pCINE version 1.0
(the first release)
Instructions updated: February 11, 2001
Designed by:
David Eubank
Designed and Programmed by:
Dian Suharto Iskandar
This
program is designed for cinematographers and is a companion to the popular pCAM.
It calculates EXPOSURE (compensating for changes in shutter
angles, camera speed, filter factors, emulsion speeds, ND filters,
ASA-EI-DIN, Footcandles/Lux and exposure times), RUNNING TIME to
FILM LENGTH, SHOOTING SPEED to SCREEN TIME, TIME LAPSE, HMI
(safe speeds & shutters), DIOPTER (power & focus distances), MACRO
(magnification factors, depth of field & stop corrections), COLOR
CORRECTION, SCENE ILLUMINATION, LIGHT COVERAGE and UNDERWATER
DISTANCES.
- IMPORTANT: If you are upgrading pCINE
from any beta version please note that the database is different from the
older versions. You can install the new version over the old, but the
first time you start the new program it will warn you that you have an
"incompatible record." Tap the "YES" button and
the new database will automatically replace the old.
FEATURES:
-
Exposure
-
Graphic to help user see relationships between elements.
-
Calculates f-stop for changes in camera speed, shutter
angle, film speed, filters or Footcandles.
-
Can change between Footcandles or LUX.
-
Can change between EI, ASA or DIN.
-
Can unlock to change f-stop without changing other
settings.
-
Can change default camera speed, shutter angle or film
speed.
-
Can save calculations in memory for recall later.
-
Pop-up list of 16 common filters plus 7 custom
(user-defined) filters with their stop loss.
-
Pop-up list of ND filters.
-
Pop-up list of common Camera speeds (FPS)
-
Pop-up list of common Shutter angles.
-
Pop-up list of common Film speeds.
-
Can turn off or remove Filter and Footcandle
calculations from screen.
-
Numeric pad or manual input of information.
HOW TO SET UP pCINE:
-
Install the following 3 files onto your Palm device:
-
Once installed tap on the pCINE camera icon in applications to launch it. You can
also launch pCINE from within pCAM (if you own it) by tapping on the
"p" or the diamond above it at the top left of your screen.
You
may also select it from the pCAM scroll-down menu by tapping on your
menu button.
-
IMPORTANT: Previous users of any
pCINE version must follow the special
instructions at the top of this page.
-
PREFERENCES:
-
Tap MENU --> Options --> Preferences.
-
Select "Exposure."
-
Set your preferred defaults of "Aperture,'
"Camera Speed," "Shutter Angle," "Film
rating," "Film Speed," or "Light unit."
-
There are two ways to enter data:
-
Enter manually by tapping the current entry, entering another number and
tapping OK.
-
Tap on the diamond to the left of the
entry and choose from a pop-up list of the most common choices.
-
NOTE: Traditionally, USA and elsewhere defaults are
24fps camera speed, 180 or 200 shutter angle, EI film rating and
footcandles. Europe and elsewhere are 25fps, 172.8 shutter
angle, DIN or ASA. These days, however, Europe is sometimes
24fps and 172.8 shutter angle.
-
NOTE: In the US, ASA is traditionally used for
still photography and EI for motion picture.
-
Select "Diopter" to change to
the diopter power you use most often or leave as is.
-
Select "HMI safe speed/shutter" to change to
your the electrical frequency. 60hz is used in
the USA and elsewhere. 50hz is used in Europe and elsewhere.
Find out what yours is and select it.
-
Select the unit of measurement, either "meters" or
"feet, inches."
-
Select "numeric pad input" (calculator style)
ON/OFF. (Allows you to enter information by tapping a numeric
pad).
-
Select "sound" ON/OFF.
-
Tap OK to return to the program screen.
HOW TO USE pCINE:
-
DIOPTER
-
If not already selected, select "Diopter" by
tapping on the upper left scroll down menu.
-
Set default diopter power and either feet/inches or
meters in "Preferences" (see
Preferences section above).
-
Diopter is used mainly to calculate the near and far focus
distances of selected diopter powers.
-
Distance entries can be manual or numeric pad input (if
selected in "Preferences"). Feet and inches entered
manually must be written with a space, comma or dash between them.
Examples: 0 6 (6"), 1,2 (1'2"), 3-4 (3'4"), 6 7
(6'7"), etc.
-
Lens Limit.
-
Enter the lens' close focus on its barrel.
Example: A lens with minimum focus of 2'6" would be
2'6".
-
Can be entered manually or by numeric pad input (if
selected in "Preferences").
-
The lens limit entered here will determine the near
focus of the selected diopter power. For example: If the
lens limit was 2'6", then the closest focus possible with a
+1diopter would be 1'6". If the lens limit was 5' 0"
the closest focus possible with the same diopter would be 2'8"
-
Lens Focus.
-
Where the focus distance is set on the barrel of the
lens (not the actual distance, but a calculated distance as
determined by the object's distance and diopter power).
-
Input is entered in feet and inches. You can
enter manually (or numeric pad input if selected in
"Preferences.")
-
To activate "lens focus," highlight the
small upper right box in its window.
-
This window is mostly used to show where the lens
would be focused when the subject is at a particular distance from
camera and thus you let the object distance entry automatically
calculate this.
-
EXAMPLE: Your lens limit is set to 2ft.,
your diopter power to 1/2 (.5)
and the object distance is 3 feet away (measured from the diopter not the
film plane). If lens focus was activated (box highlighted)
then its result would be 5'10" telling you the barrel focus
position. If you changed the object distance from 3' to
4'6", then the lens focus would change to 14'
8". This gives you an idea of where to set the lens
barrel each time.
-
Diopter power.
-
Entered in decimals. You can
enter manually (or numeric pad input if selected in
"Preferences"). Examples: .5 for +1/2, 1 for +1,
1.5 for +1 1/2, etc.
-
Lens length is entered as inches only. You can
enter manually (or numeric pad input if selected in
"Preferences.")
-
Object distance or total distance.
-
Traditionally with diopter calculations, the
distance to object is measured from the diopter and not from the film
plane. pCINE, however, allows you to make the choice
where you would like to measure -- from the film plane ("total
distance") or diopter ("object
distance").
-
To set to calculate from the film plane ("total
distance") you must do two things:
-
Enter the physical length of your lens (from the
film plane to the front element) in the window below the lens
icon (the arrows show you what distance is being
represented).
-
You must change "object distance" to
"total distance" by tapping on the box directly under
"near." This just adds the physical length of
the lens (from the film plane to the front element) to the
distance from diopter to object.
-
You can toggle between "object distance"
and "total distance" by tapping on its box.
-
The arrows will always indicate what distance is
being represented.
-
Lens length.
-
To calculate "total distance" you must
enter the physical length of the lens from the film plane to the
front element. (See above for explanation).
-
Lens length is located in the window below the lens
icon, lower right of screen.
-
Focus limit.
-
Shows you the focus parameters, near and far focus,
of a particular diopter power and lens limit. This is the most
useful feature of diopter, figuring what your focus range is with a
particular diopter and a lens' minimum, barrel focus and infinity.
-
Memory.
-
Tap on MC to clear memory and go back to default.
-
Tap on MS to save a calculation.
-
Tap on MR to recall a calculation that you previously
saved.
-
Various calculation examples.
-
To calculate which diopter to use for a particular
"object distance" (or "total distance" if
selected).
-
Tap MC to clear memory.
-
Enter the lens limit (minimum focus).
-
Activate the "diopter" window by
tapping on its small box in the upper right corner.
-
Choose "object distance" or
"total distance" (see above for details).
-
Enter the distance to your object next to
"object distance" or "total distance," then
tap OK.
-
The result will appear in the diopter window.
-
To calculate what the distance parameters (near and
far focus) are for a particular diopter power.
-
Tap MC to clear memory.
-
Enter the lens limit (minimum focus).
-
Activate the "object distance" or
"total distance" window by tapping on its small box in
the upper right corner.
-
Choose "object distance" or
"total distance" (see above for details).
-
Enter a new diopter power, then tap OK.
-
The result will appear in the "near"
and "far" "focus limit" windows.
-
To calculate what the lens barrel focus is for a
particular "object distance" or "total
distance."
-
Tap MC to clear memory.
-
Enter the lens limit (minimum focus).
-
Activate the "lens focus" window by
tapping on its small box in the upper right corner.
-
Enter your "object distance or "total
distance."
-
The result will appear in the "lens
focus" window.
-
MACRO
-
If not already selected, select "Macro" by
tapping on the upper left scroll down menu.
-
All entries are in inches only (no need to enter feet,
then inches) or meters. To enter inches manually just write 5 for 5" or .569
for .569", etc.
-
Image size.
-
Fill.
-
Lens FL (focal length).
-
CoC (Circle of confusion).
-
Enter your circle of confusion in either of two
ways:
-
Tapping the number
and changing it manually (or numeric pad input if you selected it in
"Preferences.")
-
Tapping the diamond next to it and selecting from a
pop-up list of common CoC.
-
Entries are for microns. Typically 16mm is 15.24 microns
and 35mm/70mm is 25.4 microns, but you can enter
slightly above or below depending on your needs.
-
Object size.
-
Enter the size of your object's width by tapping the
number and changing.
-
Enter in decimals. Example: .5 for 1/2",
1 for 1", 2 for 2", etc.
-
Aperture.
-
Corrected stop.
-
Shows you the corrected stop to use after entering
all of your shot particulars, mainly your aperture (see
"aperture" above).
-
This is a result window only and can only be
changed by reentering one of your shot particulars.
-
Object distance.
-
Extension length.
-
Magnification result.
-
Depth of field.
-
COLOR CORRECTION
-
If not already selected, select "Color Correction" by tapping on the upper left scroll down menu.
-
Shows you what filters are required to
"correct" light sources for either tungsten or daylight film
stocks.
-
Film type.
-
Light source.
-
Filter.
-
The filter bar shows you whether you need a filter
towards the yellow or bluish or none at all.
-
The actual filter result is displayed in the window
below this filter bar.
-
Beside the filter calculation is the mired value
result.
-
Above the filter calculation window is the stop
correction for the chosen filters.
SCENE ILLUMINATION
-
If not already selected, select "Scene illumination" by tapping on the upper left scroll down menu.
-
If the Candelas (Peak Beam Intensity) of a lamp is known
at a certain distance, then the illumination at other distances can be
calculated.
-
Set to either footcandles, LUX or EV units in
preferences.
-
There are two ways to enter information
-
Example:
-
Measure your lamp at a certain distance, say 5 ft,
and note the footcandles (LUX or EV) on your light
meter.
-
Activate the Peak Beam Intensity box (by tapping its
small box in the upper right corner). Enter 5 ft. in the
distance box and your footcandle (LUX or EV) reading in its
box.
-
To determine your light levels for this particular
lamp at various distances, activate the footcandle (LUX or EV) box
and change the distance. The new footcandle (LUX or EV)
calculation will appear in its box.
-
You can also highlight the distance box, and change
the footcandles (LUX or EV) entry. It will tell you how far to
move the lamp for this light level.
-
LIGHT COVERAGE
-
If not already selected, select "Light Coverage" by tapping on the upper left scroll down menu.
-
Used to determine the light spread of lamps in angles,
distance and beam width.
-
Example:
-
A lamp's beam width is 9ft. across on a plain white
surface at a distance of 12ft. What is its angle?
-
Highlight "beam angle" by tapping its
small box in the upper right corner.
-
Enter 9 ft. in "beam width" and 12ft in
"distance." The result is shown in "beam
angle," 41 degrees.
-
Example:
-
You know the beam angle of a lamp (example
above). What distance must the lamp be to cover a width of
7ft?
-
Highlight "distance" by tapping its small
box in the upper right corner.
-
Enter the known "beam angle," in this case
41 degrees.
-
Enter the beam width of 7ft.
-
The result will appear in the distance box, 9ft 4in.
-
Example:
-
You know the beam angle, from the first calculation,
say this time it's 36 degrees. Say the furthest away you can
get the lamp is 11ft, what will the beam width be?
-
Highlight "beam width" by tapping its
small box in the upper right corner.
-
Enter the known beam angle, in this case 36 degrees.
-
Enter the distance of the lamp, 11ft.
-
The result will appear in "beam width,"
7ft 2in.
Underwater calculation
-
If not already selected, select "Underwater
distance" by tapping on the upper left scroll down menu.
-
Used to determine the change in underwater focus
distance with flat-glass ports. The calculated distance is 3/4 the
actual measured distance.
-
Example: You measure 12 feet distance between
your underwater camera and your underwater subject. pCINE
calculates it as 9 feet. You should set your lens barrel to 9
feet and not 12 feet.
-
NOTE: Some underwater cameras have
corrected dome ports which correct the magnification phenomenon.
In this case there may be little or no change in distance. If
unsure, check with your manufacturer!
- MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS TO RUN pCINE:
- PocketC v3.91 or later (shareware). Included with this version
of pCINE.
- MathLib.prc to do the math. Included with pCINE.
- pCINE.prc. The program file.
- Hotsync to install the above 3 files.
- Palm device with PalmOS v2.0.5 or later.
NOTE: DO NOT RUN pCINE ON VERSIONS OF POCKETC EARLIER THAN
v3.91! The latest version will always be available at www.davideubank.com
HISTORY:
- February 6, 2001 - pCINE v 1.0 - the first release.
- Changed icons in Scene illumination.
- Added Time Exposure to Time Lapse.
- Added Underwater Distance calculation.
- November 5, 2000 - pCINE v 1.05b
- Final beta-program.
- Added Scene illumination.
- Added Light coverage.
- Change preferences to allow for the above additions.
- October 15, 2000 - pCINE v 1.01b
- Fixed minor nuisance bug in numeric pad.
- Changed text in Exposure preferences.
- October 5, 2000 - pCINE v 1.0b
- Added TIME LAPSE.
- Changed Preferences layout.
- Changed EXPOSURE screen layout.
- Added various projector speeds to Running time/length and
Shooting/screen time.
- Moved "safe speed list" button in HMI.
- Added "VistaVision-35mm/8-perf" to RUNNING TIME/LENGTH
"Film format."
- Added "VistaVision-35mm/8-perf" to MACRO "Image
size."
- August 21, 2000 - pCINE v 0.9b
- Public beta-test program began.
- July 13, 2000 - pCINE v 0.77b
- Private beta-test program began.
BUGS:
- This is the first release of pCINE. As with all new products there may be bugs, errors or omissions. Please report any
problems a.s.a.p. to David or Dian (e-mail
addresses below).
SHAREWARE AND REGISTRATION INFO:
- pCINE
- pCINE is a Shareware program, $15 US. If you like it and
find it useful, please register it at:
http://www2.viaweb.com/pilotgearsw/pcine.html
- When you register, don't forget to give your Palm device Hotsync name.
After registering, we will send you a registration code that can only be
used on your Palm device with your given Hotsync name.
- Without registration you can still use pCINE (there are no
missing features), it will only remind you to register each time you
launch pCINE.
- After registering, do not delete the database, PWDart3, in PocketC
as this contains your registration number. As a matter of fact
there is no need to open PocketC at all.
- If you need further information or feature requests please drop David
or Dian an e-mail. Other detailed information is also available on
David Eubank's web site (see below).
- David Eubank: pcine@davideubank.com
-
Homepage: www.davideubank.com
- Dian Suharto Iskandar: arto88@dnet.net.id
-
Homepage:
http://www.geocities.com/artosoft
We would like to thank the following beta-testers for their assistance:
- Andrew Young of Panavision Hollywood.
- Mako Koiwai, a Camera Assistant in Los Angeles.
- Steven Poster ASC, a Director of Photography in Los Angeles.
[ Home ] [ Resume ] [ pCAM manual ] [ pCINE manual ] [ Eubank's log manual ] [ Various links ]
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