Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/02/15
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]> Steve LeHuray jotted down the following: > >> It only takes 200' reels and is about half the size of an XTR Prod. And a >> Prod package new is about $150,000. Plus if you look at them together the >> A-Minama is very different. > > While I undertand chemical still photography, I don't understand why someone > would be interested in shooting on 16mm film, rather than digital HDTV. > What am I missing? > > M. The 'buzz' on digital is by people who do not know any better. I touched on this topic once before. To sum up from my Hollywood technical insiders; the future of image capture for feature films will actually be S16mm. The reason, in part, is that digital HD still does not measure up to film. A few weeks ago I went to a screening at a theatre where the latest HD digital (with film chip) was transferred to 35mm film by E-Film of Hollywood and then projected on the big screen along with some 35mm film that originated on 35mm film. In attendance were over 30 Directors of photography and the verdict on the HD-to-film is 'not yet'. My technical insiders say that the reason for the eventual switch to S16mm from 35mm is part economics, partly the physical size of camera equipment where 16mm cameras today are almost the equal of 35mm cameras and mostly the HUGE behind-the-scenes infrastructure prefers to shoot on film. A few years ago Barry Levinson was trying to decide on which format, S16 or 35 (digital was never even considered), to use for his new NBC TV series 'Homicide'. So what he did was go out and shoot side-by-side scenes on S16 & 35. Then blew the S16 up to 35 and had the different formats edited so they intermingled then screened them on a big theatre screen to a professional audience. Nobody could tell the difference between the S16 and 35. We have all heard that in the future screenings in your local movie theatre will be on digital, that will probably happen eventually, but before that can happen tens of thousands of movie theatres around the WORLD will have to be converted to digital. Considering the cost do not expect to see that anytime soon. In addition since the late 1980's there has been a significant improvement in camera technology (image steadiness and quiteness) lenses are extremely sharp today with Zeiss being the leader and most important film stock is vastly improved (the film we use in our still cameras is the result of motion picture development. I could co on, but will sum up by saying that, Larry Thorpe, VP of HDTV at Sony once told me that "35mm film IS HDTV." Steve Annapolis