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This topic comprises 2 pages: 1 2
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Author
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Topic: R-40 Target Film
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John Pytlak
Film God
Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 02-08-2000 07:16 AM
SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) test films are available from many theatre equipment dealers, and also directly from the SMPTE:
http://www.smpte.org/testmat/index.html The 35-PA (RP40) test film is $495 for a 200-foot roll, and $170 for a 50-foot roll. Instructions are included with each film. For evaluating image size and position (e.g., filing aperture plates, adjusting screen masking), a loop of the film may be used. But for evaluation of steadiness, resolution, focus uniformity, anamorphic astigmatism, etc., you should always project an undamaged ROLL of the test film, since a short loop will give misleading results. ------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Professional Motion Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
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Steve Guttag
We forgot the crackers Gromit!!!
Posts: 12814
From: Annapolis, MD
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 02-10-2000 10:16 PM
>>"You might also want to check out the new Schneider refrence film. Its also polyestar but is a heck of alot more meaningful than RP-40 ever was.
Mark"<<It has too much black area...soaks up a bunch of heat. That is not to say it doesn't have it's merits. BTW it isn't cheap either. Steve ------------------
"Old projectionists never die, they just changeover!"
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John Pytlak
Film God
Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 02-11-2000 07:02 AM
Both the SMPTE 35-PA (RP40) and the new Schnieder/Lucasfilm test film are useful. Steve is correct that the large D-max (black) area on the Schnieder film makes it more sensitive to heat problems like focus flutter. SMPTE RP40 was designed to have about equal areas of white and black, so it would respond more like a "typical" scene.In addition to the instructions provided with the SMPTE 35-PA (RP40) film, reading the actual recommended practice is helpful in understanding how the film is made, and how best to use it. Copies of Standards,Recommended Practices, and Engineering Guidelines are available from SMPTE at:
http://www.smpte.org/stds/index.html ------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Professional Motion Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
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John Pytlak
Film God
Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 02-11-2000 03:15 PM
Mark:Just to caution you that both the Schneider/THX and SMPTE test films may be copyrighted material. Also, I believe that the Schneider/THX test film was made as a camera original on special-order B&W film perforated with KS perfs, so a contact wet-gate print may shift the image position, and may introduce sharpness loss and considerable printer unsteadiness. If you make a direct print onto print film, you will not have a "positive image". Are you proposing to use a reversal film, or to make an internegative first? I'd stick with purchasing some of the original Schneider/THX test film, or some SMPTE 35-PA (RP40), rather than have something that's questionable. ------------------
John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist
Worldwide Technical Services, Professional Motion Imaging
Eastman Kodak Company
Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7419
Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA
Tel: 716-477-5325 Fax: 716-722-7243
E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com
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John Walsh
Film God
Posts: 2490
From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way
Registered: Oct 1999
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posted 02-12-2000 09:24 AM
Would it be worthwhile to print a test film on regular print stock? I don't mean reprinting the 35PA; Make a simple pattern, like just rectangles, to show 1.85, 2.39, 1.66. I've seen regular release prints that look pretty good; make a test film using good quality, but conventional equipment. Use good cameras for a negative, but not instrumentation cameras; slower step printing, rather than high-speed printing.Also, what about a light meter that is less accurate, but cheaper? The Minolta that evryone uses goes to 0.1 fL, but even the SMPTE spec's allow +/- 2.0 fL. If you could buy test film that was only accurate to say, 0.005" rather than to 0.001", but cost $25 for a 50 foot roll rather than $170, would you buy some? Or, if a light meter that was only accurate to say, 1.0 fL (still well within spec's) but only cost $500 (rather than $2600)? If most theater owners just will not pay these prices, wouldn't it be better to have less accurate, but more avaiable tools?
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