Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Harkness Hall screen luminance meter

This is topic Harkness Hall screen luminance meter in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 06-07-2007, 01:11 AM:

Saw one of these being used this morning by the guys doing the tech setups for the CineVegas film festival at the Brenden Palms 'plex. It looks like an electronic stud finder and rides in a tool box much better than the typical spot meter. It features a viewfinder and LED bargraph that gives the reading in foot Lamberts. It goes for about $200. Anyone else here see or try one? Seems like a cheaper solution for someone needing to do quick screen checks.

Posted by Alex Cross (Member # 3520) on 06-07-2007, 03:45 AM:

We have them, but they're by TLS. They seem to do the job well enough.

Alex

Posted by Frank Dubrois (Member # 3042) on 06-07-2007, 05:45 PM:

Whats it called, who makes it, and is there a model number? I'd like to find one.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 06-07-2007, 06:07 PM:

Harkness Hall sells them direct; they call them simply: Screen Checker. I am sure most any cinema supplier can get one for you.

I've got one. Easy to use for quick checking, but I have never matched it against the expensive spot meters to verify its accuracy. It does give you a good idea of relative uniformity, and for that it doesn't matter if it says 14fl when the absolute number is really 13.5 or 14ft or 14.5ft -- the really important thing is to know what the various areas of the screen read in relation to each other. To me that's more important than a lab-accurate measurment of foot lamberts.

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 06-07-2007, 08:46 PM:

From what I saw yesterday, it's pretty close. They were shooting the screen with both the Screen Checker and a CineSpot meter. Like the infamous Blue Bonnet margarine TV commercials of old (in heavy French accent), "no difference." [Smile]