8mm Forum: Spliced together reels, have to re-focus after splice while projecting ?

»	8mm Forum » 8mm Forum » Spliced together reels, have to re-focus after splice while projecting ?

UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!

Author

Topic: Spliced together reels, have to re-focus after splice while projecting ?

Tom Spielman
Master Film Handler

Posts: 339
From: Minneapolis, MN, USA
Registered: Apr 2016

posted May 09, 2016 12:48 PM

I've been attempting a transfer of some of my wife's family home movies. Along with a bunch of singles, there is one larger reel that's made up of four 50' reels spliced together.

One thing I noticed is that the focus on the first 50' is difficult to get right and if I do, everything after that first splice is slightly out of focus. I'm not a photography expert by any means but that seems strange. I would think that the correct focus should be the same as long as you aren't moving the screen. Am I wrong?

I'm using a Sankyo 2000H if that makes any difference. Also I'm using a Telecine box so the displayed image isn't all that large. I've noticed that what looks in focus on the small LCD of my DSLR may not be quite right when I look at the larger image on my computer after recording. The DSLR has a mini HDMI output so I may get a proper cable and check the focus on a monitor beforehand.

Thanks for any feedback.

| IP: Logged

Barry Fritz
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1061
From: Burnsville, MN, USA
Registered: Dec 2009

posted May 09, 2016 01:30 PM

Hmm. After that first splice, can you get the picture back in focus by using the focusing knob?

| IP: Logged

Tom Spielman
Master Film Handler

Posts: 339
From: Minneapolis, MN, USA
Registered: Apr 2016

posted May 09, 2016 01:33 PM

Yes, I can get it back in focus. There's a section of leader between each reel so I know where each one ends.

Just seems like a strange thing to have to do, but again, my experience with film projection is pretty limited.

I saw an old post from Janice regarding a glass heat shield in a Sankyo 1000. Apparently these could get discolored over time and make focusing difficult and uneven. I'm wondering if it could be something like that. I might just try some other reels to see if focusing is just an issue in general with this projector.

| IP: Logged

Ty Reynolds
Film Handler

Posts: 93
From: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Registered: Nov 2015

posted May 09, 2016 02:18 PM

Your camera probably has a composite video out, either an RCA jack or mini-phono audio/video out. If you plug that into a tv, you'll have a larger image with which to monitor the focus.

| IP: Logged

Tom Spielman
Master Film Handler

Posts: 339
From: Minneapolis, MN, USA
Registered: Apr 2016

posted May 09, 2016 02:42 PM

It does have a mini HDMI out so I'll try that. Just wasn't sure if having to adjust the focus at different times during the projection was a common thing.

| IP: Logged

Barry Fritz
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1061
From: Burnsville, MN, USA
Registered: Dec 2009

posted May 09, 2016 03:26 PM

Splices can cause issues as they pass through various parts of a projector, but they do not touch the lens or focusing mechanism. It must be an issue in how the film is lying in the gate.

| IP: Logged

Steve Klare
Film Guy

Posts: 7016
From: Long Island, NY, USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted May 09, 2016 03:52 PM

One possibility is maybe some of these 50 footers were actually filmed using the Fuji Single-8 system and others acetate based Super-8.

The difference in film base thickness mean that when you splice them together the image moves in or out and since the focus plane doesn't follow: there you are!

--------------------
All I ask is a wide screen and a projector to light her by...

| IP: Logged

Claus Harding
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1149
From: Washington DC
Registered: Oct 2006

posted May 09, 2016 03:57 PM

I agree with Steve: short of differing stock, the focus should hold.

The classic "focus tweak 5-10mins or so into reel one" is with us simply because at that point the gate is hot enough to possibly shift the focus a bit, but other than that, if your machine is in good shape, it should hold.

Claus.

--------------------
"Why are there shots of deserts in a scene that's supposed to take place in Belgium during the winter?" (Review of 'Battle of the Bulge'.)

| IP: Logged

Pasquale DAlessio
Film God