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Topic: Transparent reflectors?

Dave Williams
Wet nipple scene

Posts: 1836
From: Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 03-22-2000 01:51 PM

I changed out a tired and worn out reflector the other day, the difference was night and day. Heres my problem, When I did this, one of the partners was so irate for "wasting money" (we allready had the reflector in inventory) and that I should have consulted him first before, because, and I qoute "a lot of reflectors are made to be transparent, thats how they work!"

Bieng a newbie to film (living mostly in live theatre) I have never heard of a transparent reflector. Isnt that an oxymoron?

And yes this particular partner will no longer be a part of the picture as of this thursday (YAHOOOOOO!) Guess he gets tired of my wasting money on projecting movies.

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"If it's not worth doing, I have allready been there and done it"

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John Walsh
Film God

Posts: 2490
From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 03-22-2000 02:25 PM

Some reflectors are made to reflect only the light forward, not heat (infra-red.) The idea is there will be less heat on the film. Sometimes you can see this by holding the reflector up to a light and looking through the back. If it looks like a red colored filter, then that it. It is sometimes said to be "transparent" to infra-red.

Was the old mirror surface of the old reflector pitted, discolored, or the surface peeling, etc? If so, it was time to go. Reflectors are expensive, but any reasonable equipment dealer would take it back if there's no damage- especially if you work with that dealer on a regular basis, and they "know" you.

I'd keep it (and the old one, too) if you can. You never know when there will be an emergency, or a 'money' shortage.

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-22-2000 09:09 PM

A coated reflector has a dichroic coating and it maybe greenish as well
Old reflectors can be recoated at UltraFlat in California for a fraction of the cost of a new one
Some lamp explosions will require a new reflector

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Dave Williams
Wet nipple scene

Posts: 1836
From: Salt Lake City, UT, USA
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 03-23-2000 03:41 PM

To be honest, yes you can see through them partially, this must be to allow the infrared to pass through. However the one I took out was discolored and it had a speckeled appearance to it. The new one had a very silver like appearance to it. So I see where he was coming from when he used the term transparent reflector, but its still pretty humorous to me, but then most things are.

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"If it's not worth doing, I have allready been there and done it"

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Ian Price
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1714
From: Denver, CO
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-23-2000 06:27 PM

Gordon,

Do you have a phone number for Ultra Flat? I have a reflector that could be recoated.

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William Hooper
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1879
From: Mobile, AL USA
Registered: Jun 99

posted 03-23-2000 11:47 PM

Ultra Flat is at
http://www.ultraflat.com/

Cut'n'paste spree follows:

UltraFlat
"Precision is Reliability"
20306 Sherman Way
Winnetka, CA 91306
USA

Questions?
e-mail:
service@ultraflat.com
or call us by phone 9am to 5pm Pacific time, weekdays:
(818) 884-0184.

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