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This Web site is dedicated to the thousands of "users" of my programs, those who have helped test my programs over the last 22 or so years, and especially those who shared their experiences with me.
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This section has text and photographs derived from some of the v2.5 media, so there may be some differences between the version you have and the screen shots or other material. Please read all the instructions is the other parts of this HTML documentation before trying to build this cine film recorder. This description of the cine film recorder, and solenoid camera actuator, is intended only for use in testing DANCAD3D.EXE (tm).
See also Section: 3.80.0.0 and Section: 9.75.61.0 for information about DANCINEL.EXE (tm) to display 2048x1536x32 high resolution Digital Cinema like image frame files on the monitor in your cine film recorder and have DANCINEL.EXE (tm) automatically operate the cine film camera and filter wheels.
See also the video about building a cine film recorder in Section: 4.0.0.0.
Steps to build a solenoid camera actuator:
Purchase a cable release that will fit your camera that has a single frame feature.
Measure the distance and force required to move the cable release.
Purchase a solenoid that matches the force and distance required.
Design a mechanical holder for the solenoid to push on the cable release.
Purchase and build the amplifier electronics, and wire up the computer's audio output.
Test the amplifier with DANCAD3D (tm)'s SIGNAL command.
Install the camera and solenoid in the cine recorder box.
Test the exposure time for best results.
Write an animation macro, and expose the film.
The operation of the solenoid is simple: when there is no signal the solenoid is open, then the solenoid closes when the signal starts, and then the solenoid opens again when the signal stops. The film is advanced by the mechanism inside the camera, and the camera power comes from the spring inside the camera. If you are doing a long animation you will need to pause the computer between two of your frame exposures, open the film recorder, wind up the camera, then close the recorder box, and un-pause the computer. To pause your computer in order to open the cine film recorder box, press the [Ctrl] and [NumLock] keys on your keyboard, and to restart the cine film recorder after you have closed up the box press the [SpaceBar] on your keyboard. To careful to in some way disable the solenoid, in addition to pausing your computer, so that the solenoid cannot accidentally close while the recorder box is open.
On the oscilloscope in the background of the photo is displayed the signal coming from the computer's speaker. The signal is amplified inside the solenoid by a small amplifier board, that in turn closes a relay that switches A.C. power to the solenoid coil, causing the solenoid to pull shut, which pushes by a lever onto the button of a cable release that is attached to the camera and pushes on the single frame advance button. In the BOLEX (tm) you can set the single frame button to work as a time exposure ("T" mode) shutter release (i.e. the shutter stays open as long as the single frame button is held active), thereby having the shutter stay open as long as the signal from the computer continues. The duration of the signal, and time exposure, is set with the macro SIGNAL command. A small flashlight was setup in this photo to shine through the aperture so you could see that the shutter was open.
A system of mechanical parts is used to increase the stroke of the solenoid so that the cable release moves far enough to advance the camera. Many solenoids have plungers that only move 0.1 to 0.5 inches (about 3 to 12 millimeters) so if you need movement of 1 inch (about 25mm) for the button on your cable release you will need to use a lever bar where the solenoid pulls halfway up the bar, or so, to double the distance the cable release will move from 0.5 of an inch to 1 inch (about 12mm to 25mm) or so. You may need to experiment with the location of the connection on the lever to get just enough motion to push the cable release button, since the force generated might break something in the camera if you push too far.
In the BOLEX (tm) a special long stroke cable release is used, which fits to the camera with an adapter. The single frame button in the BOLEX (tm) is not very sturdy, and so should be expected to break and need to be repaired after a few hundred feet of film have been shot. Using a computer controlled motor, to turn the movie camera's single frame or crank shaft, might be less stressful on the camera mechanism. If your movie camera does not have a external drive shaft, but takes a single frame cable release, then the solenoid is a simpler solution than modifying the camera.
Mounting the button end of of the cable release in a block of wood helps protect it and hold it stationary while being hammered by the solenoid driven lever. The cable in the cable release will compress somewhat under pressure at the button end, so the button will need to move a little more than the other end of the cable that pushes on the shutter release button.
The hand in the photo is pointing to the high gain amplifier board, at the right side is the bottom of the relay that switches the AC power to the solenoid. Also inside is the power transformer for the amplifier board.
SECTION: 5.1.3.1 Schmatic of the cine film solenoid for the animation camera.
