Does the pressure plate really help to get stable pics?

[kontrabass888]

A German Made pressure plate to make more stable pics is for sale online. http://www.andecfilm.de/en/e_s8_pressureplate.htm

It cost 127.6EUR -- even more expensive than a camera on ebay.

I would like to know that if any one have it and how do you feel, does it really work?

[Lunar07]

The jury is still out ever since a discussion was waged on this forum years ago!
I personally have used it on a Moviflex MS8 and a Bauer S209XL. It made a difference on the Moviflex and none whatsoever on the Bauer. Many variables and parameters are involved specially that we are dealing with cameras that were manufactures at least 40 years ago.
Too bad the price got to be so high. I got mine used from an Italian seller years ago for $50. You may want to get it and try it. And see the results for yourself.
One word of caution though - I remember someone cautioning users here years ago to NOT use it with Nikon R8/R10 (in case you have these cameras) because the plate conflicts with these cameras 'registration' pin.

[kontrabass888]

The jury is still out ever since a discussion was waged on this forum years ago!
I personally have used it on a Moviflex MS8 and a Bauer S209XL. It made a difference on the Moviflex and none whatsoever on the Bauer. Many variables and parameters are involved specially that we are dealing with cameras that were manufactures at least 40 years ago.
Too bad the price got to be so high. I got mine used from an Italian seller years ago for $50. You may want to get it and try it. And see the results for yourself.
One word of caution though - I remember someone cautioning users here years ago to NOT use it with Nikon R8/R10 (in case you have these cameras) because the plate conflicts with these cameras 'registration' pin.

Thanks for reply,
According to your answer, I understand that your Moviflex has the issue with the stability as most moviflex, and Bauer doesn't, so this plate didn't work on Bauer. Am I correct?

[Lunar07]

I gave the two cameras as an example. The Moviflexes and the Bauers I have perform the same stability wise without the pressure plate: the occasional wavy dance and the occasional jerky movement. Nothing major really. So it is not that there is any inherent stability problem with the Moviflex.
It is just that the plate worked with the Moviflex MS8 (and the GS8 also) but not the Bauer. This may be caused by minuscule difference in how the gates are built. It is about tiny construction tolerances in the cameras themselves that made the plate work on one and not another.
What camera do you have?

[kontrabass888]

I have Sankyo CME 1100, Canon 814 E, Nizo 4056, Nizo intergal 7, the progector is Eumig 810S.

I am planning to buy a Beaulieu 4008 for travelling because it is small and I can share the lens with my Beaulieu R16 and Nikon F mount lens with adapter.

I didn't feel the picture I shot are unstable, just would like to know the difference if any one had compared with and without the plate.

[aj]

Well, in brief. If you don't have a problem with stability you don't need it
Of course cameras which don't have a problem do not need one either.

The plate is supposed to keep the film flat. And from breathing as it is called. Apparently there are cameras which don't have a gate which interacts properly with the plate of the standard S8-cartridge or doesn't manage to keep modern film (negative) flat.

But even then (-40 years) there were cameras which had a filmgate with extra edges and micro-ramps to force the film through a defined plane. Some Minoltas, early Nikons and R10 and R8 have these. Possibly other brands have models with ramps too. Some had special materials in their gates with mythical properties which would keep film flat no matter what.

On the Nikon R10 and R8 there is no real problem except for the noise. The wood-pecker shaped stop-pin, this holds the film steady against the permanent motor-pull, will hit the metal surface which can be heard outside the camera. The stop-pin is not a registration pin and doesn't need to go through the perforation fully. It normally hammers the plastic plate of the cartridge

[Scotness]

I am planning to buy a Beaulieu 4008 for travelling because it is small and I can share the lens with my Beaulieu R16 and Nikon F mount lens with adapter.

Not trying to hijack the thread but I'm reasonably sure you won't be able to use the 4008 lense on the R16 - it is a c-mount and will screw in - but it won't make an image large enough for the 16mm frame -- you can however use the R16 lense on the 4008
- Others might like to confirm or give more info

Scot

[S8 Booster]

the PP had an limited effect on the "bad" K40 cartridges about 2001 or so but my experiences with other film material over the time is mixed and certainly not worth the cost of a new PP.

just recently posted a short clip showing the "natural" stability of the "good" K40 sound carts of the 80s shot with my Canon 1014 XLS - not overly worn out at the time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlqzae0uQaw

[kontrabass888]

I am planning to buy a Beaulieu 4008 for travelling because it is small and I can share the lens with my Beaulieu R16 and Nikon F mount lens with adapter.

Not trying to hijack the thread but I'm reasonably sure you won't be able to use the 4008 lense on the R16 - it is a c-mount and will screw in - but it won't make an image large enough for the 16mm frame -- you can however use the R16 lense on the 4008
- Others might like to confirm or give more info

Scot

I am not going to use 4008-lens on r16. but I will do the other way arround.

[kontrabass888]

Is the propose of using this plat to press the film tighter to the film gate?

[Patrick02]

I am not going to use 4008-lens on r16. but I will do the other way arround.

Although both cameras share the same lens mount, I heard from one guy that the lens needs to be adjusted with regards to the collimnation when switching formats like this. Perhaps the flange focal depth is different between the Bealieu super 8 and 16mm cameras. I hope someone can confirm whether this is the case.

[bolextech]

There is a slight difference because the Beaulieu super8 cameras were mostly designed with a gelatine filter permanently in the optical path. The flange focal distance has to made slightly longer because of this.

This is one model of 5008S that has no built-in filter as it was sold with a Schneider zoom lens that has the filter in the lens.

Of course using a lens designed to cover the super8 format on a 16mm camera will not give full coverage.

Cheers,
Jean-Louis

[sciolist]

This is one model of 5008S that has no built-in filter as it was sold with a Schneider zoom lens that has the filter in the lens.

Besides the Schneider-Kreuznach 6-70mm f/1.4 Optivaron lens, the Angénieux 6-80mm f/1.2 lens has a daylight filter built-in. I've got Beaulieu 4008 ZM4 cameras fitted with those lenses and the cameras haven't a filter key slot in the grip like earlier series. The same lenses were available with 5008 series cameras.

I bought an Andec pressure plate recently for just $1.00 and plan to try it soon to determine if it makes any perceptible difference in film exposed with Beaulieu 4008 series cameras.

[Patrick02]

I bought an Andec pressure plate recently for just $1.00 and plan to try it soon to determine if it makes any perceptible difference in film exposed with Beaulieu 4008 series cameras.

Congrats on getting an Andec pressure plate at a bargain price. I do recall someone someone on this forum using the same plate in conjunction with his 4008 and getting significantly more stable footage at 70fps.

[sciolist]

I'd written, "Besides the Schneider-Kreuznach 6-70mm f/1.4 Optivaron lens, the Angénieux 6-80mm f/1.2 lens has a daylight filter built-in". This is incorrect. The Angénieux 6-80mm f/1.2 lens accepts external filters (at least on the examples I own there aren't any built-in filters).