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Author Topic: Focus fight with 'Black Knight' Matt Close Expert Film Handler Posts: 226 From: Hervey Bay, QLD, Australia Registered: Sep 2001 posted 04-20-2002 06:55 PM                        This is the second print that has done this in recent months!! (grrr) .. the last one was 'Behind Enemy Lines'. You simply CAN NOT achieve decent focus 'accross' the screen! If you focus the middle properly, then both sides are shot.... try to focus one side, then the middle and the other side are shot .. etc. It is not a projector problem because it does it on all of the projectors these films played on, while all other films look fine... What causes this? Are these films the victim of some stock problem? ... Or am I just going crazy? .....  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 04-20-2002 07:52 PM                     Assuming this is a second hand US print, has the print been embossed from it's previous use? That would most certainly cause the problem you describe.  |  IP: Logged Matt Close Expert Film Handler Posts: 226 From: Hervey Bay, QLD, Australia Registered: Sep 2001 posted 04-20-2002 08:04 PM                        Embossed? .... Please excuse my ignorance Brad, but you could explain a little more?  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 04-20-2002 08:36 PM                     I wish I had a picture to post here. When a film is ran with a high wattage xenon bulb (or the bulb is misfocused or inproper ventilation) the film will "stretch out" and expand away from the heat. The result is that each frame will have what is called "embossing", where each frame protrudes out as compared to the edges and framelines. This defect *normally* does not interfere with projection, but if the film is embossed heavily, it will affect focus like you describe. Just look at the film with a light reflecting on it.  |  IP: Logged Matt Close Expert Film Handler Posts: 226 From: Hervey Bay, QLD, Australia Registered: Sep 2001 posted 04-20-2002 08:39 PM                        Thanks Brad, I shall inspect it after this showing ..... this 'out of focus' showing  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 04-22-2002 08:43 AM                        "Embossing" is a possible cause: http://www.kodak.com/country/US/en/motion/newsletters/reel/fall97/pytlak.shtml http://www.kodak.com/country/US/en/motion/newsletters/reel/winter97/projection.shtml ------------------ John P. Pytlak, Senior Technical Specialist Worldwide Technical Services, Entertainment Imaging Research Labs, Building 69, Room 7525A Rochester, New York, 14650-1922 USA Tel: +1 585 477 5325 Cell: +1 585 781 4036 Fax: +1 585 722 7243 E-Mail: john.pytlak@kodak.com Web site: http://www.kodak.com/go/motion  |  IP: Logged

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