Aaton Penelope User's Guide

penelope

by Aaton

Aaton 35mm 2-Perf & 3-Perf motion picture camera

User’s guide v1.31 (rev.4)

Jan. 07 2010

Aaton

Aaton

Table of content

2

General overview 7

Front view 8
Rear view 9
Assistant’s side 10
Assistant’s controls 11
Assistant’s controls - detailed view 12
Operator’s side 13
Top view 15

Getting started 16

Power up the camera electronics 17
Power up the VHR video assist 17
Power down the camera electronics and video assist 17
The «set» key 17
TEST mode 18
Adjusting the Aatonite (glow) 18
Film camera status 19
Warning messages 20
Magazine footage adjustment 21
Foot or meter setting 21
Footage counting 21
Manual footage counter 22
Video assist direct access 22

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3

Camera body 23

2.1 Lenses 24

The PL lens port 24
The PV lens port 24
i/lenses compatibility 24

2.2 Viewing System 25

Eyepiece 25
Attaching the finder extension 25
Viewfinder tension adjustment 26
Adjusting the viewing horizon 26
Adjusting the diopter 27
The eyepiece shutter 27
Viewing screen 27
Changing the viewing screen 28
Adjusting the viewing screen 28

2.3 The variable shutter 29

Concept 29
Adjusting the shutter 29

2.4 Film gate and pulldown claw 30

Adjusting the pitch 30
The side pressure bar 30
The film gate 30

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2.5 Camera power 31

Installing batteries 31
Charging the batteries 32
Other power sources 32

2.6 Motors 33

Film frame-rate 33
Using external speed control 34

2.7 Assistant’s side LCD control panel and jog 34

The jog 34
Basics: «sync», «var», «iso», «mag» 35
AatonCode initialization 35
Timecode generator 36
ISO setting 37
SYNC speed 37
VAR speed 37
EXT speed 38
EXT SYNC speed 38
Low battery alert 39
Technical menu 39
LEMO start mode 40
Video Out menu 40
System Time 41
Adjusting the low-battery alert level 41
Display contrast adjustment 42
External Sync 42

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Footage Mode 42
Software Version 43
Lens Data 43
Video-assist proxies 43
Firmware Install 44

2.8 Operator’s side settings 45

2.9 Cold weather tips 46

Magazine 47

3.1 Concept 48

3.2 Pressure plate system 48

Claw rear pressure plate 48
Picture rear pressure plate 48

3.3 Loading the film in 17 steps 49

In the light 49
In the dark 50
Still in the dark 51
Still in the dark 52
In the light again 53
Installing the magazine 54
Removing the magazine 54

Video assist 55

4.1 Image look (Video menu) 56

• Gain 57

• Color temp. 57

• Color saturation 57

• Color bars 57

• Color/B&W out (Output). 57

4.2 Frame & mask 58

4.3 Proxy capture 59

4.4 Metadata insert 60

• AatonCode 60

• Battery voltage 60

• VITC line & parity 60

• Lens Data 60

• Film status 61

• Software/hardware 61

4.5 Logos 61

Aaton

Technical drawings 62

Table of content

6

General overview

General overview

8

Aaton

10

1
2

3

9

8

7

6

Front view

1

Short eyepiece

2

Horizon setting knob

3

Friction adjusting ring

4

Fischer-2 connector

5

PL mount locking ring

6

LEMO-2 connector

7

Rosette

8

Video (VHR) ND knob

9

Video housing

10

Top rod holder

4
5

(Extension eyepiece to be ordered separately)
To adjust the image horizon
To adjust the tension of the eyepiece swivel
Eyepiece heating cable connector
Lock ring for 35mm PL mounted lenses
Run/Stop connector
For accessories compatible with ARRI rosettes
To adjust the video light level
Protects the CCD unit
To install a rod (15, 15.8 or 19mm)

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General overview

9

9

1

2

8

7

Rear view

1

Upper battery locking screw

2

LEMO-6 socket (x2)

3

USB socket

4

LEMO-8 socket

5

Magazine release lever

6

LEMO-5 socket

7

Gate

8

Run/Stop switch

9

Magazine locking lever

3

4

5

6

Fastens the upper onboard battery
Provides +Batt, Start and Ground for accessories
Connects to a USB key
Provides 12V, Start, Sync pulse and ground for accessories
Used to release the magazine from the camera body
Timecode communication
Removable gate, 2-Perf or 3-Perf
Runs/stops the film
Secures the magazine to the camera body

General overview

10

Aaton

1 2 3 4

Assistant’s side

1

Upper battery locking screw

2

Run/Standby switch

3

Fischer-4 socket

4

Jog wheel

5

Pitch control

6

Video (VHR) ND knob

7

BNC connectors (x2)

8

Magazine release lever

9

LEMO-8 socket

10

Lower battery locking screw

11

LEMO-6 socket (x2)

8

Fastens the upper onboard battery
Runs and stops the film shooting
Provides power and composite video signal for MiniMonitors
Modifies camera parameter settings
Adjusts the claw pulldown stroke
Adjusts the video light level
Provide video output
Unlocks the magazine from the camera body
Provides +Batt., Start, Sync and Ground for accessories
Fastens the lower onboard battery
Provides +Batt., Start and Ground for accessories

56791011

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General overview

11

12

1

11

10

9

8

7

Assistant’s controls

1

Fischer-4 socket

2

Jog wheel

3

LCD screen

4

Setting keys

5

Ethernet RJ45 connector

6

BNC sockets

7

LEMO-8 socket

8

Lower battery locking screw

9

Ethernet cable locking lever

10

LEMO-6 socket (x2)

11

Run/Stop switch

12

Upper battery locking screw

2

3

4

5

6

Provides power and composite video signal for MiniMonitors (IVS compatible)
Camera parameters settings
Displays camera and video parameters
Allows access to camera and video operating menu
Computer communication
Video outputs
+Batt., Start, Sync and Ground for accessories
Fastens the lower onboard battery
Locks Ethernet cable
Provides +Batt., Start and Ground for accessories
Runs/stops the film
Fastens the upper onboard battery

General overview

12

Aaton

1

2

5 6 7

11

Assistant’s controls - detailed view

1

«up» key

2

«left» key

3

«down» key

4

«right» key

5

«exit» key

6

«set» key

7

«vid» key

8

«sto» key

9

«tc» key

10

«on-off» key

11

«tech» key

12

«sync» key

13

«var» key

14

«iso» key

15

«mag» key

scroll video assist and film camera setups (direct access to video assist’s gain)
scroll video and camera setups (direct access to shutter phasing)
scroll video and camera setups (direct access to video assist’s gain)
scroll video and camera setups (direct access to shutter phasing)
confirm setup menu
select functions
access video assist setups ((«set» + «vid» activate monitor display)
access Framestore
access Timecode
power film camera electronics («set» + «on-off activate video assist)
access Technical
access synch speed settings («set» + «sync»)
access variable speed settings («set» + «var») and external speed control
access ISO and magazine IDs («set» + «iso»)
access magazine footage settings («set» + «mag»)

4

3

9 10

12

8

13 14 15

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General overview

13

9

8
7
6
5

Operator’s side

1 2

3

4

1

Magazine door locking lever

2

Magazine footage counter

3

Magazine door locking lever

4

Take-up spool inching knob

5

Lower display key

6

Operator’s LCD display

7

Middle display key

8

Upper display key

9

Run/Stop switch

Locks/unlocks magazine door
Manually checks magazine footage
Locks/unlocks magazine door
Adjusts loop size while loading the magazine
Modifies camera parameters
Displays camera speed and magazine footage
Modifies camera parameters
Modifies camera parameters
Runs/stops the film

General overview

14

Aaton

LCD display - Assistant’s side

1

LCD display - Operator’s side

10

9
8
7
6

5

1

L (mag upper lever) and G (gate) flags

2

Selected speed

3

Magazine footage

4

Remaining time (minutes and seconds)

5

Time code

6

Film ISO

7

Video assist white balance

8

Video assist gain

9

Lower battery meter

10

Upper battery meter

2

2

3

4

Symbols blink - error (magazine upper lock or gate)
Sync/Var./Ext. frame rate (thousanths not displayed)
Remaining or elapsed footage, in feet or meters
Magazine remaining running time
Hour : minute : second [initialization]
ISO for correct Aatoncode matrix exposure
5600°K, 3200°K and Assistant entered values
Current gain setting
Lower battery voltage
Upper battery voltage

1

3

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General overview

15

7

6

5

Top view

1

3/8” inserts

2

«Sh» tool

3

«Pitch» tool

4

Magazine’s upper lock

5

Collimation cap

6

Viewfinder friction screw

7

Tape hook

1

2
3

4

Socker for accessories
Shutter angle adjustment tool
Pulldown pitch adjustment tool
Secures the magazine to the camera body
Gives access to ground glass collimation adjustment
Adjusts the viewfinder up-down freedom of movement
Holds the gate to subject measurement tape

1

Getting started

Power up the camera electronics

To turn ON the camera electronics, press the «on/off» key.

Power up the VHR video assist

To turn ON the video assist, press the «set» key and then the «on/off» key.

Power down the camera electronics and video assist

Press the «on/off» key, a window appears on the LCD screen. Hold the
«on/off» key, a bargraph timer starts counting down.
When finished, the screen displays Au revoir.

The «set» key

The «set» key gives access to the camera’s settings. While pressing the
«set» key, a window appears for a few seconds allowing you to access the
desired parameters.

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Getting started

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TEST mode

The TEST mode lets you open the shutter and keep it protected inside the
camera body. This is used to check the gate for cleanliness and to find the
image while doing a steadiness test, this lets you find the correct film/perf
position for the second film passage if you are using the double exposure
method.

To access the TEST mode, press the «Run/Stop» switch (A) – located on
both the Assistant’s and Operator’s sides — and hold it pressed for 3 to 4
seconds. When the shutter opens, the display background color turns dark
blue, release the switch.
If you want to inch the film frame by frame, press the upper key (C) located
Operator’s side. To leave the TEST mode, press the «Run/Stop» switch
again for 3 to 4 seconds.

A

Adjusting the Aatonite (glow)

The viewing screen carries illuminated markings referred to as Aatonite. The
brigtness level is user adjustable using the middle (B) or upper (C) keys locat­ed on the Operator’s side.
The configuration of these markings is different from one screen to another,
see the screen illustrations, Chapter 5.

NOTE: the brigtness level can also be adjusted while the film is running.

C

B

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Film camera status

The LCD screen color informs the camera crew about the shooting status
from a distance.

Light cyan
The camera is in STANDBY.

Orange
The camera is in RUN, but has not yet reached the selected speed.

Green
The camera is in RUN at the selected speed.

Purple

The camera is at end of film

Red
A problem has been detected, e.g. film jam.

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Warning messages

When a problem has been detected, the LCD screen’s background turns red
followed by an explanatory message.

Gate position

The camera gate is easily removable to allow switching between 2-Perf and
3-Perf formats. The correct positioning of the gate is mandatory for proper
camera functioning and focused pictures. The camera gate holder is
equipped with 4 sensors to check the gate position, if the gate is not proper­ly positioned, the camera displays the message GATE MISPLACED and
refuses to run. Remove the gate and reinstall it.

Magazine upper lock lever

The magazine top locking lever, located on top of the camera body, insures
the magazine’s proper positioning. It is equipped with a position sensor
which does not allow the camera to run if this lever is unlocked, the message
MAG NOT LOCKED is displayed and the camera refuses to run. Lock the
lever and press RUN.

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Getting started

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Magazine footage adjustment

An embeded RFID chip identifies each magazine.
It enables associating a letter (A - J) with each magazine, allowing the film
speed and remaining footage to follow each magazine.
Press the «set» key and the «iso» key to enter the ISO menu, then press the
«left» or «right» key to select the desired letter.

Press the «set» key, then the «mag» key to access the MAG menu. If a full
400ft roll has been loaded, press the «mag» key two times to adjust the foot­age to 400ft (122m). If you load a short end in the magazine, check the
length with the magazine footage counter and enter the same value into the
MAG menu by pressing the «up» or «down» key.
This value is stored for each RFID magazine, identified by a letter from A to J.

Foot or meter setting

While in the Mag menu, press the «left» or «right» key to select the desired
measuring unit.

Footage counting

Penelope can display either the remaining or the elapsed footage.
To select the mode, press the «set» key then the «tech» key to open the
Technical Menu.
Press the «down» key to select the Ftg Mode item and press the «right» key
to access it. Choose between Remaining or Elapsed by pressing the «left»
or «right» key. Press the «set» to validate your selection, then «exit».

Manual footage counter

A

B

C

D

E

F

3

4

Measure the remaining footage by rotating the mechanical footage indicator
(located on the door) counterclockwise.

Video assist direct access

Video gain

The video assist gain is directly accessible through the control panel.
Press the «up» or «down» key to change the video gain.
Wait for 3 seconds or press the «set» key to validate. The adjustment range
is -10dB to +12dB, in 1dB steps.

White Balance

Press the «set» key, then the «right» key to activate the Auto White Balance.
If there’s too much light (or not enough), the message Too Bright or Too
Dark is displayed. When the white balance is correct, OK is displayed.

A

NOTE: The video assist switches automatically to the User’s Color Tempera­ture mode. The stored RGB values can be modified in the Video Menu,
see Chapter 4.

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Getting started

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2

Camera body

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Camera body

24

2.1 Lenses

Flange focal distance.

The PL lens port

The PL lens port is the standard mounting system delivered with Penelope
and allows the use of all 35mm ARRI PL mounted lenses.

The PV lens port

The PV lens port is the standard mounting system for the Panavision camer­as, it can be installed on Penelope.

Installing the lens

To install the lens on the camera body, turn the outer locking ring counter­clockwise until it stops. If the port cap is on, remove it. Align the four pro­truding flanges on the lens with the four corresponding cutaways in the lock­ing ring and insert the lens into the camera port so that its flanges rest evenly
against the lens seat. Tighten the locking ring by turning it clockwise until
the lens is secured and the locking ring is set firmly. Make sure the locking
ring is tight enough so that it cannot be inadvertantly unlocked.

i/lenses compatibility

In order to display the data coming from a Cooke/i lens on both the camera
display and the video monitor, press the «set» key then the «tech» key to
open the Tech nic al menu. Select the Lens Data item and press the «right»
key to access it. With the «right» key, select Rx ON or Rx OFF. Press «set»
to validate the selection. If ON is selected, the data will be displayed.

Refers to the critical distance from the lens seat to the film
plane. With the PL port, the precise FFD of Penelope is 52mm

-30 to -40 microns as measured with a depth gauge in the lens
port. With the PV port, the FFD is 57.15mm -45 to -55 mi­crons

It is recommended that these tolerances be checked and
maintained by a qualified technician. The combination of FFD
and back focus distance of a lens directly affect the precise fo­cus (and resulting image sharpness). Make sure these critical
measurements are strictly upheld. When using an unfamiliar
lens for the first time, check that the eye focus matches the
tape-measured focus marks on the lens, and/or shoot a focus
test.

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2.2 Viewing System

Eyepiece

Penelope viewfinder is designed to be fully orientable, providing left or right
side viewing and upright image in any position. The viewfinder arm is
equipped with an eyepiece that can be used for handheld and tripod opera­tion.

The eyepiece can be equipped with a heating system which receives its
power from a cable connected to the Fisher-2 socket, located on the camera
front body, above the lens mount.

Attaching the finder extension

For dolly work, an optical extension (280 mm) can be inserted between the
viewfinder arm and the eyepiece.
First remove the eyepiece by rotating the locking ring (A) clockwise until it
reaches its stop and gently pull the eyepiece. To install the finder extension,
align its four protruding flanges with the four corresponding cutaways in the
viewfinder locking ring and insert it into the viewfinder port so that its flanges
rest evenly against the lens seat. Tighten the locking ring by turning it coun­terclockwise until the extension finder is secured in place and the locking ring
is firmly set. Install the eyepiece on the finder extension.

A

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Viewfinder tension adjustment

The screw (B) at the base of the viewfinder, allows you to modify the view­finder left/right lateral friction. Turn counterclockwise to increase the friction.
Turning this screw until it reaches its stop, locks the viewfinder’s left/right
movement.

The friction adjusting knurled screw (C), located on the front of the viewfinder,
can be used to adjust the tension of the eyepiece swivel, depending on the
Operator’s preference and on the type of viewfinder being used. When using
the standard eyepiece, tension should be relatively light to allow for move­ment with a moderate amount of pressure. When using a finder extension,
tension should be increased to support the additional weight.

To adjust the tension of the swivel, rotate the knurled screw (C), clockwise to
increase tension and counterclockwise to decrease tension.

Adjusting the viewing horizon

If the rotation of the image seen through the camera’s viewfinder does not
exactly match what is seen with the naked eye, there is a fine adjustment
that can be made to the image’s relative horizon. Find the knurled knob (D)
located on top of the viewfinder. While looking through the viewfinder, turn
the knob in order to adjust the image’s upright position.

B

C

D

NOTE: the knob needs to be turned 180° when installing an eyepiece exten­sion.

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Adjusting the diopter

Before shooting, the diopter setting of the viewfinder should be adjusted to
the Operator’s eye. To set the diopter, use the diopter set ring (E) located on
the short eyepiece.
Look through the viewfinder while rotating the diopter set ring until the edge
of the viewing screen cross-hair is in sharp focus. It is recommended to per­forme this adjustment with the port cover off and no lens on the camera.

Note that the diopter set ring is engraved with numbers and dots. Use them
to quickly recall your particular setting when more than one person is looking
through the viewfinder.

The eyepiece shutter

To prevent light leaks through the viewfinder, the eyepiece shutter must be
closed any time the camera is running film and the Operator’s eye is away
from the eyepiece.
To close or open the eyepiece shutter, use the small silver lever located on
the eyecup ring (F).

Viewing screen

The viewing screen (ground-glass) is interchangeable. Viewing screens for
2-Perf and 3-Perf formats can be selected in «Viewing Screens List», Chap­ter 5.

F

E

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Changing the viewing screen

The viewing screen can easily be removed by the user. First remove the port
cap. Remove the battery (s) and clear the mirror shutter so that it is posi­tioned safely inside the body by rotating it close to its center shaft with your
finger. Look into the port and look at the screen directly above the aperture
gate (G). Get a piece of Post-it, that will take-out the viewing screen without
dirtying it. Put the Post-it on your forefinger, the sticky part of it facing up.
Smoothly put a finger on the viewing screen, and remove it.
To reinstall the screen, look into the port and locate the right and left lip of
the viewing screen holder. Gently push the screen straight into the holder,
aligning the two white marks of both holder and screen. Proceed as before,
with a piece of Post-it on your finger.

Adjusting the viewing screen

The image focus on the viewing screen (ground-glass) should match the lens
barrel focus mark and the focus on the film. Before adjusting the viewing
screen, be certain that the flange focal distance of the camera is set accord­ing to the manufacturer specifications.
To proceed, you must unscrew and remove the cap (H) located on the Oper­ator upper side of the camera body. The open hole gives access to the
screen holder that you can up and down move by turning its Allen screw
(2mm Allen key).
Set a focusing chart at a known distance. Adjust the focus mark of the lens
to the same distance. Get a sharp image on the ground-glass by moving the
holder up or down with the Allen key. Double check the focus of the viewing
screen using the focus ring of the lens. If the image is still not sharp, perform
this operation again.

G

Viewing screen
Post-it

H

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2.3 The variable shutter

Always unplug the power

Concept

The reflex mirror shutter diverts the lens rays to the viewing screen while the
claw pulls the film down to the next unexposed film frame. It is made of a
180° glass mirror, and a 180° black metallic shutter hiden underneath the
mirror. The metallic shutter can be slid (un-hidden) to four-positions which
make for 180°, 178°, 150°, 144° shutter opening angles.

Adjusting the shutter

To adjust the shutter opening angle, unscrew the tool marked Sh located in
the rear of the carrying handle. Make sure the battery has been removed
from the camera, remove the lens port cap.
Locate the tool guiding hole to the lower right of the inside lens holder. Gen­tly rotate the shutter at its base with your finger until the brass driving gear is
centered underneath the tool guiding hole.
Insert the Sh tool through the guiding hole and into the brass gear. Rotate
the tool until the appropriate notched angle setting is reached ; turning coun­ter-clockwise reduces the shutter opening, turning clockwise increases the
opening.
A shutter blade carrying the angle values is visible at the left edge of the mir­ror. Make sure the white line to the immediate right of the 172.8°, 150° and
144° markings meets the left edge of the mirror.
When the adjustment is done, remove the tool and store it back in the carry­ing handle.

Each time you have to put a finger inside the camera body,
you must remove the battery. If by mistake the camera starts
running while your finger is touching the mirror shutter, the
mechanism can be seriously damaged (and your finger too).

Shutter angles

• 180° for filming 25fps under 50Hz HMI lighting, and 24fps

under 60Hz.

• 172.8° for filming at 24fps under 50Hz HMI lighting.

• 150° for filming at 25fps under 60Hz HMI lighting.

• 144° for filming an NTSC monitor at 24fps while minimizing

the roll bar visibility.

Brass driving gear

Tool guiding hole

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2.4 Film gate and pulldown claw

Adjusting the pitch

To adjust the pitch, use the Pitch tool located in the camera carrying handle.
Remove the pitch protector cap (A) located Assistant’s side near the Pitch
label. Insert the tool inside the opening.
You will feel a screw that you will turn counterclockwise until it stops; the
pulldown pitch is now at its maximum.
Put a loaded magazine on the camera, and keeping the tool in its position
run the camera which will run with a clicking noise, due to the perf being hit
by the claw.
Turn the tool clockwise until you hear a purring sound. Once you have
reached this setting, turn the tool counterclockwise by about 20º; this will
accomodate any variation of the film pitch that occurs between different film
stocks or under humid and hot weather conditions.

NOTE: Make this adjustment while using the film stock you will be shooting
with.

The side pressure bar

The film gate also features a side pressure bar (B) at the level of image expo­sure to insure maximum lateral steadiness.

The film gate

pitch

A

B

Penelope offers 2-Perf and 3-Perf capabilities.

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2.5 Camera power

Penelope requires a minimum 12.4V power source.
An Aaton 14.8V 4.2Ah Lithium-Ion onboard battery can run the camera for
twenty 400’ magazines, i.e. three hours of 2-Perf shooting.
When the video-assist is activated and power hungry accessories such as
zoom focus and iris remote control, video transmitter and monitor are con­nected to the LEMO sockets, it is highly recommended to install an additional
Lithium-Ion battery.

When running AatonCode, you should never leave the camera unpowered.
Thanks to a built-in super-capacitor, the TCXO can handle a 10 minute power
interruption, so you have plenty of time to change the batteries. Neverthe­less remember that a depleted battery still has enough power to keep the
TCXO alive for hours, do not remove it unless you have a fresh battery on
hand.
When running the camera from a heavy battery pack on the floor, the cable
is disconnected during moves and at lunch time, the super-capacitor buffer­ing is not enough, put a battery onboard (even a depleted one) before dis­connecting the power cable. After cable reconnection, confirm that time­code is still incrementing by checking the control panel.

A

Installing batteries

To install a battery, loosen the blue knurled screw (A) approximately four or
five turns. Push the battery plug into the XLR-4 socket, then tighten the
knurled screw until the battery tab is held firmly.

A

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Charging the batteries

The Aaton Li-Ion batteries must be charged with the Aaton Cha-Li three-hour
charger. If you can’t even tolerate the low noise level of its fan (around
30dBA at one meter), use a silent Aaton Chascot five-hour charger.

Both chargers can simultaneously charge two batteries.

Other power sources

A variety of 14 to 16VDC sources can be used to power the camera:
AC-DC power supplies, battery blocks, Lithium-Ion, and lead-acid car batter­ies.

Since Penelope’s power sockets are universal XLR-4s, you should always
carry an XLR-4 powercable in your package.

Regarding AC-DC power supplies, it is recommended that the unit be able to
supply 10A peak and 60W. Before connecting any non-standard source,
always make sure that the pin configuration of the unit is correct. See Chap­ter 5 for wiring details.

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2.6 Motors

Three crystal controlled tri-phase motors are in use: one for the claw mecha­nism, one for the magazine drive, one for the shutter. Penelope is capable of
speeds between 3 and 40fps with a standard Li-Ion 14.8V battery.

Film frame-rate

Penelope provides preset crystal speeds (SYNC) and Operator tuned crystal
speeds (VAR) in .001 increments, all accessible from the LCD control panel.
It should be noted that once set, the fame-rate thousandths are not
displayed.

Available preset speeds are : 6, 12, 18, 20, 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97, 30, 33.33,
36 and 40fps. The «sync» key allows for quick access to these frequently
used speeds.

If any other speed is desired, or if the camera speed must match the fre­quency of a monitor to eliminate a rolling bar, the «var» key should be
employed. The speed selector gives access to any speed between 3 and
40fps in .001 frame steps. A phase adjustment of the variable speed is avail­able while pressing the «left» and «right» keys.

The camera speed can also be adjusted while the camera is running in either
sync or variable mode. For more information on these speed functions, refer
to the «LCD control panel and jog wheel» section of this chapter.

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Using external speed control

Penelope can be driven externally from devices such as film to video syn­chronisers and external speed controls. In these situations, the camera «var»
selector must be set to EXT mode. If such a device is connected and the
selector is not set to EXT, the camera will run at the speed indicated on the
display.

Keep in mind that, with certain manufacturer’s speed controls, it may be pos­sible to ask for a speed higher than 40fps.
In that case, the camera won’t run at speeds higher than the 40fps factory
limit. It will run at 40fps, and the fps value on the LCD control panel will be
blinking.

2.7 Assistant’s side LCD control panel and jog

Penelope utilizes a straightforward and intuitive control panel structure in
conjunction with a jog to access and adjust all Operator parameters.

The jog

Located to the immediate left of the LCD screen, the jog (A) is a small knob
designed to speedup many user functions. It allows quick adjustment of
parameters such as a precise 5-digit speed or a short end footage entry.

A

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35

Basics: «sync», «var», «iso», «mag»

The «set» key lets you enter the basic film camera settings, they are modified
by either toggling the «up», «down», «left» or «right» key, or by rotating the jog.
Press «set» to accept your choice, press «exit» to leave things unmodified.

AatonCode initialization

As a standard feature, Penelope is equipped with the AatonCode in-camera
timecode recording. Timecode is exposed onto the film by optical projection
of seven micro-diodes located in the gate.
These micro-diodes flash rapidly to form the code as the film rolls through
the gate between exposures.

To enter the AatonCode Menu, press the «set» key, then «tc». Choose the
way you want to initialize the TC using the «up», «down», «left» or «right» key.

If AatonCode has been initialized in the camera, you can see it in the left bot­tom corner of the LCD display in the format: hours : minutes : seconds.

• The «e» flag indicates that the timecode has been jammed from an external
TC signal, LTC through the LEMO-5 connector.
If no signal is present, the message Jam Failed No LTC is displayed.
If a signal is present, the TC is displayed.

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36

• The «a» flag indicates that the timecode has been initialized using the
Aaton OriginC+ master clock through ASCII communication.

• The «s» flag indicates that the timecode has been jammed from the internal
system time of the camera.

• The «o» flag indicates that the timecode has been manually entered by the
operator.

• The «b» flag indicates that the timecode has been memorized during a
short power down. The camera is equiped with an instantly charged super­capacitor buffer that is designed to keep time between battery changes.
The super-capacitor allows 10 minutes for battery replacement before time­code is lost.

Timecode generator

To activate the camera’s timecode output, press, press the «set» key, then
the «tc» key. With the «down» key, go to Gen Out Menu.

With the «left» or «right» key, select from: OFF / 24 Fps / 25 Fps / 29.97 df /
30 Fps. Press the «set» key to accept the change.

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37

ISO setting

When using AatonCode in Penelope, the ISO setting must be adjusted to the
exposure index of the film stock. The ISO selection insures that the matrixes
recorded on the edge of the film are correctly exposed. This ISO value is
stored for each RFID magazine, identified by a letter from A to J.
If AatonCode is not running in the camera, the ISO setting has no effect.
Press the «set» key and then the «iso» key to enter the ISO Menu.
Use the «left» or «right» key to associate a letter (A - J) with each magazine.
Use the «up» or «down» key to adjust the ISO setting. Make your selection
between 25 and 1000 ISO, by rotating the jog or by pressing the «up» or
«down» key.

SYNC speed

Upon being powered up, the control panel’s Home page displays the cam­era’s speed selection and whether it is in SYNC, VAR or EXT mode. When
the camera is turned on, the actual running speed to the .01 frame is dis­played.
To adjust the preset speed, press the «set» key, then the «sync» key. Make
your selection of stepped crystal speed between 6 and 40fps by rotating the
«jog» wheel, or by pressing the «up» or «down» key. Press the «set» key to
validate your selection.

VAR speed

To choose a specific speed, press the «set» key, then the «var» key. Make
your selection of any .001 incremented crystal speed between 3.000 and

40.000fps via the «jog» wheel, or .1 with the up or down key. Press the «set»
key to validate your selection.

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38

EXT speed

For the film camera to be driven from an external source such as external
speed control generating 100ppfp (pulses per film pict), press the «set» key,
then the «var» key. Press the «var» key once again to switch from VAR to
EXT SPEED.
Press the «set» key to validate your selection.

EXT SYNC speed

To synchronize the camera to the scanning rate of a computer or video mon­itor while removing the roll bar, press the «set» key then «tech» to open the
Technical Menu.
Select the EXT SYNC item with the «down» key then the «right» key to
access it. Select 1 or 2ppvf (pulse per video frame) with the «up» or «down»
key. Press the «set» key to validate your choice.

To get access to the external sync speed mode, press the «set» key, then the
«var» key. Press the «var» key twice to switch from VAR to EXT SPEED and
to EXT SYNC SPEED. If a valid incoming sync signal is detected, the
appropriate speed is displayed. Run the camera and press the «up» or
«down» key to remove the roll bar. This one-time phase adjustment sets the
relationship of the camera shutter to the source signal. After this initial phas­ing this relationship remains identical every time the camera is turned on, the
roll bar remains off-screen.

NOTE: If the source signal is faulty or invalid, the camera runs at 3fps, the
speed icon is blinking.

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39

Low battery alert

If Batt.1 or Batt.2 reaches the minimum preset level, e.g. Batt Alert = 14.4V,
an alert appears on both LCD screens and a red LED blinks in the camera
viewfinder.
The camera continues to run properly and LOW BATT is displayed in front of
the battery icon.

Low batt 1

Low batt 2

If both batteries are low, the alert is displayed on both the Assistant’s and
Operator’s screens.

Technical menu

The Technical Menu lets you access to:
LEMO mode, Video out, Syst Time, Batt Alert, LCD Param,
Ext Sync, Ftg Mode, Version, Lens Data, Video Capture,
Load Soft, SlowStart.

To access the Te ch nic al Menu press the «set» key then «tech».
Select one of the sub-menus and press the «right» key.
Select the mode by rotating the «jog» wheel, or pressing the «up» or «down»
key.

Low power

Low power (Operator’s)

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LEMO start mode

Two Run/Stop modes are available for accessories using Penelope’s LEMO
connectors.

• IMPULSION for accessories using a pulse signal.

• PERMANENT for the Aaton wooden handgrip, and ON/OFF switches and

cable made for the 35-III, Xtera, XTR-prod cameras.

Select the LEMO Mode item and press the «right» key. Select the mode by
rotating the «jog» wheel, or by pressing the «up» or «down» key. Press «set»
to validate your selection.

Video Out menu

Penelope offers four independently programmable video outputs: two BNCs
and two FISHER-4s). Each can be turned OFF to save power (OFF) or
turned ON with picture only (DataOFF) or with picture and burned-in charac­ters (DataON).

Select the Video Out item and press the «right» key. Select the desired vid­eo output by using the «up» or «down» key, press the «left» or «right» key to
switch between: OFF, DataOFF, DataON. Press the «set» key to validate
your selection.

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41

System Time

To manually set the internal camera timecode, press the «set» key then the
«tech» key to open the technical menu. Select the Sys Time item and
press the «right» key to access.
The display will show the camera date and time.
Use the «left» or «right» key to select the following parameters: year, month,
day, hour, minute, seconds.
And use the «up» or «down» key to modify each one of them.
Press the «set» key to validate your selection.

Adjusting the low-battery alert level

Penelope displays alerts when the battery voltage falls below a preset level.
The thresholds set for Batt.1 and Batt.2 do not overide the cameras default
minimum levels.

Select the Bat Alert item and press the «right» key to access it. Select a val­ue between 14V and 15V for each battery by rotating the «jog» wheel, or
pressing the «up» or «down» key. Press «set» to validate your selection.

The alert level of Aaton Lithium-Ion onboard batteries must be set at 14.4
minimum, this will leave enough power for you to shoot a complete 400

foot magazine.

NOTE: firmware v1.28 and up is required to adjust the warning level to 14.4V.

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42

Display contrast adjustment

To adjust the LCD contrast, select the Contrast item and press the «right»
key to access it. Select Main LCD Contrast by rotating the «jog» wheel, or
by pressing the «up» or «down» key. Press the «right» key to access the
Operator’s LCD and follow the same procedure. Press the «set» key to vali­date your selection.

External Sync

To remove the roll bar while filming a video monitor, the film camera must be
synced to its vertical scanning rate, depending on the sensor used to measu-epending on the sensor used to measu­re this rate you must set the Ext Sync item to either 1 or 2 ppvf, see p.37.

Footage Mode

You can display either the remaining or elapsed footage in the magazine.
Use the «down» key to select the Ftg Mode item and press the «right» key to
access it. Choose between Remaining or Elapsed by pressing the «left» or
«right» key. Press «set» to validate your selection, then the «exit» key.

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43

Software Version

For troubleshooting, access to internal camera technical information might be
useful before contacting your service center.
Select the Version item and press the «right» key to display it (read only).

Lens Data

To display on both the camera sceen and the video assist monitor the data
coming from a Cooke/i lens installed on the camera port, select the Lens

Data item and press the «right» key to access it. With the «right» key, select
Rx ON or Rx OFF. Press «set» to validate your selection.

Video-assist proxies

Still images (jpeg format) can be captured from the video assist camera and
copied onto a FAT32 formatted USB key.
When the USB key is recognized, a disk icon appears on the screen.

See p.61

.

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44

Firmware Install

To update the firmware, copy the new Penelope_Vx.xx.flb file onto a USB
key (FAT32 formatted), and plug the key into the USB socket.
Power-up the camera electronics with the «on/off» key.
When the USB key is recognized, a disk icon appears on the main screen.

Select the LoadSoft item and press the «right» key to access it. Select the
version by pressing the «left» or «right» key, and wait for 2 seconds to see the
complete version names scrolling. Press «set» to validate.

The messages Loading, Prog Start, Erasing, Programming, and Success
will successively appear, and then the final one: Please Shutdown.
Shut the camera down by pressing the «on/off» key for four seconds, then
power-up again, the new software is installed.

NOTE1: it is STRONGLY RECOMMENDED to install freshly charged batter-
ies before starting the install process. If the camera looses power before it
has completed loading the new software, the unit will have to be returned for
repair.

NOTE2: do NOT power down the camera until you are told to.

NOTE3: following a firmware installation, at camera start up a message

might appear indicating an automatic update of both the motor and logic
boards.

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45

2.8 Operator’s side settings

Three keys, close to the vertical LCD screen, are located on the Operator’s
side: «lower» (1), «middle» (2), «upper» (3).

• Press the «middle» or «upper» key to adjust the AatoNite frame brightness,
see Chapter 1.

• Press the «lower» and «middle» keys to select the SPEED item, press the
«lower» key to make it blink, you can now modify the SYNC and VAR film
running speed. Press the «middle» or «upper» key to modify the speed
value. Press the «lower» key to validate.

• Press the «lower» key and «upper» keys to select the MAG item, press the
«lower» key to make it blink, you can now set the magazine footage. Press
the «middle» or «upper» key to modify the footage value. Press the «lower»
key to validate.

3

2

1

2.9 Cold weather tips

From Rune Ericson, based on his experience in filming in Greenland.

• When filming outdoors in extreme cold, the camera and lenses should not

be taken indoors at all, so as to avoid condensation on the electronic parts
and glass surfaces.
In any case, the camera (and lenses) should not be stored above 0°C. If the
camera must be taken inside, then it should be put in a hermetically sealed
container. It should be allowed to thaw for a few hours before being removed
from the sealed container.

• The raw stock should also be kept below zero. For the same reason as

above, the magazine should be loaded in the cold.

• The Aaton Li-Ion onboard batteries should be used in preference to battery

belts, several small batteries can be warmed up much more easily than one
large heavy one. Each member of the shooting crew can keep one in his or
her breast pocket.

• At 30°C below zero, Rune advises documentary filmmakers to sleep with

the batteries in their sleeping bag...

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46

3

Magazine

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Magazine

48

3.1 Concept

The Penelope magazine is designed to be quickly installed or removed, and
to be loaded easily, it handles up to 400ft (122m) loads of 35mm film stock.
The magazine sprockets are driven through a magnetic clutch by a motor
located in the camera body itself. This system reduces noise and power
consumption, and prevents mechanical abuse in case of misloading.
The feed roll footage can be checked through a mechanical footage counter
located on the magazine door. The remaining or elapsed footage also
appears on the camera control panels, see Chapter 1.

3.2 Pressure plate system

Claw rear pressure plate

This plate (A) is located at the front of the magazine. When the loaded mag­azine is installed on the camera body, its main function is to hold the film as
the claw engages the film perforations. Proper positioning of this element is
essential to steadiness and quietness of operation.

Picture rear pressure plate

The striped pressure plate (B), positioned at the camera’s picture taking gate
level, holds the film in the right back focus position.

B

A

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Magazine

49

3.3 Loading the film in 17 steps

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

2

3

4

The magazine design allows for a quick and easy loading procedure and
reduces the number of operations to be performed in the changing bag, to
the absolute minimum.

In the light

1 Place the magazine in front of you, throat on the left.

2 Turn the mechanical footage counter (A) clockwise until it locks in place.

3 Unfasten the three blue locking levers (B), turning them counterclockwise.

4 Open the door.

5 Check the magazine for dust and debris.

6 Put the magazine in a dark room or changing bag.

B

A

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50

In the dark

7 Remove the film from its can and bag. Place the film on the feed spindle
with its winds clockwise.
DON’T FORGET to press the center of the core lock mechanism to lock the
core in place (A).

8 Push the film head into the center slot (B), until it engages the inner
sprocket wheel.

A

B

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51

Still in the dark

9 Guide the film with your left forefinger and turn the take-up core holder
clockwise, making sure the film perforations engage the sprocket teeth.

10 When the film comes out of the sprocket assembly, gently pull on it.

11 Pull approximately 20 cm (8 inches) of film and insert it in the bottom slot

until it meets the lower sprocket teeth.

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Magazine

52

Still in the dark

12 Guide the film with your left thumb (A) and forefinger and turn the take-
up core holder clockwise until the film exits on the other side of the sprocket
assembly (B). Continue to turn the take-up core holder until the film reaches
the bottom roller (C).

13 Place a core on the take-up side spindle, press the center of the core
holder to lock the core in place. Fit the film end into the plastic take-up core
and wind on a few turns clockwise with the emulsion in.

14 Close the door. The remaining steps are performed in the light.

A

B

C

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Magazine

53

In the light again

15 Engage the take-up clutch knob by pulling its lever up.

16 Push the loop adjusting sprocket release button and hold it pressed.

Turn the take-up clutch knob clockwise (while gently pressing on it) to short­en the loop size until the loop adjustment tool is held between the film and
the pressure plate.

NOTE: the loop adjustment tool makes a loop corresponding to approxi­mately 37 visible perforations.

17 Once the loop has been set, check that the lower sprocket release but­ton has returned to its up position.

Installing the magazine

To install the magazine, stay at the rear of the camera body, Operator’s side.
Place your right hand underneath the magazine while your left hand is firmly
holding it at the midway point of its rear. Rest the nose of the magazine on
the camera base, hold the camera body with your left hand while pushing
the mag in the bottom dovetail and into the aperture area with your right
hand. Make sure that the top of the nose of the mag is parallel to the cam­era as you guide the mag in place. Push firmly and evenly until you feel and
hear that the mag snaps against the aperture area.

Don’t forget to lock the magazine by pushing the magazine upper locking
lever.

Removing the magazine

To remove the magazine, stay at the rear of the camera body, Operator’s
side. Unlock the magazine upper lock lever and push the magazine release
lever (A) toward the front of the camera.

Aaton

Pull the mag off the camera body.

Magazine

A

54

4

Video assist

Aaton

Video

56

To power up the VHR video assist, press the «set» key then the «on/off»
key once the film camera electronics have been powered up.

To display the VHR Menu (Main menu) on the video monitor screen, press
the «set» key then the «vid» key. A message is displayed on the Assistant’s
control screen (see pict. top right).

The VHR Menu contains five items

4.1 Image look (Video menu)

4.2 Frame & mask (Frame menu)

4.3 Proxy capture (Vid. capture)

4.4 Metadata insert (Technical menu)

4.5 Logo insert (not yet activated)

the «up» and «down» keys select an item.
the «set» key opens an item.
the «up», «down», «right», «left» keys modify the parameters.
the «exit» key enters the change.

4.1 Image look (Video menu)

Opens access to:

• Gain

• Color temp.

• Color saturation

• Color Bars

• Color/B&W out

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57

• Gain

Use the «up» or «down» key to modify its value.
It can also be modified by using the direct access shortcut (see p. ).

• Color temp.

- Tungsten or Daylight. Selecting one or the other makes [3200K] or
[5600K] appear in the CT field of the Assitant’s control screen.

- Manual white This is directly activated by pressing the «set» then the

«right» key. To perform a manual white balance, put a piece of white paper
in front of the taking lens. If there’s too much light (or not enough), the mes­sage Too bright or Too dark is displayed on the Assitant’s control screen.
White balance done, OK is displayed. [M-WB] appears in the CT field.

- Manual RGB (USER) currently opens access to the ‘User color temp’

line. Press the «set» key to display three RGB bargraphs, press the «up» or

«down» key to select one of them and press the «left» or «right» key to modify
the dB values. This lets you cope with 1800K to 7000K lighting conditions.
Press the «exit» key to validate. [M-RGB] appears in the CT field of the Assi­tant’s control screen.

• Color saturation

A highly saturated image displays vivid colors, less saturated it appears as
greyish. Saturation goes up to 200% (factory: 160%).

• Color bars

These bars are useful to calibrate an NTSC monitor by tuning the color pha­se setting while displaying the monitor’s blue only channel.

• Color/B&W out (Output).

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Video

58

4.2 Frame & mask

Opens access to

• Activation

• Templates

• Top left corner

• Bottom right corner

• Frame color

• Frame move

• Mask appearance

• Activation

Select ON to open access to four ‘frame & mask’ templates and to activate
their insertion.

• Templates

Four different templates store the rectangular frame and associated mask to
be inserted in the video assist image.
Press the «right» key to select one of the four templates.

• Top left corner
The rectangular frame can be set in size and position to perfectly match the
camera viewing screen markings. Press the «set» key to enter and modify
the corner position using the «up» «down» «left» or «right» key,

• Bottom right corner

Proceed in the same way as above.

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Video

59

• Frame color
Change the color of the rectangular frame. Play with the RGB values then

press «exit».

• Frame move

Lets you move the whole frame in the picture without affecting its size nor
ratio.
NOTE: a frame can be set to match the viewing screen markings but it can
also be used to outline an object in the picture during a product shot.

• Mask appearence

A transparent mask can be added outside the rectangular frame.
You can change its color and its transparency percentage.

4.3 Proxy capture

Still images (jpeg format) can be captured from the video assist and copied
on a FAT32 formatted USB key.
When the USB key is recognized, a disc icon appears on the main screen.

Select the Proxy Capture (Vid. Capture) item and press the «right» key to
access it. Select the mode by pressing the «left» or «right» key: OFF, Evry
1s (every second), Evry Ns (every N seconds), AUTO (three seconds after
RUN, middle of the take, three seconds before STOP).
Press «set» to validate the selection.

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Video

60

4.4 Metadata insert

Time code : ON

Batt voltage : OFF
VITC position : 23
Parity : ODD
Software : V1.25

Time code : ON
Batt voltage : ON

VITC position : 23

Parity : ODD
Software : V1.25

Metadata insertion can be moved anywhere in the picture with the «up»
«down» «left» and «right» keys.

• AatonCode

• Battery voltage

• VITC line & parity

• Lens Data

• Film status

• Software/hardware

• AatonCode

Time, Date, Camera ID. The positionning of these three ‘words’ currently
is directly accessible from the VHR Menu (Main Menu).

• Battery voltage

The higher of the two batteries voltage is displayed. When the low battery
alert level has been reached, the battery voltage characters start blinking.

• VITC line & parity

PAL VITC lines can be inserted from 10 to 23 (line 19 is common practice).
For NTSC, 13 to 19.
Ask your editing staff the line # they prefer to work with.
ODD or EVEN parity interleave: ODD is common practice.

• Lens Data

As transmitted from the Cooke i/lens system.

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61

• Film status

Film speed (in fps), and remaining or elapsed magazine footage (in foot or
meter).
The shooting status appears as RUN in green characters, or as STOP in red.
Its positionning is factory set and can’t be moved away from the center bot­tom of the video assist monitor.

• Software/hardware

The video assist software version and the hardware model is displayed on
the Assitant’s control screen as well as on the video monitor screen.

4.5 Logos

Logos can be inserted anywhere in the video picture.
This function is not yet installed.

• To upload a Logo, connect your computer through the ‘LEMO-5 Serial
Port’ cable.

• Once the Logo has been imported, you can modify its transparency and
its position.

5

Technical drawings

Type Functions Diagram Pin description (from user’s side)

2

LEMO-2 On/Off 1 Ground

2 Start

1

2

Fischer-2 Heating cable 1 Ground

2 + Batt.

1

1

LEMO-5 Timecode 1 Ground

2

3 4

5

2 SMPaTE In
3 ASCII In/out
4 NC
5 NC

Aaton

1

LEMO-6 Power 1 Ground

2

3

6

5

4

2 NC
3 NC
4 + Batt.
5 NC
6 Start

Technical specifications

63

Type Functions Diagram Pin descriptions (from user’s side)

Fischer-4 Video output 1 Ground

LEMO-8 Speed Controllers 1 Ground

XLR-4 Power In 1 Ground

2

3

2

3

4

4

1

4

1

8

7

6

5

23

1

2 Video ground
3 Video output
4 + Batt.

2 One pulse per frame
3 ASCII In/Out
4 + Batt.
5 Tach. out
6 Start
7 Tach. in
8 Ground

2 Start
3 + Batt.
4 + Batt.

*

Aaton

*white dot cameras

Technical specifications

64

AATON

Penelope

3 Perf

1.78

AATON

Penelope

3 Perf

2.35

AATON

Penelope

3 Perf

1.78 + TV Safe

AATON

Penelope

3 Perf

2.35

AATON

Penelope

3 Perf

2.35 + 1.78

2-Perf S35 centered

AATON

Penelope

2 Perf

1.78

AATON

Penelope

2 Perf

1.85

AATON

Penelope

2 Perf

2.35

AATON

Penelope

2 Perf

2.35 + 1.78 HDTV

AATON

Penelope

2 Perf

2.35 + 1.78 HDTV

AATON

Penelope

2 Perf

2.39

Ref : 33-230-20

Full gate, 1.78.

Full gate, 1.85.

Ref : 33-230-21

Ref : 33-230-30

2.39 (with full gate ext. markers)

3-Perf ANSI S35 centered

Ref : 33-230-25 Ref : 33-230-26 Ref : 33-230-27 Ref : 33-230-28

Ref : 33-230-22

Full gate, 2.35.

Ref : 33-230-23

Full gate, 2.35 (1.78 markers).

Ref : 33-230-24

Full gate, 2.35 (1.78 markers),
darker surround.

• The Aatonite frame is in red

• 1.78 = 16/9 ratio.

Ref : 33-230-29

Full gate, 1.78. Full gate, 2.35.

Viewing screens

Aaton

Full gate, 2.35. Full gate, 1.78 (1.33 markers).

Full gate, 2.35 (up offset), 1.78.

65