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02-09-2009

 
Small formats were used by scientific staff in their studies of research. Basically, the small formats were two: 16 mm and Super 8. Super 8 format was utilized by scientific staff in movie photography, because the cameras and movie film were economical (1). Super 8 cameras were adapted by scientifics for time-lapse photography  (2). This market was saw same as business opportunity by the some companies of scientific instrumentation as Mekel Engineering or Lafayette Instrument Company. Some apparatus were born for this small market. Also this type of equipment was made by big company as Eastman Kodak. But this company not only saw this scientific market, but also the surveillance market.

These studies required two types of camera: a time-lapse camera as Kodak Analyst or a high-speed camera as Mekel 300 or VIC SP-1.  And for film analisys was required a analyzer-projector for the frame-by-frame projection, as Lafatyette Analyzer. For these purposes, Eastman Kodak marketed the MFX Film with the Kodak Analyst camera. This panchromatic film was made with a thin-estar base. Therefore in the standard Super 8 cartridge of MFX had 100-ft film.

The scientifics also adapted Super-8 cameras for time-lapse photography. In 1975 in Wyoming, 14 Super 8 cameras were utilized for studiying the grizzly bears. These cameras were built with a external intervalometer that was activated by photosensor (4). During seventies and eighties, cameras of this type were used in studies of animal behavior (5). In Adams Island, in the Arctic, a time-lapse camera system, based on a Super 8 movie camera, was used to record the evolution of ice conditions as well as the progression of break-up (6).

High-speed cameras were manufactured in few number of units. The first apparatus was the VIC SP-1 that was marketed by the company Visual Instrumentation Corporation from California in 1971-2, but it was made by Mekel Engineering from California (7). The camera was the first product of both a companies and a hundred were built. It employs a silent Super 8 cartridge and the film can run up to 250 frames per second. The cartridge insertion in the film chamber is different of standard Super 8 camera, because the film has threaded around a large sprocket wheel and there is to pull out a longer piece of film from the cartridge. The VIC SP-1 has a C-mount. In Europe, it was distributed by Weinberger from Gemany as the Weinberger Cine-8 Model SP-1.

The second model of High-speed camera was the Mekel 300 Instant Analysis Camera. This camera made by Mekel Engineering  was marketed in 1985, and it use the Polaroid Polavision Super 8 system that Polaroid company marketed in 1978. It is an additive color film that 90 seconds after shooting is ready. The film is loading in a phototape cassette and it is projected with a Polaroid Polavision Player. Mekel 300 is prepared for that the film can run up to 300 fps.

Eastman Kodak launched the Kodak Analyst in 1971. It is a time-lapse camera is designed for surveillance and scientific research applications. The filming speed is a frame from 1.25 seconds to 90 seconds. For this camera the company marketed a MFX Film. The film Kodak 4-X (400 ASA) was also recomended by teh company. It was utilized in several research studies (8).

These research films needed a projector with frame-by-frame cadence. The Lafayette Instrument Company built projectors for Super 8 and 16 mm movie film. There is little information on the Lafayette projectors, but I know that the company manufactured two models: Analyzer 926 and Analyzer 1026.

The Estman Kodak marketed the Ektagraphic MFS-8 projector, that was designed for educational and industrial purposes. In 1972, in a print advertisement of Kodak Analyst, they recommended buying the projector as companion to the camera.

 

Notes:

  • (1) John W. Kinney, Warren P. Clary: Time-Lapse Photography to Monitor Riparian Meadow Use, United States Department of Agriculutre - Forest Service - Rocky Mountain Research Staotion, Research Note RMRS-RN-5, October 1998

  • (1) Philip N. Lehner: Handbook of Ethological Methods, Cambridge. University Press, Cambridge, UK [page 297]
  • (2) David R Patton, Virgil E Scott, Erwin L Boeker: Construction of an 8-mm time-lapse camera for biological research, US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, 1972

  • (2) Larry C. Tennyson, Peter F. Ffolliott David B. Thorud: Use of Time-lapse photography to asses potential interception in Arizona Ponderosa Pine, Paper No 74031 of the Water Resources Bulletin. Discussions are open until April 1, 1975, Department of Watershed Management, College of Agriculture, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

  • (3) K L Diem, A L Ward, J L Cupal: Cameras as remote sensors of animal activities, Proc. Int. Congr, Game Biol. 11, 1973
  • (4) Ronald E Ball: Time-lapse cameras as an aid in studiying grizzly bears in Noth-West Wyoming, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, PO Box 68, Yakutat 996891
  • (5) Travis L Booms, Mark R Fuller: Gyrfalcon Feeding Behavior during the Nestling Period in Central West Greenland, ARCTIC, Vol 56, No 4, December 2003 [p 341–348]
  • (6) R Frederking, T Sanderson, E Wessels, M Inoue: Ice behavoir around a small Arctic island, VTT Symposium 28, The Seventh International Conference on Port and Ocean Engineering under Arctic Conditions, Helsinki, Finland, 5-9 April, 1983 [volume 2, p. 875-887]
  • (7) Mark Mikolas, Gunther Hoos:  Handbook of Super 8 Production, United Business Publications, Usa, 1976
  • (8) Gordon Mueller: Effects of Recreational River Traffic on Nest Defense by Longear Sunfish, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, Usa, 1980; [109: 248-251] [a underwater camera system was designed to record with teh Kodak analyst the behavior of male nest-guarding longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotus) during periods of boating activity]