American Cinematographer - September 2004 - 112

and future, larger sensors will
fit for 35mm format lenses."

be

a

good

An

interesting feature in the
design of the Kinetta's frame-capture
scheme is its ability to capture at any
frame rate the

sensor

can

output.

Utilizing this capability, Kreines added a
nostalgic nod to the origins of film
with

cameras

actual frame-rate-

an

controlling crank. He explains, "Since we
aren't mapping a 'wild' frame rate to a
fixed tape speed - like the VariCam
does, for instance

-

we

have far

more

freedom in terms of
The hand-crank
emulate

a

varying frame rates.
option will let you either

hand-cranked film with the

varying with cranking speed, or
exotic speed ramps with
no exposure variation, just a frame-rate
variation. Additionally, traditional timelapse capability is standard."
With a background in documen¬
taries, Kreines prefers a stripped-down
exposure

simulate

simply export the data directly
files).
Since the Kinetta

camera

as

DXF

records

more

video, RS-422, analog and digital audio
outs (12 tracks of 96K, 48-bit digital), a

version of the Kinetta to facilitate the

DVI connector for

shooting

1920x1200 LCD

a

handheld

style he grew up with while
on Auricons and CP-16s.

monitor (like the

However, he notes that "it's very easy to

and four

add base

monitoring-only color correction look-up
tables (LUTs) for all filmmakers to design
a look on set, while still capturing the full

audio

standard 60mm mini rods for

bandwidth of information to the drives.

viewfinder that has control

"Certainly, raw data is not very useful for
monitoring," he acknowledges. "So with
the Kinetta, we let you assign a look to
the image for field monitoring, and the
parameters of the look, which is essen¬
tially a LUT, are added to the header of
each frame, so that specific look can be
used for offline editing, etc., if desired.
We can store many sets of these colorcorrection parameters in the frame
header, and you can page between them
easily in post if you are using our color
corrector. Additionally, this LUT can be
used when outputting to tape or ignored,
depending on the post path of the
project."
For connectivity with various
recording and sound devices, the Kinetta

viewfinder zoom, multiple user-defin¬
able zebras, and camera-record start

ing plate that's easily modified and
quickly replaced if someone strips the

and stop.

The viewfinder can even be
positioned up to 10' away from the

threads in it."

which can be useful for car
shots, crane shots, etc. Furthermore, a

Kinetta is machined out of solid blocks of

features

16mm

raw, unaltered or color-manipulated
data, Kreines built in the ability to apply

the

a

breakout box that attaches to

magazine via a single
fiber-optic cable, and provides
outputs for single and dual-link HD-SDI,
standard-def SDI, standard-def analog
camera or

3mm

to a

Apple Cinema Display),
pairs (eight tracks) of AES-EBU
inputs for the sound recordist.
The

also

camera

orientable

compact,

utilizes

color
over

a

LCD
the

camera,

6.3" onboard

high-resolution LCD moni¬
powered from the

tor can also be
camera.

the

The current LCD monitor with

offers 202 dots per inch with
1024x768 resolution, but Kreines notes
camera

that

introduce

soon

newer

a

16x9

screen.

The

LCD will include controls to set

menus, so

the

able to set
access to

the

"We

without

needing

designed for both

35mm

format

lenses,"

Kreines notes, "so all of your favorite
film lenses can be used. The current %inch

or

is

perfect fit for regular
Super 16mm format lenses,

sensor

16mm

a

and the

shoulder pad,
a

mattebox

camera

has

a

dovetailed mount¬

Compact in design, the rugged
aluminum. The

camera

head is 5.25"

deep, 4.5" tall (except at the front, where
it's 6" tall), and is approximately 5" wide
at its widest point, where the handgrip
rosette attaches. The camera's magazine
is approximately 6" tall, 7.5" long (which
includes "wings" that cover both sides of
a mounted onboard battery) and 4.5"
wide. In total, the camera, with maga¬

zine, viewfinder and battery, weighs

standard PL lens

a

a

and follow focus, etc. You can also use a
more conventional sliding base plate,

under 15

eyepiece.
use

mount, which is
and

assistant will be

camera
menus

plates with

pounds.

The Kinetta

was

shown at NAB in

Las

Vegas in April and at CineGear Expo
Angeles in June, and Kreines
notes that improvements to its design
are added daily. "I've been shooting film
in Los

since the late Sixties, and I like the way
cameras look and feel - and, most

film

American

Cinematographer 99
American Cinematographer - September 2004

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