KRASNOGORSK-3 (K-3) User Manual

Motion Picture Equipment

KRASNOGORSK-3 (K-3)

OWNER'S MANUAL

MKA Motion Picture Equipment Inc.

106 Franklin SI.

2nd Floor

New York, NY 10013

National Sa]es By:' ~Tel: 305-949-8800 p

'Fax: 305-949~7600

Krasnogorsk-3 is the licensed trademark of ICBM loc. Irs use on advenising, printed materials, cameras, or camera accessories without the express written consent of ICBM will result In severe criminal penalties.

(C) 1996 MKA Inc

Unpacking Instructions: Your Krasnogorsk-3 16mm motion picture camera was inspected and inventoried prior to shipment to you to make sure the camera was in proper operating order. Carefully unpack your camera and make sure that neither the camera nor any accessories were damaged in transport. If any damage has

occurred do the following: - Notify the sender immediately • Keep your shipping materials (box, packing, etc.) until notified by sender to dispose of them.

Inventory:

You should have received the following items:

- Krasnogorsk-3 camera body (1)

- 17-69mm zoom lens (attached to camera) (2)

- Pistot grip (4)

- Shoulder brace (5)

- Cable release (not present in motorized models) (6) - Lens shade (3)

• Zoom lever (9) - Screw in hand strap

- Rear lens cap (for zoom lens)

- Second eye cup (for viewfinder) (8)

- Five glass filters: (7)

- Neutral Density +4 (1.2) - #2 Diopter

- Haze (UV filter)

-1.4 ..L.i9bt Yellow

- 2.0 Dark Yellow

- Soft carry case - Case strap (not present on all models) (10) Specifications:

Film type Maximum film load Frame rate Lens Lens thread Lens filter size Minimum aperture Minimum focus Viewing Viewfinder (diopter) Shutter angle Shutter speed Battery type Maximum running time Maximum draw of film per wind Mounting thread (for tripod) Dimensions Weight

8

tI

10

6

16mm single or double perforation

110ft (33M) (100ft daylight load)

6-50fps and single frame (standard)

12,24,48 fps crystal sync with optional motor 17-69mm F-1.9 zoom (5:1) M42x1 mm (standard) Arrt standard / bayonet optional 77mm 1:1.9 2 meters (6.6ft) Rotating Mirror retlex +5 to-4 150 degrees 1/57 at 24fps 640 type mercury cell Approx 30 seconds at 24fps 17 feet 3/8 standard 326 x 104 x 194mm Approx 71bs

Loading the Camera 1) Feed roller 2) Sprocket drive 3) Take-up roller 4) Pressure plate 5) Film cutter 6) Feed spindle 7) Take-up spindle 8) Footage counter 9) Loop guides 10) Release pin 11) Loop guide . expansion 12) Film guide 13) Daylight spool 14) Winding handle 1.5) Film speed control 16) Lightmeter 17) Lightmeter on/off switch 18) Viewfinder 19) Diopter lock 20) Camera trigger/run 21) Cable release input for single frame

sun light (loading in direct sun light will - Select a clean dust free area: One that is not expose to cause you to loose an additional few feet of otherwise usable film at the start of your roll) - Wind the camera: Wind it a few times using the winding handle. Note that the winding handle turns counterclockwise (the more difficult direction).

- Adjust the film speed: Use the film speed control knob so that the camera is set to about 12 frames per second (fps).

- Open the camera: Flipping the camera over so that the lens is pointed to your left, open the magazine cover to expose the interior of the camera. Place the cover down on a clean dust tree surface.

- Remove any empty daylight reels from the camera - Clean the camera: Spray a burst of compressed air into the magazine to blow away any dust or debris.

Check the fi 1m g ate by grab bing th e p ressu re plate han d Ie an d pivoting it to yo u r rig ht, the p ressu re plate can now be removed. Check the film gate to make sure it is clean and dust free. You should remember to check the fi 1m gate every time you load the camera. If the gate is dirty use a Q-tip or orange wood stick to clean it. You should never attempt to use anything metallic or hard to clean the film gate. A burst of compressed air can also be used to blow away any debris. Replace the pressure plate.

- Unpack your unexposed film: On some of the higher speed films (eg. 7298 Kodak) you will notice that they read "open in total darkness onlyll this is a recommendation, it is not something you need to follow.

Opening the film in subdued lightwill cause the immediate exposure ofthefirst 3-5 feet offilm and no more.

Unroll approximately 12 inches of film and cut the end off the film using the film cutter so that the film is cut evenly at a right angle. Try to cut between the perforations, not on them. Place the film on the feed spindle so that the film comes off the bottom of the roll (pointing to the left). Remember to move the footage counter arm aside when placing the film on the spindle.

- Feed film into the mechanism: Place the end of the film into the feed side (top) of the sprocket

,assembly (between the feed roller and sprocket drive) and push the 'film as far as you can before it stops (about 1/3 of an inch). Make sure that the top edge of the film ;s exactly even with the top edge of the sprocket drive. Check to make sure that the film guide is in the far right position. The film guide is a thin piece of metal that pivots to the left or right about 1/4 inch.

- Pulse the camera: Now advance the film by pulsing the camera trigger, if you hold the trigger down the camera will jam. Continue pulsing the camera trigger so that the film advances 2-3 frames per pu Ise. With a little practice the film should thread through the camera mechanism and emerge out from between the sprocket drive and the take-up roller. If the film hangs up during the loading process don't panic. If the film loaded properly skip the next step.

- Manuallv loading the film: Almost all cameras made need to be manually loaded. The Krasnogorsk­ 3 does feature an auto-load feature to make loading simpler, however there are time when you will need to manually load the camera. With practice manually loading the Krasnogorsk-3 should take as little as 30 to 60 seconds. If the film has hung up behind the pressure plate it indicates that the leading edge of the film is frayed or not cut evenly. You can either (1) remove the pressu re plate and lift the film past the aperture in the film gate (film usually hangs up on the bottom edge) and then replace the pressure plate, or (2) pull the film entirely from the mechanism and re-cut the leading edge and start over. If the film has hung up when entering the area immediately below the film guide (1) make sure the film guide is in the far right position, if it is not you can remove the film from the assembly and start over, or (2) partially remove the film from the mechanical assembly by first opening the film guide to the far left position, then open the take up roller by lifting the release pin and pivoting the take up roller away (down) from the sprocket drive.

Next, liftthefilm clear from the take up side of the assembly (the lower portion of the mechanism) advance the film about 6 inches. Now manually insert the film between the take-up roller and sprocket drive until the top edge of the film is even with the top edge of the sprocket drive. Next, close the take up roller by returni ng it to its locking position against the sprocket d rive, and slide the film guide to the far right position.

The camera should now advance film smooth!y;·If.-a~er reading this you are compl€o~ely baffled call for technical assistance or order the advanced K-3 video tape which demonstrates loading as well as other equipment and effects .

• Advance some film: After your camera is properly threaded press down on the loop guide expansion pin to expand the loop guides and run off about 18" of film in one continuous burst. If everything appears to be operating correctly take an empty take-up spool and wind the excess film around it and place it on the take-up spindle. Turn the take-up spool clockwise to take up any slack in the film.

- Replace the cover: Remember that replacing the cover you are also expanding the loop guides, therefore you must press down on the cover to lock it into position.

- Filmming: You are now ready to film. Be conscious of the sound of your camera when running. If you hear irregular or fluttering sounds from the camera there may be a problem. You can open the camera to check to make sure that it is operating correctly. If you open the camera in even subdued lighting you will lose about 4 seconds of what you just shot and the next four seconds to come on the roll. Be aware that you will need to run the camera for at least four seconds after replacing the cover to clear this exposed film. If you check the camera by feel in a changing bag or in total darkness you will not lose any film. If your camera should jam in the middle of a roll try to insert the film back into the mechanism following the manual loading procedure. If you need to rip or cut the film into two parts reload the camera as per the instructions and remove the exposed film and replace it with an empty daylight roll. Do not attempt to "splice" the film together as it will jam in the processing equipment at the lab, and the lab will not be happy with you.

General Information

Winding the camera The standard Krasnogorsk-3 is a spring wound camera which does not require the use of an electric motor.

The spring powered motor uses a governor to maintain a constant film speed from the beginning of a shot until the spring has would out. You may notice a change in pitch as the camera "winds out" this does not indicate a change in film speed. To wind the camera lift the wind handle into the vertical position and turn the handle counterclockwise. Wind the camera until you meet stiff resistance. Do not attempt to force the camera to wind further. The camera will run for approximately 25-30 seconds at 24fps. At higher speeds the camera will run for a shorter time and at slower speeds for longer. An optional crystal sync motor can be added at a later date but requires the sending of the camera body back to a qualified dealer for installation.

Speed control Your camera comes with a variable speed control which allows the user to film at any speed between 8 and 48 fps. Speeds in excess of 48 and below 8 fps are possible, but difficult to determine accurately. To change the camera's speed simply turn the speed control to he appropriate setting. Each camera is individually calibrated at the factory to ensure that the speeds indicated on the film speed control dial are accurate. Normal (i.e .. natural) speed is 24fps, less than 24fps creates speeded up motion and more than 24fps creates slow motion.

Exposure and shutter speed By changing the camera's speed you also change the amount of time which the film is exposed (ie. shutter speed). The chart below is useful for determining your exposure at different speeds: Frames per second

8 12 16 24 32 48

Exposure

1/20 1/30 1/40 1/60 1/80 1/120

AdjustIng the viewfinder (diopter) The camera can be adjusted so that a person with other than 20/20 vision can use the camera without glasses. To do this you must adjust the camera's viewfinder (or diopter) to your eye. You should adjust the diopter to your eye even if you do not use glasses. First loosen the small knob (diopter lock) above the viewfinder. Then set the lens to the widest aperture (F-1.9) and point the camera at a bright object.

While looking through the camera turn the viewfinder back and forth to focus the boundary between the image and the black mask surrounding it until it is in crisp focus. Tighten down the diopter lock to lock the viewfinder into position. You should see a clear but grainy image in the viewfinder, this is the ground glass.

The ground glass has a frosted appearance which aids in focusing and it is supposed to look this way.

Changing the eye CUD Your camera comes with a form fitting eyecup in addition to the flat eye cup on the camera when it arrives.

To change the eye cup simply peal back on the existing eye cup until removed and press into place the desired one. A leather "shammy" J:,/"e cup cover is also available for more comfortable filming and to create a more light tight seal around the viewfinder.

Animation or Pixilation The Krasnogorsk-3 can shoot one frame at a time for animation or pixilation. use your cameras animation feature you must first insert the cable release into the rear of the camera. The cable screws into the camera and is designed with a universal thread that intended to not screw in all the way. longer cable releases (up to 4 ft.) are available. By pressing the cable release the camera will shoot only one frame of film at a time each time the release is pressed. When doing animation or pixilation it is best to cover the eye piece ofthe camera with a light blocking material (such as gaffer's tape) to prevent light from entering through the viewfinder and exposing the film. For intervals of greater than 10 seconds between frames (under bright light conditions) it is strongly recommended that the lens cover be replaced between intervals. A low cost snap cap can be purchased to facilitate ease of use. If you do not cover the lens between exposures light will enter into the camera and overtime a very small amount of light will begin to expose the lower left hand corner of the frame causing a blue colored haze appear. Conducting a camera test will determine if you need to use a snap cap or not. Exposure on the single frame feature should be conSidered 1/8 of a second. When doing time-lapse photography (e.g. the moon rising, clouds zipping by) an intervalometer is available that will electronically fire a single frame of film at an interval determined by the operator. This alleviates the need to sit next to the camera for hours manually firing off one frame of film at a time.

Your camera comes with five fitters. The filters can be used by simply screwing them into the front of the camera (with the lens shade removed). Filters should be clean and dust free prior to being mounted.

Filters may be combined by screwing one on top of the other and the lens shade may be re-attached to the last filter. Remember that when using a filter, with the exception of the UV, you are decreasing the the amount of light entering the camera and you must compensate in your exposure. When camera's internal light meter the meter automaticall~~ compensates for light loss.. Your filters are: UV (ultra violet) or haze filter: Used with color film to compensate for extreme brightness of outdoor sunshine. A good filter for filming at the beach or at high altitudes to eliminate the blue colored tint ultra violet light causes. The filter can be left on to protect the lens. +4 (1.2) Neutral Density: Used to decrease the amount of light entering the lens without causing a color shift. This filter should be used when shooting outside on a bright day with a hlgh ASA film as your lens may not be able to iris down suffiCiently to reduce the amount of light entering the camera. +2 Diopter: Because the lens has a minimum focus of 6.6ft (2 meters) this filter can be added to reduce the minimum focus to just 3.3ft (1 meter). It acts in a similar manner to a macro lens.

Light yellow 1.4: This filter is used with black and white film to darken the sky or other blue objects to create more contrast.

Dark yellow 2.0: This ftlterwill add even more contrast than the above. The two can be combined to make the sky darker still.

The built-in footage counter works automatically when the camera cover is shut The counter the footage remaining on your film roll in 5 meter (16.51t) Increments. i 65ft just slightly less than your camera will film on one wind. When fully loaded the counter will read 30 and when empty O. footage equivalents of the counter are below:

30

100

5

82 66 50 33 16

25 20 lS 10

o

o

Using the light meter Loading the battery: The camera's lightmeter uses a 640 mercury battery (please recycle after using). Remove the battery compartment cover by unscrewing it and insert the battery positive side up.

Close the cover. On the larger extended life 1000MA size battery the compartment cover may not completely close. The light meter battery not included with the standard camera.

Turn on the light meter: The light meter controls are located on the top right side of the camera. meter's on/off switch is the in the center of the controls and appears as a silver screw like object Turn the switch 90 degrees counterclockwise to turn the meter on. You should hear an audible click when the switch is turned. of numbers on the lightmeter. The outside corresponds to the Set the lightmeter: There are two frames per second that you will be filming at. The inside set corresponds to the ASA of your film in the camera. set the light you must align your film's ASA with the filming on the film speed control. film at 24fps with 1OOASA film rotate the ASA center indications until 100 rests next to 24 on the outside indicator. The lightmeter has a maximum setting of 250ASA. Center the needle: Looking through the viewfinder you will see a needle. By adjusting the iris (F-stop) onthe lens the needle will swing lett to right. the left is over exposed, to the right underexposed. When the needle is centered in the notch visible in the viewfinder you have correct exposure.

Turn off the light meter when not in use: Turn off the light meter by turning the switch 90 degrees clockwise.

Note: When shooting with 500ASA film align the 250ASA setting (the mark after 200ASA) with the desired filming speed and after the needle in the viewfinder is centered move back to the lens and close the aperture one stop (one set of numbers on the lens). For example I want shoot 7298"Kodak 500ASA film at 24 fps. I align 250ASA with 24 on the light meter. My correct aperture as indicated by the light meter is I then adjust the lens to an 8.0 for correct exposure.

The for metering light are achleved with a hand held light meter. A hand held lightmeter allows you the operator to determine exposure in different parts ofthe frame. While the built in light meter convenient it averages the light entering through the fens, and does not allow for the control offered by a hand held meter.

Care and Maintenance: You will find your Krasnogorsk-3 motion picture camera to reliable, rugged and capable oftaking many taken to keep it abuses. However, it is also a well constructed preCision instrument and care should in fine working order. By following these maintenance procedures you should receive years of faithful performance from your camera.

- When cleaning the lens, filters, mirror or eye piece use only lens cleaning solution or rubbing alcohol in minimal quantities. Use only lens paper or Q-tips to clean optical surfaces.

- Do not use abrasives or solvents on your camera - When storing the camera for long periods the camera should be run out so that the spring does not fatigue.

- Keep the camera in a cool dry place away from sudden temperature ci,anges that can cause condensation to form on and inside the camera.

- Replace the lens cap after use - Cleaning the mirror and ground glass: From time totime you may need to clean your camera's rotating mirror and ground glass if you see debris in the viewfinder image. First, remove the lens from the camera by painting the camera at you and turning the lens counterclockwise. the lens from the zoom lever area, but do not attempt to unscrew It by grasping it by the focus ring. Looking inside the camera you will see the mirror and directly above it in the 12 olclock position, the ground glass. Run the camera out and push the mirror away from the ground glass by pushing it from its edge. Clean the ground glass very gently with a moist Q-tipl if you too hard you will scratch it. When finished clean the mirror one half at a time, first running over its surface with a moist Q-tip then a clean dry one. Replace the lens.

Optional Accessories Arri lens mount: The easiest way to adapt your camera to a wide angle lens is to have the camera fitted with an Arriflex Bayonet mount. The Arri B mount allows your camera to accept lenses compatible with other Arriflex cameras. The zoom lens is also fitted to allow it to be used directly with the Arri lens mount.

Body cap: A cap is available to cover the body of the camera when the lens is removed.

Books and Publications: Call for a current list of new releases on cinematography, filmmaking, and reference guides to labs and film services nationwide.

Crystal Sync Motor: You r K-3 can be outfitted with a crystal sync motor for synchronous filming of dialog or other audio. The motor is made in the USA and features 12,24,48 fps crystal speeds. With the addition of a precision speed control as many as 5,000 different crystal speeds are available.

Eye cup shammy: The leather shammy adds comfort and an added light tight seal to the viewfinder.

Film: Call for a current list of available new 16mm film for the K-3.

Film projectors: An array of used 16mm projectors are usually available (new projectors being cost prohibitive).

Film slate: Professional dry erase slates for film production.

Filters: An entire range of filters is available for your K-3. The most popular are the 85 filter (used to color correct for shooting indoor tungsten film outdoors), or the 80A filter (used for shooting outdoor daylight balanced film indoors). Also available are sunset filters, polarizer (for enhancing color and contrast), and various colored filters.

Filter pouch: A padded cordura nylon filter pouch is available for safe storage of up to 6 filters.

Hand held light meter: A variety of inexpensive hand held light meters are available for those who desire to have more control over their lighting and exposure.

Lens snap cap: A quick release type lens cap that can be quickly removed or replaced to the lens. A must for animators.

Intervalometer: An inexpensive intervalometer is available for time lapse photography.

Jib: We offer a light weight portable jib that weighs less than 30lbs and collapses to 4ft 9 in.

Lighting: A large selection of new and used lighting and lighting accessories from all major brands is available.

Light meter battery: The 640 size battery is available for the built in light meter.

Rubber lens shade: Offers slightly more light protection than the standard shade and can be folded back over the lens for storage in the soft case without removal from the lens.

Super 16mm: The K-3 can now be fitted with a super-16mm film gate for expanded film area. Super-16 is the ideal for those projects which may someday be sold or transferred to 35mm film.

Tripod: A series of tripods are available for the Krasnogorsk-3 and other camera systems.

Tripod thread adaptor: This adapts the 3/8" tripod mount to 1/4".

Used Equipment: A large selection of used 16mm and 35mm film equipment is also available including editing, cameras, lenses, and grip.

Video Assist: A video assist is available for your K-3 to allow for the video viewing of the through the lens image. The video assist attaches to the eye piece and can be used to provide video for stead icam or similar stabilization devices or for remote viewing when the camera is used on a car mount, crane, or jib. Video assists that fit all other makes of cameras are also available

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