American Cinematographer - July 1984 - 90
Based on their analysis of
existing 16mm cameras and trends in
production, Holzman and Al Mayer each
drew up a list of specifications for the
proposed camera in the first part of July
1982. Mayer, who has been with Pan¬
avision for 16 years, supervised the
design of the Panaflex and has a wealth
of experience in camera design. Holz¬
man, who had founded Elektra/None-
be capable of sync at 30 fps. In addi¬
tion the specs called for the speed to be
variable from 4 to 50 fps. This inciden¬
tally meant that much of the design
work that had been done
on
a
new
16mm movement was already obsolete
since that movement was designed
purely for 24 fps. One of the things that
happened as work on the camera
such Records and came to Panavision
after a lengthy tenure as chief technolo¬
gist for Warner Communications, essen¬
tially approached the project as an
informed observer of the film and video
Above: The back of
the Panaflex-16
showing the variable
shutter control and
the
digital speed
control which
can
be
1/10th of a
set to
frame per
second.
Right: The modular
matte box designed
for the
camera.
Below: The research
and
development
team
the
responsible for
The lady
camera.
is Elaine Collins for
whom the
camera
is
named. Holzman is
fourth from the left
on
the front
row
and
Mayer is between
the
camera
Collins.
and
Aaton and Eclair cameras were acquired
and studied in an attempt to define
where a 16mm Panavision camera
might contribute most to the market. In
general the conclusion was that the ex¬
isting 16mm cameras were excep¬
tionally well suited to documentary type
productions and there was no need to
develop yet another camera for that
shooting style. What Panavision had to
offer was experience in the development
of camera systems for studio type work
requiring maximum degree of control
over the image, and Holzman is quick to
emphasize that the Elaine camera was
conceived as a system and not just a
camera.
Provision for all of the
accesso¬
ries associated with Panavision
eras
was
cam¬
designed into the basic
from the outset and improve¬
in the overall system were devel¬
camera
ments
oped for the Elaine which will inevitably
be adapted to the Panaflex.
production industry. His familiarity with
16mm production dates back to the time
when he was the proud possessor of a
Victor camera as a 15-year-old boy in
New York. He recalled having been im¬
pressed by Ken Richter's classic 1978
article on the factors determining 16mm
image quality (American Cinematogra¬
pher, Oct. 1978), and he referred to that
article as he thought about the specs for
a
16mm Panavision.
Perhaps the paramount con¬
image steadiness, and from
the very beginning the specs called for
twin pin registration with a pin above
cern
was
and below the frame. No other 16mm
camera
currently being manufactured
has twin pin registration and even the
16mm Mitchell cameras which did have
dual pins had one on each side of the
film so that they required double perfo¬
rated stock.
A second major consideration
was that the camera should be de¬
signed for
fps as
film at
30 fps for transfer to videotape offers
substantial benefits in terms of image
quality, and it was recognized that any
camera designed to interface with video
post-production and/or distribution must
well
as
sync shooting at 30
24 and 25 fps. Shooting
progressed
vised
was that Gary Slayton de¬
for controlling the speed
a means
of the
which permitted crystal
speed between 4 and 50
fps at 0.1 fps intervals.
Another ambitious specifica¬
motor
sync at any
tion
was that the camera should have a
variable shutter. This posed two prob¬
lems from a design point of view. First
of all, it made the design of the move¬
complex since a wider
opening necessitates a faster
pulldown. Originally the specs called for
a shutter angle of up to 216° in order
to facilitate shooting with HMI lights.
Although it seemed feasible to achieve
this at first, it proved to be impossible,
due to vibration caused by the move¬
ment of the registration pin; and a com¬
promise of a 200° shutter was
accepted rather than limiting the high
speed capability. The second complica¬
tion posed by a variable shutter resulted
from the specification for the lens flange
ment even more
shutter
focal distance. A variable shutter takes
between the lens and the film
plane. Since it was deemed essential
that the flange focal distance for the
camera be compatible with existing
up room
16mm lenses, there
was
no
room
to
play with and it became necessary to
devise a completely new configuration
for the rotating mirror.
Other specifications called for
a 22 dB noise level, a built-in high
sensitivity video assist, a removable ap¬
plate, thin profile displacement
magazines, a new modular matte box,
an adjustable viewfinder which can be
erture
88
American
Cinematographer
July 1984
American Cinematographer - July 1984
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