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

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Posted by Tom Spielman (Member # 5352) on 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.

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on May 09, 2016, 01:30 PM:

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

Posted by Tom Spielman (Member # 5352) on 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.

Posted by Ty Reynolds (Member # 5117) on 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.

Posted by Tom Spielman (Member # 5352) on 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.

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on 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.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on 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!

Posted by Claus Harding (Member # 702) on 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.

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on May 09, 2016, 04:45 PM:

What they said /\ [Smile]

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on May 09, 2016, 06:45 PM:

Yes, if the film is different thickness you need a rear sprung gate projector to keep in focus.

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