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Re: The ACL has arrived!
You are a wimp! The ACL is one of the lightest, easiest to hold pro
cameras. Which one do you have, the English (so-called ACL-1), the
"French", or the last model, the ACL-II (also French, of course)?
Which motor does it have? Single speed (original on the English
model), the same motor CP converted with variable speeds, or the Fr.
variable speed motor? What lens mounts?
The "claw" mechanism you're describing produces a warning signal when
you lose the lower loop. The film sprockets drag over it and it makes
a ratcheting sound. It doesn't tear up the film. You wouldn't want
to "lock it open" , since that would negate its purpose.
On the English 400' mags, the only ones I've used, you form the loop
by pulling the entire loop outside the magazine after threading it
onto both sprockets. Then pull the loop toward the bottom of the
pressure plate: it should end at approximately the bottom of the
magazine neck, just below the pressure plate itself. In my
experience, this has never been critical, we never measure or count
frames (as with the NPR), just pull the loop down to about the bottom
of the neck. In fact, just short of that seems to work as well.
After checking the loop length, divide the loop. With the loop
pulled clear out, put your finger into the center and hold it against
the pressure plate. The slide the top and bottom excess back into the
magazine. Or, easier, simply put your forefinger on the loop, against
the pressure plate, and slide the entire loop up and down until you
can see that the bottom loop is clearing that warning "claw" you've
been worrying about.
You do need those core adapters. They are plastic centers with a
metal flange attached to the back, the flange being about 4-1/2" in
diameter. The flange keeps the roll from rubbing on the magazine
surface, keeping it quieter. There should be one on both sides. NPR
flanges seem to be interchangeable, at least ours are. Don't know
where you can get them, but you could try Visual Products or perhaps
Optical-Electro House can give you a lead. They may even make them.
They came up with custom parts for ours a while back.
Have fun, but be careful with the BTL filter slot. It is very
useful, particularly when you need filters for lenses of various
diameters (one gel serves all). But if you are careless in inserting
the gel holder and it somehow gets out of its channel, you will damage
a very expensive (and nearly irreplaceable) mirror.
Have fun! It's a good camera if you take care of it, and very
versatile.
mpsyp@hotmail.com 8/28/01 5:25:34 AM >>>
P.S. I hope nobody minds if I ask a bunch of stupid questions in
the near
future. :)
Marc S.
...and here we go!
I started to thread up one of my two 200' magazines and encountered
something strange. On the take-up side, under the bottom rollers
(the ones
that snap out) there is a small spring loaded arm with a claw on it.
In the
manual there is no such arm and claw mechanism, which stops the film
from
advancing when the loops are not properly formed. There is no way to
lock
the claw open and I can only suspect that it is some sort of
mechanism to
catch the film if it loses loop during a shot. But wouldn't that
tear the
sprocket holes? I have one 200' magazine with the claw and one
without. My
400' magazine also has the claw mechanism. What is it for?
Which brings me to my next question. I'm not sure I am forming the
loop
correctly. I formed the loop as is shown in the manual (in the
magazine
with no claw mechanism) but it is hard to tell when exactly I have
created
the correct length. I also have a hard time figuring out how to make
the
bottom loop have one more frame than the top loop as it says in the
manual.
Finally, my magazines came without take-up core adapters, as I have
seen
some people on this list discuss in the past. What kind of cores
and
adapters do I need? So far I have only threaded film on 100'
daylight
spools, which I assume is noisy compared to core-loaded film. Any
leads are
appreciated.
Thanks!
Marc S.
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Wade K. Ramsey, DP
Dept. of Cinema & Video Production
Bob Jones University
Greenville, SC 29614
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