Blackmagic Cintel Scanner User Manual Using Your Scanner
Wind Types
The ‘wind type’ refers to the loading and unloading position, as well as the turn direction of film on your scanner’s feeding and taking spools. As you can see in the diagram below, an ‘A’ wind refers to film loading/unloading from the top of the spool, while a B type loads or unloads from the bottom. This is true for both the feeding and taking spools.
The default wind type for your scanner is a B/A wind, meaning the feeding spool unloads from the bottom and the taking spool loads across the top. If the film you are working with has been wound a different way, other combinations of A and B winds are supported; simply select the appropriate wind type via the ‘feed’ and ‘take up’ buttons in DaVinci Resolve’s film scanner panel.
Wind type affects which direction each spool turns, the position of the audio information and perforations, and whether your film travels across the skid plate emulsion side up or down, so it is important to use the appropriate combination for your project.
Select the appropriate wind type in DaVinci Resolve’s film scanner panel settings.
An easy way to remember the difference between A and B winds is that A winds unload and take up film from the top of the reel or spool, while B winds do the same from the bottom
Switching to 16mm
The optional Cintel Scanner 16mm gate kit contains all the parts you’ll require and making the changes to your scanner’s setup are minimal.
The 16mm kit contains a 16mm skid plate, two inner spacers and two outer spacers.
Switching to 16mm scanning is easy:
Swapping the Skid Plate
Swap the 35mm skid plate with the 16mm skid plate by pushing the retention levers down on the front of the 35mm plate and turning them outwards. Now remove the 35mm plate and replace it with the 16mm plate. When fitting a skid plate, make sure that the retention levers are lifted all the way up before turning them inwards, or the plate may not seat properly.
When removing the skid plate you will need to push the retention levers down and then turn them outward.
Removing the 35mm skid plate to install the 16mm skid plate.
To secure a skid plate lift the retention levers all the way up and turn them inward.
Inserting the 16mm Inner Spacer
Insert the rubber 16mm inner spacer at the base of the feeding and taking spools. The rubber spacer goes on grooved side inwards prior to a backing plate, spool or reel.
Additional Spacers (optional)
Additional 1mm rubber spacers are included in the 16mm Gate Kit for when mounting a reel. You can use these spacers if you need to adjust the alignment of the film with your scanner’s rollers.
Mounting your Film
After mounting your 16mm core or reel to the feeding spool, and a backing plate and core to the taking spool, you’ll need to install the outer 16mm spacer to secure the spools. This spacer has both a notch and a rubber ring on its inside edge to secure it to cores or reels, respectively. Once this is in place, secure the spools as you would normally.
Reel mounting. Shown from spindle outwards: inner 16mm spacer, 1mm spacers, 16mm reel, outer 16mm spacer and core clamp.
Core mounting. Shown from spindle outwards: inner 16mm spacer, backing plate, 16mm core, outer 16mm spacer and core clamp.
Lacing
Complete the lacing procedure as you would for 35mm film. Before pressing ‘load’ or manually tensioning your 16mm film, make sure that the film is properly threaded over the drive wheels smoothly to avoid damage to the film.
Skid Plate Tension Screws
The four roller bearings on the skid plate keep the film moving in a defined path and help to minimize gate weave. If some of the bearings are not making contact with the film during a scan, their tension can be adjusted. To do this, lightly tighten the M4 tension screws on the front of the plate using a 2mm hex driver.
It’s worth mentioning that if too much tension is applied, it can slightly shift the position of the image on the skid plate, which may affect your scan. If this happens, simply reverse your tension adjustments until your scan returns to normal.
The skid plate tension screws are located at the front of both the 16mm and 35mm skid plates.
Playback Controls
The following playback controls are available in DaVinci Resolve and on your scanner.
Your scanner has built in controls for loading, unloading, and previewing scans.
Load
Pressing ‘load’ will tension the film loaded onto your scanner’s feeding and taking spools as described in the section ‘lacing film.’
Pressing load once your film is properly tensioned will unload the film by returning the compliance arms to their slack position.
Rewind
Press rewind to wind your film back onto the feeding spool. Pressing this button once will rapidly rewind your film until it reaches the threshold of a fully loaded 75mm spool, at which point it will stop. Press rewind again to slowly wind the rest of your film all the way onto the feeding spool and unload your scanner.
If you are using a 50mm spool, your scanner will initially stop at the 75mm threshold. Pressing rewind a second time will then slowly rewind until the point a 75mm spool should have been fully rewound. If your scanner detects film still loaded at this point, it will resume rewinding quickly until reaching the 50mm threshold, where it will stop again. Press ‘rewind’ a third time to completely rewind a 50mm spool.
Due to the rarity of 100mm spools, your scanner is not programmed to stop prior to hitting the 100mm threshold. If you are using a 100mm spool, take care with your method of loading film onto the taking spool. Please use the provided notch, or if you don’t want to bend the end of the film inside the notch, you can use friction from the film winding onto itself. Avoid using adhesive tape when loading 100mm spools to make sure your spool unloads cleanly.
Step Back
Rewinds the film one frame. You can also hold down the ‘step back’ button to play the film backward at slow speed.
Stop
Stops playback, fast forward and rewind.
Play
Plays the film. The default frame rate is 24 frames per second. You can set the playback frame rate and ‘play reverse’ in DaVinci Resolve’s film scanner panel.
Step Forward
Advances the film one frame. You can also hold down the ‘step forward’ button to play the film forward at slow speed.
Fast Forward
Rapidly advances the film onto the taking spool. The stopping action performs the same way as rewind for 50, 75 and 100mm spools.
When you hold down your scanner’s ‘step back’ or ‘step forward’ button, the scanner advances or reverses playback at 4 frames per second. You can perform the same ‘step back’ and ‘step forward’ transport controls in DaVinci Resolve’s film scanner panel by clicking and holding the buttons with your mouse.
Standby Mode
When inactive, your scanner will enter standby mode to preserve the longevity of the light source. This happens after 15 minutes when connected via Thunderbolt, or 1.5 minutes when no software is connected. Your scanner will signal that it is entering standby mode by flashing the light source.
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