Lens Repair: Schneider – Kreuznach, Arriflex-Cine-Xenon 1:2/50 Problem #1: The lens came to me with a major problem. It was in two pieces. I soon discovered that the lens had two problems. The second problem was that the lens was loose. If you held the very front of the lens firmly in one hand the rear of the lens could move or pivot a bit up or down or side to side. Solution: I removed the rear element by unscrewing…
Sony DSR 20, DSR30 DV deck Complaint: One or any combination of the following. The video tape recorder would not accept a tape. The VTR would not eject a tape. The VTR would show an error code and fail to operate. Evaluation: Remove the top cover. Most of these video tape recorder decks will do a reset if you interrupt the power to the unit. Do not think by turning the machine off and then on again this will do…
Panasonic AG DV1000 mini DV cassette recorder. Complaint: Smoke came from the back of the recorder and then it failed to work. Troubleshooting: I performed a very close examination of the top circuit board. I expected to find some burned component. The top inside of the unit looked pristine. After obtaining the service manual, I started checking the power supply as the unit showed no life, no front panel display was lit. The AC power comes into a line filtering…
JVC combo deck, DV and VHS, model SR-VS20U Complaint: Deck would not load tape. Repair: We had a deck that would malfunction if anyone pressed in on the VHS tape on the right hand side. This would skew the load mechanism to jam. Just instruct the user to press inward with the tape at the center of the tape. The tape would also load properly if it was pushed in from the left. The tape carriage when pushed in from…
Grass Valley 200-1 Video Switcher Problem: intermittent function. Problem: After about 15 minutes of being turned on, the switcher lights would flash. The buttons would not operate but seemed to freeze the switcher. When I pressed a camera input such as camera 2 and this freeze happened, proper switcher operation would fail. I could press other buttons but they would only switch over to the new source when the button I pressed was down. When I lifted my finder the…
Arriflex motor for the S camera which uses a large power transistor on the side of the motor. Complaint: motor would race in speed. Repair: The motor must float electronically and therefore can not touch the case. There are four screws holding the transistor in its holder assembly. Make sure that each of the screws are not touching the transistor body. I had to place a very short piece of spaghetti along the screw shaft where it might come into…
Troubleshooting the obvious and less obvious: Camera will not run. Check to make sure the motor clamp is snug. The camera motor body is the return electrical path and must be touching the motor housing clamp tight enough for a good electrical contact. The film buckle switch might not have been set properly. Open the sprocket wheel mechanism and then close. You don’t see it but a little plunger resets the film buckle switch to the “ON” position by open…
Never let them see you sweat. (All production personnel, especially talent) Focus on the eyes. (Camera operator) Cheat whenever possible. (Camera operators.) The crew members must never let the person(s) paying for the show know there is a problem. Quietly take care of it. (Crew). Camera operators must tell the director before the show begins of any camera operation deficiency. (Camera operators). Never bring a two way radio close to a video camera. (Crew). Audio people, never give talent a…
In the Los Angeles Times article on the front page of the December 11, 2007 issue an article titled “Iraq to disarm female police”. The reason given was many but none were cited as definitely proven as most important. The decision apparently came from the Ministry Of The Interior. Some “explanations” were apparently given but none seem to be stated officially. One quote was “Females are taken care of by men …”. Another reason was that the pistols were needed…
In the early part of December 2007, the California State University Daily Titan, a student on campus newspaper, published a special newsstand edition on the 50th anniversary of the campus being in existence that long. Inside the paper were the usual uplifting articles. One article covered the campus photographer, Pat O’Donnell. Problem was, Pat O’Donnell was the Public Affairs photographer. He started in 1969 as a part time lecturer. About 15 years ago he was hired half time working for…