Talk:Movie camera

Untitled

I think I understand these sentences: "Film is sometimes thought to have nearly perfect image quality. However film resolution is limited by the accuracy of the sprocket holes' placement relative to the image, and the wear of the sprocket holes. In practice film's resolution tops out at something equivalent to 1000 pixels per screen height." But I don't think they are clear or accurate. What is perfect image quality? Does this mean to say that film resolution is limited by the registration of the film and camera? What is 1000 pixels per screen height ?

In addition maybe movie camera should be a disambiguation page pointing to different types of cameras, formats, etc. --Plowboylifestyle 16:46, 11 Apr 2005 (UTC)

Need some internal photos/diagrams

Can't find any on the net.

Will Wikipedia accept pencil scanned image of how the contraption works? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Ericg1 (talk • contribs) 20:29, 5 December 2006 (UTC).

What exactly are you looking for? The shutter/pulldown mechanism already has an animated graphic. The rest is mainly just takeup and feed rolls. Getting a good view of the whole mechanism can be difficult, because it is only fully viewable from the side, which renders the film itself sliver-thin and thus hard to illustrate any movement. Additionally, almost every camera has a completely different structure. Aside from the general pulldown/shutter principle illustrated, there is no consistent or generic way to show how movie cameras "work", AFAIK. What did you have in mind? Girolamo Savonarola 02:32, 6 December 2006 (UTC)

Here's a pdf file

I also would like some of you to post prices on some of these cameras please. Price of cheap ones too.

That diagram doesn't actually show you anything - it's a very vague idea of what the inside of a camera looks like. The truth is that beyond the actual gate/shutter mechanism, there isn't much functionally going on inside, other than sprockets moving the film and the reels of film.

As far as prices go, there are many issues here. It's not really the function of Wikipedia to provide prices of things, to begin with. Second, your question has no real answer. There are only three major manufacturers still in existence, and one of them doesn't sell their cameras. The vast majority of film cameras on the market are older models, and thus subject to the normal price fluctuations of the market based on availability, age, condition, features, location, supply, and demand. And the same actually applies even if you're buying a new camera - Arri and Aaton are not going to name a retail price; individual buyers contact the company directly. It's much like buying a car, in fact. New top-line models may sell for six figures, while old cameras in poor condition can be found for as little as three figures. But as every sale is different, there's little way of offering up an answer. Girolamo Savonarola 22:28, 11 December 2006 (UTC)

Shutter

This may be a stupid question (in fact I'm fairly sure it is), but how does the camera operator see the image through the lens while the scene is being shot? If I take a shot with a still SLR camera, the viewfinder goes blank for a good fraction of a second while the mirror flips around and allows the film to be exposed. Do movie cameras use the same mechanism, with the mirror flipping around 24 times a second? sjorford (talk) 10:31, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

The mirror rotates in front of the film. There is a sector cut away from the circular mirror, usually 144 or 180 degrees, the mirror thus functions as a shutter. --Janke | Talk 14:56, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

Just to clarify, the shutter angle generally needs to be precisely determined, due to factors like HMI light flicker, mains power frequency, frame rate, and desired exposure effect. For "normal" exposure at 24 fps, this means 172.8 degrees where power is 50 Hz and 144 degrees where power is 60 Hz, and if shooting at 25 fps where power is 50 Hz it would be 180 degrees. Girolamo Savonarola 15:38, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

You are correct. However, maybe this is too detailed to put into the article? If you feel it is not, do insert it! --Janke | Talk 20:30, 20 December 2005 (UTC)

Well...maybe better for the shutter angle article... ;) Girolamo Savonarola 15:23, 21 December 2005 (UTC)

Why so much on video cameras, and other queries?

In the paragraphs devoted to the subject matter, there is one on a subject that surely has its own entry. I'm fairly new here, so I am feeling my way round as regards histories and stuff, and I wonder if anyone is up to editing/moving the video text to a more appropriate place?

I am going to do a short piece on clockwork cine camera's, particulary those "home movie" Standard 8, since I am a collector of same. I will mention Super8 and electric camera's, but have no specific knowledge of the type. Likewise 16mm.

• I'd definitely also point you to the articles 16 mm film, 8 mm film, Super 8 mm film. Girolamo Savonarola 00:54, 10 March 2006 (UTC)

• • If I'm repeating any of the info contained in those articles, please feel to edit/post links as you deem appropriate.LessHeard vanU 14:40, 10 March 2006 (UTC)

The contribution under ...Trivia heading.

I'm new here, and I am not willing to get the scissors out just yet but I don't think this piece is right for this page - which is an article on the history, mechanics and such of the film camera. I would suggest a better home is found for it, perhaps as a link to the history of cinema? As a newbie I don't know how to move and link the piece, so I hope the contributor (or a more experienced editor) can do the business.LessHeard vanU 23:28, 9 March 2006 (UTC)

• Deleted - I have a strong suspicion of copyvio, and it's not germane to this article anyway. In any case, it's in the history if the contributor wants to place it elsewhere. Honestly, though, it's not very in depth compared to what we already have in separate topics. Girolamo Savonarola 00:52, 10 March 2006 (UTC)

off topic

i came to the article 'cause i was hoping to find some external link to some movie bank or something 'cause i read somewhere there is this kind of thing, but no. does anyone know where can i find those old films? you know, homemade videos from the beggining of the last century and that governmental videos of cities and ford t's been built, war and people dancing? whatever you got the idea

• Try archive.org Girolamo Savonarola 11:38, 10 March 2006 (UTC)

Bolex H16 and other camera photos

I hadn't noticed this article and its images and uploaded some of my photography of movie cameras in Commons lately, including a more elaborate Bolex H16. See: [1]. Maybe some could be used for this article. Hoverfish Talk 22:31, 15 January 2007 (UTC)

Thanks for pointing that link out, I have added one each to super8 film and keystone camera company. cmacd 14:52, 16 January 2007 (UTC)

History Section

This needs a history section. I do not know enough to add it myself. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.10.173.234 (talk) 04:25, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

Speaking of history, I'm surprised there's nothing on Edward Hill Armet. I'm tempted to add it, but I'll leave that for the "experts" to decide. He's done quite a bit of work in improving the design in the late 1800s. A lot of his work is attributed to Edison (Armet did sell his some of patents to Edison though.) He was one of the earlier people (if not the first) to incorporate sprocket feed (The Magniscope immproved upon Edisons problematic friction feed Kinescope with this feature) and the addition of the ability to play synchronized sound with a movie (in a later invention.) See various articles: http://www.victorian-cinema.net/amet.htm http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/articles/pages/2003/The-Proliferation-of-Motion-Picture-Companies-and-an-Assessment-of-the-Novelty-Year.html http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/George_K._Spoor Even more can be found by simply googling his name. I only know of him because of local history, but it seems his contributions from the era are significant because of how they were incorporated since. --76.29.124.2 (talk) 17:42, 17 February 2009 (UTC)

History section, 2nd paragraph, this sentence: "On 18 March, Friese-Greene sent a clipping of the story." The meaning escapes me. He sent it where, or was the clipping sent to him, resulting in the next sentence about his public demonstration of 1890?John Sinclair (talk) 21:39, 22 August 2012 (UTC)

Edison

The one sentence on Edison's contribution is about as vague as it could be. There's no year, no technical details. I came to this page hoping to learn the truth about Edison's contribution (and knowing that Edison was often accused of stealing other people's inventions.) The one sentence tells me nothing. —MiguelMunoz (talk) 03:55, 25 October 2011 (UTC)

Need a re-direct page for Motion Picture Camera

I believe that at the very least, there should be a page re-directing the term "motion picture camera". Could someone a bit more savvy please set that up? Also, I think it might be appropriate to create separate articles for "movie cameras" (a term that would get you laughed at in many US film schools) and "video cameras". No doubt many film purists would agree, although I personally wonder if that debate isn't obsolete. Ernest Ruger (talk) 18:28, 4 April 2014 (UTC)

External links modified (February 2018)

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Chronophtograph?

What is the word describing Marey at the end of this sentence? "The chronophotographic gun was invented in 1882 by Étienne-Jules Marey, a french scientist and chronophotograph." I can't find it anywhere in sources for definition. Is it a grammatical error? Supposed to be Chronophtographer? Maineartists (talk) 14:51, 7 October 2021 (UTC)

History should be in chronological order

In the 'History' section, key events should be presented and in chronological order, for example:

In 1845, Francis Ronalds invented a forerunner to the movie camera;

In 1878, Eadweard Muybridge created sequential series of photographs;

In 1882, Étienne-Jules Marey invented the chronophotographic gun;

In 1888, Louis Le Prince produced two movies: ‘Roundhay Garden Scene’ and ‘Leeds Bridge’.

In 1889, Wordsworth Donisthorpe patented a moving picture camera. Etc.

125.235.239.244 (talk) 15:40, 6 June 2023 (UTC)