Carly Barnes

Kodak has announced the release of a new P-200 Film Cleaning System that transforms the traditional film cleaning process. The design allows the cleaning solvent to be dispersed on the film surface in a unique way. This economical, compact and digitally controlled system, which uses Kodak HFE 7200 Film Cleaner Solution, makes it ideal for today’s archives and libraries.

Proper film cleaning is vital to both archiving and restoration. In most cases, film needs to be cleaned before being stored in a library and prior to being digitised. Now, with the Kodak P-200 Film Cleaning System, institutions responsible for media collections can maintain their valuable film assets to the highest standards for a very small investment and very minimal infrastructure requirements.

“Knowing the importance of proper film cleaning to both maintaining and digitising film content, Kodak has developed a system for the 21st century,’ noted Antonio Rasura, technical manager of Kodak’s Consumer and Film Division. “It’s small in size, environmentally friendly, and easy to use, with no need to directly handle solutions. Maintenance is also simplified, so it can be used in both traditional laboratories and in-house by institutions.’

The Kodak P-200 system consists of a compact machine that measures only 31w x 21d x 51h inches with touchscreen controls for navigating the operating modes. It uses Kodak HFE 7200 Film Cleaner Solution, an environmentally safe solvent with a zero ozone depleting classification, and a very low toxicity rating (near zero). Adding to the system’s efficiencies, Kodak is offering the solvent in low quantities for the first time, eliminating the need to invest in large orders of film cleaning supplies.

“The way the machine disperses the solvent onto the film is very unique,’ said Rasura. “Solvent is quite expensive, and we didn’t want to use a costly recovery technique for the cleaner solution. The system we have developed atomises the solvent, utilising highly efficient delivery jets that “fog’ the film with an extremely fine dispersion of the HFE. The results include a huge amount of coverage with very little solvent, and all with no hazard to the operator or the environment.’

The Kodak P-200 Film Cleaning System also offers Variable Speed Precision Tension Control, a laser-guided feature that can operate with speeds of 50 to 200 fpm while maintaining consistent and even tension throughout the wind of the roll, which is especially beneficial for long-term archiving.

“Film is an integral component of our industry and cultural heritage, and Kodak recognises the need to support and preserve that content,’ added Andrew Evenski, Kodak’s president and general manager of Entertainment & Commercial Films. “Our aim in bringing this new system to market is to ensure that the community’s needs for accessible, quality film cleaning are met at an affordable price point.’

Vu Filters, a US-based optical design company which provides filmmakers and photographers around the world with handcrafted filters and filter accessories, has announced two new drop-in filter holders (75mm and 150mm) and a broad selection of new accessories to complement their current range of products.

Precision machined from high-quality aluminium and hand-assembled, the Vu 75mm and 150mm professional filter holders are each designed for specifically different purposes, photographers, cameras, and lenses, despite having similar features.
Photographers and filmmakers using mirror-less cameras will benefit from the lighter-weight and smaller package of the 75mm holder system, while sacrificing none of the functionality that users of the 100mm professional holder system have come to know and love.

For the growing number of photographers and filmmakers using super wide telephoto lenses from Canon, Nikon, Sigma, and Tamron, the Vu 150mm Professional Filter Holder System features specific lens rings for these specialty lenses, which effectively deepens the tool-bag an image maker can use to create an image. For a complete listing of compatible lenses for the Vu 150mm Filter Holder System, visit the Vu Filters website.

Vu Filters has also announced a range of 75mm, 100mm, and 150mm neutral density and graduated neutral density filters. Available in the first quarter of 2016, these filters are constructed from high-quality German Schott and German Formulated Optics.

Vu Filters is exclusively distributed by MAC Group in the USA and is available for purchase at a growing number of retailers around the country. For a complete listing of dealers, pricing, and more product information, please visit the Vu Filters website.

UAV-America, manufacturer of drone platforms, has launched a new long-duration flight time UAV, the Eagle XF, which is capable of up to one-hour flight times with a payload of five pounds.

As a member of the UAV Systems Association (UAVSA), UAV-America has worked with the organisation and its parent company, the Tesla Foundation, to incorporate industry knowledge into the new designs.

In addition to its extended flight times, Eagle XF also has features such as:
Moulded carbon fibre frame with minimal parts and hardware
Fast packing time (less than one minute); packs to small, transportable size
Flexible platform capabilities that allow change-out of sensor pods, gimbals and more with quick-disconnect technology

Eagle XF is designed, manufactured and assembled in the USA. UAV-America also provides 12-month free telephone support from its US headquarters. For more information about the Eagle XF visit the UAV-America website.

BBS Lighting, a provider of remote phosphor technology in LED lighting fixtures, introduces the new Remote Dimmer for its popular Area 48 Soft LED light system. The new unit that fits in your hand allows single or multi-fixture 16-bit dimming of Area 48 Soft fixtures smoothly from 100% to blackout, as well as on/off.

Overriding the settings of the Area 48’s on-fixture controls, the compact Area 48 Remote Dimmer utilises a rotary knob with numerical settings, to allow the lighting technician to easily and precisely dial-in any desired light intensity. An on/off switch toggles the output between blackout and the chosen setting.

What’s more, a single Remote Dimmer can control, in unison, a virtually unlimited number of Area 48 Softs that are connected via DMX 5-pin cabling. With multiple Area 48’s, the remote controls a master fixture (with current BBSNet software) that overrides the on-fixture software settings of all the Area 48’s in the chain.

The Remote Dimmer plugs in, via 4-pin connector, between an Area 48 Soft and the fixture’s Power Supply Unit (PSU) or battery. Up to a 16-foot (5m) cable can be used when the light is powered via battery, while a 32-foot (10m), or less, cable works when the light is powered via the Area 48 PSU.

Built for the rigors or on-set or location work, the sturdy unit weighs just 12-oz (340g), and measures: 13.3cm/5.25′ long x 5.7cm/2.25′ high x 4.1cm/1.5/8′ wide.
Area 48 Soft Remote Phosphor LED lights offer accurate colour rendering (98 TLCI) soft output, comparable to a 1200-Watt traditional soft light. Interchangeable phosphor panels offer quick change from Daylight to Tungsten, to Chroma-Green or Chroma Blue, all in seconds. The Remote Dimmer works at any colour temperature.

For more information visit the BBS Lighting website.