American Cinematographer - December 1980 - 70

EYE WITNESS REPORT

CAM 1000-foot

Continued from

able,

Page 1233
ready have invested in the expensive
hardware required for the other two sys¬
tems, Aaton has developed data modu¬
lation compatible with SMPTE video time
code and also EBU modulated equip¬
ment.

Who will win the Battle of the Time

nobody knows, but, to this writer,
people would seem to have a
certain logic on their side.

Codes

the Aaton

Magnasync/Moviola stand I
encounter a fascinating new piece of
equipment known as the VIDEOLA. It
represents a unique concept in film-totape transfer. It employs "the remarkable
FLICKERLESS PRISM™ optics to give
you performance and flexibility not avail¬
able in any other system
at any price."
Amazingly, the VIDEOLA has the abil¬
ity to vary film speed from still-frame to
six or ten-times sound speed without re¬
gard for TV synchronization and has
interchangeable 16mm and 35mm trans¬
ports. As a bonus, it offers the features
and flexibility of a Moviola film editor and
the capacity for 3000-foot film reels.
On the

...

I look in on the MOVIECAM stand to

whether any significant modifi¬
cations have been made since we last
see

reported this "space-age" camera. I learn
changes
worth mentioning. For one thing, plastic
covers for the main operating controls
have been added to keep them from
being tripped accidentally. Also, there is
a new buckle switch system that prevents
the camera from forming too large a loop
at the top or bottom. An inoperative takeup motor will also activate the buckle
that there have been several

production model of the MOVIE-

is

a

magazine is now avail¬

small throat adaptor for top

mounting either the 500-foot or 1000-foot
nrtagazine. A long viewfinder with a large
opening and excellent light transmission
is available and a viewfinder system that
can rotate the image for more comfort¬
able viewing is in the final stages of
development.

maximum

angle of 60° at the wide end of
The manufacturer claims
same high quality in opti¬
performance as the standard 16mm

the focal range.
that it offers the
cal

Cooke Varokinetal

zoom

lens-which, in

turn, is said to be comparable in optical

unit to be attached to the camera-a

quality to the Zeiss Distagon or Taylor
Hobson Kinetal range of prime, fixedfocal-length lenses.
I stop by for a brew at the colorful
bailiwick of Lee Enterprises Ltd. Built

video transmitter with

and decorated like

On the video side, there is a new small
a

range

of 30 to 40

meters. A combination follow-focus sys¬
tem for zoom or

prime lenses is available.

On the Rosco stand I
stration of their

scribed
terial

new

see a

demon¬

CYCSCREEN, de¬

"a

reasonably priced eye ma¬
specially suited for television use."
as

Rosco's CYCSCREEN is

a

durable,

flame-retardant

plastic screen material
that is equally adaptable to front or rear
lighting-or both. Perhaps the major
advantage of the material is that it elimi¬
nates the scalloped effect usually seen
when lights are close to the eye. This new
material permits lighting equipment to be
positioned very close to the eye and still
assume a

I

smooth

even

field.

stop by at the stand of the China Na¬

tional Instruments

Corporation, repre¬
senting the Peoples Republic of China,
where several interesting motion picture
cameras and projectors are on display. If I
am

correct, this is the first time that

Chinese motion

picture equipment has
displayed at PHOTOKINA.
For those who, like myself, feel that the
Super-16 format offers a viable alterna¬
tive for low budget feature production, a
most interesting item on the Rank Taylor
been

Hobson stand is the

kinetal

switch.
The

as

with

a

new

Cooke Varo-

Super-16 zoom lens. A T/2.8 lens
range of 10.4mm-52mm, it has a

a

Montmartre bistro

the outside, it is strictly
the inside and a favorite

English pub on
meeting place
for the jollier types, including the irre¬
pressible Lee Brothers themselves, John
on

and Bennie.

Back to business, I

explore the Steen-

beck stand where there is

a

handsome

of brand new and newly modified
editing equipment on display. I am espe¬
cially impressed with the new Model 721
8-plate unit with twin viewing screens in
the anamorphic format.
The John Barry Group of Australia fea¬
tures a number of interesting items,
including a series of new fluid heads
made by Universal Fluid Heads, a range
of light stands by Manfrotto and a new
Triaut Center Lift Aluminum Tripod and
Multi-purpose Dolly. However, the item
which I find most intriguing on the stand
is the new Barry Pack 4/30, which is a
combination battery and charger in one
lightweight package. It incorporates all of
the advanced features of both the Barry
Chargers and the Barry Packs.
Another interesting item, this time on
array

the Continental Camera stand, is the new
Sea-Cam Series 1000 Underwater Cam¬
era Housing. Constructed of aluminum, it
weighs approximately 8 ozs. underwater.
Because the unique video viewfinder is
American Cinematographer - December 1980

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