Movies for TV - Early Television Foundation

58
FUNDAMENTALS
Focussing is done by sliding over racking over is the usual
term the whole of the camera body and leaving the shooting
lens in position. This places a view-finder tube behind the lens and
the is subject focussed through the actual lens to be used for the
The camera is then racked back and the scene shot. This
shooting.
does not provide a view of the actual scene "seen" by the lens
during filming, but because the focus has been set and the view
finder is capable of allowing for framing effects, it is entirely sat-
isfactory. Even for shots of characters approaching the camera,
it is usually possible to keep them in focus up a certain point ac-
cording to the lens aperture used.
In addition to the electric motor drive, spring or hand drive
can be used if desired. For sound work, a blimp is necessary to
deaden the sound of the camera. Veeder-Root film footage
Counters are standard, as they are on most cameras. There is no
provision for single-frame exposure, nor is a dissolving shutter
provided; thus the number of effects which can be produced on
this camera is limited. Since it is designed more for serious film
production purposes rather than trick and effects films, however,
it is not very important. For making high-grade films which do
not require special effects made during filming, it is excellent.
The "70" Series cameras are really the forerunners of the
Specialist, and most of them incorporate features that the latter
does not have. In other words, some of them are designed for
special work: one in particular is for slow motion runs at high
speeds.
The Cine Special This camera, made by Eastman Kodak, is
probably the most used in the whole of the television and semiprofessional
fields. It has been on the market longer than this
writer can remember and has always been a quality product.
Figure 3-8 shows its appearance with vhe 200-foot magazine, or
film chamber as the makers call it, in place. The camera in the
standard condition will hold 100 feet of film within its body. In
this case, it is rectangular in shape and the sloping rear and top
are absent.