, which become true "film conditioning systems" with the addition of Filmguard.

A good thread discussing the merits (or lack thereof) of the two approaches is here: Filmguard vs. PTRs.

Posted by Rick Mort (Member # 2554) on 08-29-2004, 09:59 PM:

Oh ok, I've never used a PTR before, I basically was looking at prices' of media cleaners and saw that the "film conditioning system", PTR, was half the price and was wondering what it was. I like using film guard but I work at a six-plex and have only one media cleaner. Anybody know of any used ones for sale. Where so cheap at my theater that we even buy our xenon bulbs used.